hOw lOnG hAs iT bEen sInCe yOU hAvE tAkEn tHe tImE tO tAkE a reAlY dEep tHouGhtFuL lOok aT sEctOin 132?
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Analysis of section 132
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears”; 2 Tim. 4: 3
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Gal. 1: 8-9
In previous posts I have pointed to historical documentation that indicates that originally, the revelation now known as Section 132 was much shorter and only about restoring the biblical principle of patriarchal polygamy. It was apparently some time later that the theological portions pertaining to the spiritual wife doctrine were added.
I have already put my two cents worth about how I feel about the spiritual wife doctrine in another post. If you have not read it, you may view it here.
I have, however, felt for a long time that since section 132 claims that after a person becomes aware of the doctrine contained therein, that they need to live it and have multiple wives in order to receive the highest glory of the Lord, and since it is included in the four standard works and is presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints as a true revelation containing true doctrine, that I am compelled to take it very seriously and weigh it in the balance, against the other revelations contained in the four standard works.
So I finally took the time the other night to read the entire section through again, and to scrutinize each and every verse to see just how congruent this revelation is with the rest of Gods revealed word. As usual, I was not able to take as much time as I desired and this article, like most of the ones I have written, will remain a work in progress.
Joseph Smith has informed us that true revelations never contradict previous ones. That one key should raise a big red flag when one reads section 132.
The prophet Joseph Smith one made the following comment,
“There have also been ministering angels in the Church which were of Satan appearing as an angel of light. (Gives an example).. Many true things were spoken by this personage, and many things that were false. How, it may be asked, was this known to be a bad angel? By the color of his hair; that is one of the signs that he can be known by, and by his contradicting a former revelation.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pp. 214-215)
There are doctrinal sophists that will look at you with a strait face and tell you that the spiritual wife doctrine contained in section 132 does not contradict celestial law contained in section 42, or the command to limit yourself to one wife in section 49. But each of us need to determine the truthfulness of that teaching for ourselves.l
One of the truly disturbing things about the so-called “revelation” contained in section 132 is how it redefines so many of the plain and simple doctrines and phrases of the gospel that are contained in the Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenant.
Here are some of the terms and doctrines that seem to be redefined in this section;
· New and Everlasting Covenant
· Oath and covenant
· Strait gate
My concern is that redefining terms and doctrines previously defined by God and his holy prophets constitutes the preaching of a different gospel. This is something else we need to keep in mind as we review this section.
Here is my analysis of how the doctrines in section 132 measures up to the holy and infallible word of God. Section 132 is in black, my comments and observations are in Red,
SECTION 132
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines—
Verse one is a big red flag in my opinion.
It would have us believe that the revelation came as a result of Joseph Smith asking (or Joseph Smith asking on behalf of one of the Elders of Israel,) the Lord to explain why he had justified, among others, David and Solomon in having multiple wives.
The Book of Mormon had already revealed that David and Solomon were NOT justified in having many wives and concubines!
Did Joseph Smith believe the Book of Mormon that he had brought forth by the gift and power of God? Of course he did!
Why would Joseph Smith, as the Seer of the Lord who translated the Book of Mormon be asking why God justified David and Solomon in taking multiple wives when in fact it was through his efforts in translating the Book of Mormon that he was able to reveal to the world that David and Solomon WERE NOT JUSTIFIED in having multiple wives;
“For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.”
Not only does the Book of Mormon clarify that David and Solomon were not justified, it declares that what they did was an abomination. It reveals that those who used the scriptures to justify their actions in practicing polygamy DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES!
It is almost inconceivable that the Lords anointed would ask such an unsound question of the Lord, when he had already been an instrument in the hands of God to shed light on this issue.
If the question would have been limited to asking why Abraham and Jacob and the righteous patriarchs that lived the principle were justified, there would have been no inconsistency and it would have been a sound and valid question.
I have a little more to say about the ramifications pertaining to this most disturbing opening verse, but I am going to come back to this later in the article after we review more of this section.
2 Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter.
3 Therefore, aprepare thy heart to receive and bobey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.
Common sense and a literal rendering of these verses up to the word YOU, would indicate that if this really was a true revelation, the commandment to live this law is being given directly to Joseph Smith exclusively at this point, and that others would need to have a direct revelation from God or a tap on the shoulder from Gods anointed in order to be justified in practicing it.
And that appears to be what it is saying until you get to the last sentence which actually makes the living of the law binding on everyone that reads the revelation or has it explained to them.
“for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same”
Would God really do that? Would he take a so-called “higher law” and make it binding on virtually everyone who becomes aware of it?
This brings up a very important issue. If God really did reveal this revelation to Joseph Smith and if it was a valid accurate revelation, why didn’t God instruct Joseph to canonize it into the D&C?
Did you realize that Joseph was getting ready to publish a new version of the D&C just before his death that contained about 6 or 8 new additional revelations but he did not intend to include this one?
Why?
When the new version of the scriptures that Joseph had prepared came out, they contained section 124 which warned the Saints that anything more or less than what was in the Book of Mormon and the published revelations up to section 124 (and any others that Joseph had published and made public), “cometh of evil and shall be attended with cursings”.(see 124:119,120)
According to that ominous warning, section 132 must be considered evil and is attended with cursings.
One only needs to read the diaries of the Saints who struggled to live polygamy to get a glimpse of the cursings God warned the saints about.
So if God did not commission Joseph or Hyrum (who was actually the sole prophet of the church at the time of the martyrdom) to legitimize and canonize the current version of section 132 even though it had supposedly been given by then, who gave Brigham Young the authority to replace the Article on Marriage (which forbids the practice of polygamy) and replace it with 132?
If Brigham really was authorized by God to insert it, why did he have Brigham wait nearly 30 years to do it instead of having him do it when the Saints reached Utah?
Brigham openly stated numerous times that he had never seen God nor did he claim to be a prophet, so where did he get the authority to canonize a revelation that binds the Saints to the strange and contradictory doctrines found in this section?
The insertion of section 132 without authority from God and without the law of common consent is not very consistent with previous protocol. It contradicts previous revelations and it neglects some kind of requirement of righteousness or justification through grace with regard to the promises of eternal life that it makes… those promises of eternal life are soley predicated upon the acceptance of a strange and unnatural marital law.
It neglects the law of common consent, it opens up the practicing of this law to everyone, not just the church membership. According the William Law, the original revelation limited the practice of this law to High Priests.
4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting acovenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye bdamned; for no one can creject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
This is the first of several sacred gospel terms that this revelation redefines.
Prior to this revelation the phrase “New and Everlasting Covenant” ALWAYS had specific reference to the saving ordinance of the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost which is the sacred covenant that gets us through the gate and onto the strait path. It sometimes also includes the messenger holding the keys to the saving ordinance of water, fire and Holy Ghost..
Now, for the first time in the four standard works, the phrase is redefined to refer to a commandment to have multiple wives.
Frankly it seems blasphemous to me to redefine the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism and the power of the atonement, as referring a mandatory requirement to have multiple wives sealed to you. I wonder how God feels about diverting the attention from the sacrifice and atonement of his Son to the principle of polygamy.
Would God really confuse us this way? Especially since the Law of the Gospel contained in section 42 requires monogamy?
This is not only redefining a term, it is reversing the meaning of a term!
I don’t think so!
Section 42 and section 132 cannot both be true because they contradict each other.
The law of the Gospel in section 42 is sacred to me. The spirit bears witness that it is true. I am forced to accept one revelation or the other. They can’t contradict each other and both be true.
5 For all who will have a ablessing at my hands shall abide the blaw which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.
6 And as pertaining to the new and aeverlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my bglory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.
Ok, this revelation is now revealing that the only people who can receive a fullness of Gods glory are those that enter into this new definition of the New and Everlasting Covenant, requiring multiple wives.
The fullness of Gods glory was addressed long before section 132 was crafted. Those crafting it should have studied section 76 a little closer because it addresses this issue.
Apparently Joseph and Sidney were not aware of this new doctrine in section 132 when they experienced the vision now known as section 76 because they actually received a fullness of the Glory of God while living monogamy in the flesh. Please notice the following verses;
“We, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, being in the Spirit on the sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two—
By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God—
Even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning;
Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision.
And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.
And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and RECEIVED OF HIS FULNESS;
21 And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.
And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
Not only did these two monogamists experience the fulness of the glory of God in the flesh, they revealed that all of those who receive the testimony of Jesus and are baptized and keep the commandments (which are detailed in the law of the gospel) and overcome by faith and are sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise, will be made kings and priests and will RECEIVE OF HIS FULNESS AND GLORY!
Clearly Joseph and Sidney received of his fulness as monogamists.
Furthermore, Section 76 explains exactly what the Gospel of Christ is that enables us to enter into the fulness of his glory for eternity. Please note the following passages;
“And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just—
They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given—
That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.
They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—
They are they who are priest and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;
I didn’t notice anything in there about multiple wives being a requirement to receive the fullness of Gods glory.. did you?
Is it possible that section 132 is preaching ANOTHER Gospel?
7 And verily I say unto you, that the aconditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, boaths, cvows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and dsealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is eanointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by frevelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this gpower (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this hpower in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the ikeys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.
8 Behold, mine house is a house of aorder, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
I’m glad to know that God’s house is a house of order and not a house of confusion however, now I am really confused. This revelation is stating that the priesthood power to seal someone up according to the Holy Spirit of Promise is never held by more than one person on the earth at a time. First of all, the Holy Spirit of Promise can seal anyone up that the Father chooses, the Holy Spirit of Promise does not function under the direction of mortal man. We will get more into this in a minute but for right now, let talk about priesthood keys.
Apparently the people who crafted this revelation neglected to read section 68 and 124. Lets review them;
Speaking to several brethren who had been ordained to the office of High Priest, the Lord gives this promise,
“And of as many as the Father shall bear record, to you shall be given power to seal them up unto eternal life. Amen.” (section 68:12)
In addition to the incredible promise given above, which was given to several high priests (and undoubtedly applies to the 144,000 High Priests when they begin their ministry), section 124 makes it abundantly clear that in 1841 Joseph and Hyrum both held the power to seal people up in conjunction with the Holy Spirit of Promise (based on providing the ordinances of salvation).
Furthermore, section 81 tells us that the three people that compose the first presidency of the High Priesthood jointly hold the keys of the kingdom!
Do I now have to throw out sections 45, 68, 76, 81 and 124 in order to embrace this new gospel that is being preached in section 132?
The problem with verse 7 however is much deeper than that. In verse 5 and again in verse 7, section 132 introduces the LAW of CONDITIONS pertaining to salvation in the highest kingdom, or in other words, it lays the foundation for what the “conditions” of the gospel and the “conditions” of salvation are.
At this point in my critique of this section I am going to submit the glorious discourse that King Benjamin gave regarding the “CONDITIONS” of the gospel. I challenge you to read Mosiah 4:8 and ponder the fact that this righteous king had just delivered a message to his people that he had received from an angel. Then in verse 8 he then outlines what the conditions of salvation really are.
I challenge you to read Mosiah chapters 2,3 and 4 and make bullet points of what the conditions of salvation are (and what they are not) and then make bullet points based on what section 132 claims the conditions of salvation are.
You will be shocked.
Section 132 gives entirely different and contrary conditions than King Benjamin gives.
Section 132 preaches quite a different gospel than the Book of Mormon preaches.
The Book of Mormon tells us to put our faith and trust in God and the atonement, section 132 teaches us to put our faith and trust in human priesthood authority.
The Book of Mormon has God bestowing the Holy Spirit of Promise on his children, section 132 emphasizes that God only has one man on the earth at a time that has the authority to seal you up by the Holy Spirit of Promise.
The four standard works teach that the Holy Spirit of Promise works under the direction of the Father and the Son and independent of Man, yet section 132 claims that you can only recieve the Holy Spirit of Promise through the special person who is anointed to give it.
The Book of Mormon states in no uncertain terms, “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel and he employeth no servant there; and there is no other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name..”
Do a key word search in the four standard works to see what Paul and others taught about the Holy Spirit of Promise and see if the associated doctrines point you to putting your trust in God or Human Priesthood authority… after doing so and after comparing the words of King Benjamin to the strange new doctrine found in section 132, you will get incredible clarity on how section 132 differs from the gospel taught in the true Word of God
9 Will I aaccept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?
10 Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not aappointed?
11 And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father aordained unto you, before the world was?
12 I am the Lord thy God; and I give unto you this commandment—that no man shall acome unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord.
Why is the Lord making specific reference to his new LAW contained in this proposed revelation as the conflicting law contained in section 42 had never been given? Why didn’t he mention his LAW which he had already given, which this new law contradicts?
Has it been done away with? If so, why doesn’t the Lord notify Joseph Smith that a higher or lower law is being instituted, just as the lord notified Moses when the lesser law containing “carnal commandments” was being instituted instead of the higher law? (See JST Ex. 34: 1-2, 14)
This is very confusing and not congruent with previous revelations and commandments.
13 And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by athrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall bnot remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God.
14 For whatsoever things remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed.
15 Therefore, if a aman marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world.
16 Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in amarriage; but are appointed angels in bheaven, which angels are ministering cservants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
I don’t see any major discrepancies in those passages. Perhaps they were taken from a valid revelation? Or perhaps those that crafted this revelation just got lucky? Or perhaps old Scratch throws in a little truth to give credibility to the lies he is perpetuating?
17 For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are aangels of God forever and ever.
I’m not positive, because I have not taken the time to do an extensive key word search, but I believe this is the first time in the four standard works that the word “exaltation” is used in this context. Prior to this, when used in a positive context, it simply means raised up.”
I think that possibly the word “saved” categorically meant saved in the highest kingdom of God in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. The word salvation also categorically referred to being saved in the celestial kingdom in the D&C UNTIL section 76 was received. It was then, for the first time that the word saved was used to refer to a “saved condition” in any kingdom of glory, but the broader use of the word was clearly spelled out in that revelation.
I believe section 132 introduces “exaltation” theology for the first time.
Why is this important? It may not be.
I don’t necessarily see a problem with using the word exaltation in place of salvation, however it is curious that God would never introduce this term until now. Particularly when it would have been so appropriate in section 76 if in fact it is an accurate descriptive.
The exaltation doctrine in 132 possibly creates a necessity for multiple kingdoms within the celestial Kingdom based on number of wives, etc. Hence the misinterpretation of section 131:1-4 by many people.
Yet the scriptures are so clear about the fact that there are three kingdoms of glory and that all of the elect that go to the highest kingdom are equal, having received the fulness of the Father.
It is interesting how the Lord warns leaders of the restoration movement to not “exalt” themselves.
Notice also how the Lord uses the word “exalt” when telling Satan what he was thinking in his heart;
“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Isa. 14: 13
18 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that acovenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.
19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man amarry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and beverlasting covenant, and it is csealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of dpromise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the ekeys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit fthrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s gBook of Life, that he shall commit no hmurder whereby to shed innocent iblood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their jexaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the kseeds forever and ever.
20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from aeverlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be bgods, because they have call power, and the angels are subject unto them.
21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my alaw ye cannot attain to this glory.
22 For astrait is the gate, and narrow the bway that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the clives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
Now section 132 is redefining the phrase “strait is the gate and narrow the way”.
Lets do a key word search to see if the new definition squares with the original definition given by Christ.
“Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.
Section 132 is telling us that we get into the strait gate by multiple wives instead of by the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost. Are you willing to bet your salvation on this “other gospel”?
25 aBroad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the bdeaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they creceive me not, neither do they abide in my law.
Again, this is the second part of a phrase we have already researched.. it just doesn’t square with God’s holy and infallible word in the scriptures.
26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.
What an interesting doctrine! We talk about the insidious doctrine of works that overrides the grace of God through the atonement pursuant to the saving ordinances of the Gospel, but this really takes the cake.
According to this “enlightened” bit of legislation, if a man is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, as long as he does not shed innocent blood, he can commit any sin or transgression and all manner of blasphemies and still be guaranteed exaltation in the highest kingdom after he gets his hands slapped for a while.
The above doctrine in section 132 reminds me of the prophetic warning in the Book of Mormon that says in the last days men will be saying,
“… God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark. … O the wise and the learned and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them sayeth the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!” 2nd Nephi 28:8-
Are you buying what section 132 is selling? Or are you sticking with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Are the above passages in section 132 preaching the simple and pure doctrine of Christ or is it teaching a vain and foolish doctrine that justifies people in committing whordoms?
Try reconciling the above passages in 132 with the gospel of Jesus Christ that is taught in section 42 and the rest of the scriptures.
Try reconciling it with section 76!
(of course, in the passage above, in 132, we don’t know which “New and Everlasting Covenant” it is speaking about, but it doesn’t make any sense either way)
Having gotten that little rant out of the way, let me suggest that verse 26 is perhaps one of the most blatant doctrinal slip-ups from those that crafted this revelation.
If you will do a key phrase search for “delivered unto the buffetings of Satan, you will find that this phrase only shows up in modern revelation. It showed up in three separate revelations before section 132 was crafted. EVERYONE of the other three passages reveals that it is breaking the law of consecration that turns a person over to the buffetings of Satan!
Furthermore, and perhaps even more telling, the scriptures are clear about the fact that everyone that dies is ether sealed up to go to the spirit paradise because of their faith and righteousness OR they are sealed up to go to the spirit prison to await the wrath of God because they died in their sins without repenting during probation.
Never do the scriptures speak of those that come forth out of prison as being the elect of God.
Those that go to the spirit prison because they died in their sins are not caught up in the cloud to meet Jesus during the first resurrection… period, end of story.
We therefore know beyond question that the above passage and associated doctrine is out of harmony with the gospel that is revealed in the true revelations.
It is after they have all suffered for their own sins, in the flesh that the terrestrial and telestial spirits will receive their final resurrected bodies and eternal inheritances.
27 The ablasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall bnot be cforgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit dmurder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be edamned, saith the Lord.
We’ve already discussed the absurdity of the doctrine that you are damned from entering into the glory of the Lord if you haven’t enslaved a bunch of wives. We shan’t belabor it.
28 I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the alaw of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was.
As subtle as it is, this of course is the redefining of the “oath and covenant of the Father” as mentioned in section 84, which is commonly referred to in the Church as the “oath and covenant of the priesthood”.
In a previous article I have shown beyond dispute that the oath and covenant of the Father pertains to the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism. It is the baptismal covenant that enabled Father Adam and all of the great prophets and patriarchs to enter into the highest priesthood.
Of course, now that this revelation of questionable origin has redefined the term New and Everlasting Covenant to mean multiple wives, everything has changed, and we now have “another gospel”. We can now focus on obtaining additional wives instead focusing on the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost!
In JST Luke 11:53 the Savior makes an astonishing accusation towards the religious “lawyers” that were largely responsible for teaching doctrine in the corrupt Jewish church,
“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge, the fulness of the scriptures; ye enter not in yourselves into the kingdom; and those who were entering in, ye hindered.”
Is it possible that the other gospel contained in section 132 hinders people from entering into the kingdom by obscuring and redefining the true doctrines and ordinances contained in the four standard works?
Perhaps when the fulness of the scriptures are made available when the first laborers of the last kingdom return, it will be much clearer to us that the first gospel that was revealed through the prophet Joseph Smith was true.
29 aAbraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord, and hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne.
30 aAbraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose bloins ye are, namely, my servant Joseph—which were to continue so long as they were in the world; and as touching Abraham and his seed, out of the world they should continue; both in the world and out of the world should they continue as innumerable as the cstars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye could not number them.
31 This promise is yours also, because ye are of aAbraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law is the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself.
32 Go ye, therefore, and do the aworks of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.
I agree that we need to do the works of Abraham.
What exactly did Abraham do that will enable us to become save?
He paid tithes to Melchizedek. That means he entered into the Law of the Gospel and consecration. In order to do that, he had to do what Melchizedek, Enoch and Adam all did, he had to enter into the everlasting covenant of Baptism… even the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost.
After being baptized, he kept his oath to serve God which is to be willing to sacrifice all things.
Those are the works of Abraham that we are supposed to follow.
If this is a true revelation, how could God have overlooked including this information under the topic of “do the works of Abraham”?
33 But if ye enter not into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my Father, which he made unto Abraham.
Here we have another redefining of what God’s law is.
In sections 37, 38 and 39 the Lord had commanded the Saints to go to the Ohio where he would give them his law. Once they got to the Ohio, he gave them is law as contained in section 42. That is the “law of the gospel”
In that section the Lord said,
“Again I say unto you, hearken and hear and obey the law which I shall give unto you…” He then made specific mention of several laws including the law of having only one wife. Eventually the revelation stated that,
“Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church;”
Of course the four standard works up to that period of time had all taught that the Saints should only have one wife.
Now, however, this revelation is redefining the law of the Gospel that was given in section 42. This is a huge contradiction and itappears to be redefining previous definitions of sacred laws that the Lord had already given to the Saints.
Is this not preaching “another gospel” than that found in the New Testament, Book of Mormon and D&C?
34 God acommanded Abraham, and Sarah gave bHagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
The scriptures support the proposition that Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham and that God tolerated the patriarchal law of plural wives as practiced in Old Testament times. However, they don’t ever indicate that God gave Hagar to Abraham by revelation and they certainly don’t indicate that the biblical law of polygamy was an celestial principle that would continue on into eternity.
We need to remember that the children of Israel who rejected the higher law and were living the law of carnal commandments were living polygamy.
Many pro-polygamists will tell you that the children of polygamist wives are of a higher spiritual realm, however, the scriptures don’t confirm this, Isaiah informs so that the righteous only come from Sarah, not Hagar! check out Isaiah 51!
Furthermore, we Paul informs us in Galations 4 that Abraham had two sons, one from a bondwoman (Hagar) and one from a freewoman (Sarah). He then informs us that those children from the freewoman are the children of the PROMISE while those of the bondwoman are born after the flesh and are born unto BONDAGE!
The offspring of a polygamous union from Abraham appear to be terrestrial spirits at best!
35 Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, acommanded it.
36 Abraham was acommanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not bkill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for crighteousness.
37 Abraham received aconcubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were given unto him, and he abode in my law; as Isaac also and bJacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their cexaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.
Stating that Abraham, Issac and Jacob have received their exaltation and are now Gods sitting on their thrones is simply not congruent with the scriptures and is a false doctrine.
Paraphrasing a scripture in Hebrews, the prophet Joseph Smith made the following comment found in section 128,
“… as Paul says concerning the fathers- that they without us cannot be made perfect– neither can we without our dead be made perfect” D&C 128:15
Abraham has been redeemed from this telestial world but he has not been made perfect. He can’t be made perfect until the righteous from our dispensation have been made perfect.
Father Abraham and others have been redeemed from the powers of this world but they have not received their final salvation (exaltation?) and been made perfect yet.
In fact, God hasn’t even completed his covenant with Abraham and Jacob and the other patriarchal fathers yet. Please note the following passages,
“.. your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers..” 3 Nephi 10:7
“And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel.” 1st Nephi 14:17
“Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” 1st Nephi 15:18
“Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to their fathers.” 1 Ne 19:15
Why don’t we wait until the covenant between God and Abraham has been fulfilled before we try to exalt Abraham and send him off to create other worlds?
38 David also received amany wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
39 aDavid’s wives and concubines were bgiven unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the ckeys of this power; and in none of these things did he dsin against me save in the case of eUriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath ffallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I ggave them unto another, saith the Lord.
As pointed out after the very first passage of this revelation, the prophet Joseph Smith revealed to the world through the Book of Mormon that David was not justified in the taking of many wives and concubines. The case of Uriah was not the only case in which he sinned.
Additionally, one could assume from the above passage that David did not sin in any other way than in the case of Uriah. That of course would not be accurate either as David was prevented from building the temple because of the wars he had been involved in,
“ And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house unto the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars; thou shalt not build a house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.” Jst 1 Chron 22:7
40 I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph, an aappointment, and restore all things. Ask what ye will, and it shall be given unto you according to my word.
41 And as ye have asked concerning adultery, verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man areceiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by the holy banointing, she hath committed cadultery and shall be destroyed.
42 If she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with another man, she has acommitted adultery.
43 And if her husband be with another woman, and he was under a avow, he hath broken his vow and hath committed adultery.
44 And if she hath not committed adultery, but is innocent and hath not broken her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my servant Joseph, then shall you have power, by the power of my Holy Priesthood, to take her and agive her unto him that hath not committed badultery but hath been cfaithful; for he shall be made ruler over many.
45 For I have conferred upon you the akeys and power of the priesthood, wherein I brestore all things, and make known unto you all things in due time.
46 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you aseal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bbind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you cremit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.
47 And again, verily I say, whomsoever you bless I will bless, and whomsoever you curse I will acurse, saith the Lord; for I, the Lord, am thy God.
48 And again, verily I say unto you, my servant Joseph, that whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you agive any one on earth, by my word and according to my law, it shall be visited with blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth and in heaven.
49 For I am the Lord thy God, and will be awith thee even unto the bend of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I cseal upon you your dexaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your efather.
The implication from this verse is that even after exaltation, the patriarchal order within this mortality continues on…. Abraham continues to be Joseph Smiths patriarchal Father in the celestial kingdom. This seems inconsistent with previous scriptures that indicate that after the Saints are redeemed. All are equal with each other… even with Christ,
“And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the seventh angel, saying: It is finished; it is finished! The Lamb of God hath overcome and trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the asaints shall be filled with his bglory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.”(section 88)
50 Behold, I have seen your asacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your bsacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as I caccepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.
51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.
It seems like a poor analogy to compare a commandment from the Lord offering other husbands to Emma to the commandment of the Lord for Abraham to sacrifice his only son.
The historicity behind this very strange verse appears to be the situation where Joseph was trying to pacify the jealousy of Emma towards her sister wives by offering to let her have other husbands… pretty sick. But even if Emma wanted other husbands and would be pacified by having them, I hardly see that as something that could be compared to the sacrifice of Abrahams only son!
Further, the terms “covenant and sacrifice” are foundational terms pertaining to the great sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit that we are commanded to offer up when we enter into the true New and Everlasting Covenant.
Again, this revelation is redefining existing gospel terms and preaching another gospel. Please note the following verses which are all unified in revealing the true sacrifice and covenant that the Lord requires of us;
8 Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.
9 For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.
10 Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you.
11 Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people.
12 Behold, this is the tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there may be a house built unto me for the salvation of Zion—
Clearly, the sacrifice and covenant spoken of in the scriptures is different from what section 132 is referring to.
52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.
53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.
54 And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and acleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be bdestroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.
I find it very interesting that the Lord is threatening to destroy Emma if she doesn’t follow this commandment. In other parts of this revelation being destroyed in the flesh corresponds with being turned over to the “buffetings of satan”.
That phrase shows up four times in modern revelation. The first three times it always has to do with those who break the law of consecration that they have entered into… yet this revelation would have us believe that it pertains to rejecting polygamy… again, we are redefining the use of this term from the sacred law of consecration to pertain to a different law of multiple wives, which is a carnal commandment!
Please notice the following verses,
12 And he who breaketh it shall lose his office and standing in the church, and shall be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.
21 And the soul that sins against this covenant, and hardeneth his heart against it, shall be dealt with according to the laws of my church, and shall be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.
9 Inasmuch as ye are cut off for transgression, ye cannot escape the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.
10 And I now give unto you power from this very hour, that if any man among you, of the order, is found a transgressor and repenteth not of the evil, that ye shall deliver him over unto the buffetings of Satan; and he shall not have power to bring evil upon you.
BTW
Do you find it just a little strange how the Lord pummels us with warnings about living consecration all throughout the D&C until this revelation.. then it is not even mentioned. Very strange.
55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of beternal lives in the eternal worlds.
56 And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid aforgive my servant Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to brejoice.
57 And again, I say, let not my servant Joseph put his property out of his hands, lest an enemy come and destroy him; for aSatan bseeketh to destroy; for I am the Lord thy God, and he is my servant; and behold, and lo, I am with him, as I was with Abraham, thy father, even unto his cexaltation and glory.
58 Now, as touching the law of the apriesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.
59 Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was aAaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that bsent me, and I have endowed him with the ckeys of the power of this priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and according to my law and by my word, he will not commit dsin, and I will justify him.
60 Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.
61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse aanother, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
62 And if he have aten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.
63 But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to amultiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be bglorified.
This spiritual wife law contained in this revelation appears to apply only to virgins.
This of course is totally inconsistent with the actions of Joseph smith according to the claim of multiple historians who claim to have provided significant documentation showing that the majority of women that Joseph Smith took as wives had been or currently were married to other men. One of the biggest problems with the credibility of this revelation is that Joseph Smith did not seem to honor the terms and conditions laid out in this revelation.
Additionally, according to the testimony of William Law, the original version of this revelation limited the living of this law to High Priests. Yet that limitation appears to have been removed by those who crafted it.
64 And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God; for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.
65 Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according to the law when I commanded Abraham to take aHagar to wife.
66 And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.
Ok, before I wrap things up here, I want to go back to the beginning verse of section 132 and go into a little more detail. What I have to say about it needed to be at the end of this article, not at the beginning. Please forgive the repetition of the few things I have previously stated. Please keep reading, there is information you need to read!
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines—
Verse one is a big red flag in my opinion.
It would have us believe that the revelation came as a result of Joseph Smith asking (or Joseph Smith asking on behalf of one of the Elders of Israel,) the Lord to explain why he had justified, among others, David and Solomon in having multiple wives.
The Book of Mormon had already revealed that David and Solomon were NOT justified in having many wives and concubines!
Did Joseph Smith believe the Book of Mormon that he had brought forth by the gift and power of God? Of course he did!
Why would Joseph Smith, as the Seer of the Lord who translated the Book of Mormon be asking why God justified David and Solomon in taking multiple wives when in fact it was through his efforts in translating the Book of Mormon that he was able to reveal to the world that David and Solomon WERE NOT JUSTIFIED in having multiple wives;
“For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.”
Not only does the Book of Mormon clarify that David and Solomon were not justified, it declares that what they did was an abomination. It reveals that those who used the scriptures to justify their actions in practicing polygamy DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES!
It is almost inconceivable that the Lords anointed would ask such an unsound question of the Lord, when he had already been an instrument in the hands of God to shed light on this issue.
If the question would have been limited to asking why Abraham and Jacob and the righteous patriarchs that lived the principle were justified, there would have been no inconsistency and it would have been a sound and valid question.
It may seem a little odd that the Lord would play along, as if the question was a valid one.
There is actually a biblical principle that is invoked here having to do with asking idolatrous questions to the Lord. We will cover that in a minute..
However, we need to remember that God had warned the Saints in the original version of what is now known as section 5 that he would deliver them up to Satan if they harden their hearts against his word. Is it not hardening our hearts against His word in the Book of Mormon if we reject what it teaches about David and Solomon?
In Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith we are informed that Joseph Smith taught the Relief Society that the church was in a state of darkness because they were blindly following the prophet instead of being responsible for their own salvation.
“President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel–said the Lord had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church–that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls–applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall–that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds…” TPJS p.237
This is an incredibly insightful and ominous declaration made by the Prophet Joseph Smith. He is telling the relief society that the current state of the restored church in Nauvoo, in 1842 is in the same condition as the corrupt Jewish Church!
What an appropriate time for the Spiritual Wife Doctrine to raise its ugly head!
It seems to me he is telling them that they are in as state of darkness because they are blindly following him instead of searching the scriptures for themselves and taking the Holy Ghost as their guide.
Putting this declaration from the prophet Joseph Smith in historical context;
I guess the state of the church was pretty grim at that time. To think that the Lord is now going to reveal some glorious higher law, when the Saints had rejected the last higher law, as contained in section 42, is ludicrous. Especially since the new higher law contradicted the last higher law!
And if we believe the research that has been done by those who have studied Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy in Nauvoo, he was allegedly taking some of the married Relief Society women in the audience as wives, yet he was chastising them for blindly following his teachings!
But most people miss the “rest of the story” by only noting the summary of Joseph’s remarks that he made to these ladies.
The deeper story is found in analyzing the biblical text upon which he built his sermon to them.
Have you ever studied Ezekiel 14?
Note the first four verses… I hope you are sitting down because your paradigm about how God responds to his apostate people may be challenged a little,
“Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?
Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh, according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”
When an Elder of Israel inquires of God with a pure heart he will get a pure answer from the Lord, usually through His anointed servant. If an Elder inquires of the Lord based on the idolatry in his heart, his answer that he gets will be based on that idolatrous spirit that is in him.
It is possible that Joseph Smith may very possibly have been originally inquiring in behalf of another elder of Israel rather than directly for himself, but at this point, it doesn’t really matter because I want to stay on topic and even if Joseph was asking on behalf of himself, it is all covered by the atonement statute and associated scapegoat doctrine, anyway.
We know that the sins of Israel were artificially placed upon Joseph, Sidney and others at some point in time and they acted them out.
The point is that section 132 begins with an unsound inquiry, it is initiated by an idolatrous question, one that appears to have been based on the idolatry in a persons heart. If those inquiring had believed what the Lord had taught about David and Solomon in the Book of Mormon the inquiry would never have been made because they would have known that David and Solomon were NOT justified.
Hence, the first verse of this revelation is extremely problematic.
According to Ezekiel 14, the Lord may mirror the response based on the idolatry that is in the heart of the person inquiring.
Sometime we will do a much more in-depth analysis of Ezekiel 14 to show that the message gets much deeper. It addresses the scapegoat doctrine and it is actually a prophecy of the very event we are discussing, but it covers it at a deeper level that I don’t want to get into right now.
Nevertheless, it is referring to a very specific event that was to take place in the last days.
After teaching us that God can send a strong delusion upon an apostate people (see also 2nd Thess) based on the idolatry in their hearts in Ezekiel 14, the Lord continues to build upon that doctrine in chapter 20.
He explains that when a people fail to exercise his true judgments and statutes, such as failing to live the true law of the Gospel which includes consecration and monogamy, he will then give them false judgments and statutes,
“Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord” Ezek 20:24-26
Now I suspect you are saying to yourself, that you don’t believe the Lord would ever lie to anyone… I agree.
The Lord never personally lies directly to anyone, it is against his nature and it is against eternal law.
He uses Satan and other lying spirits to deceive people and hand them over to their delusions.
Please read the following text from 1st Chronicles very carefully and don’t bother digging out your Inspired Version because this IS the Inspired Version,
“And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also; go forth, and do so.
Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.” (1st Kings 22:22-23 you can see the exact same account in 2nd Chronicles 18:22-23)
God can and does turn his apostate people over to Satan and lying spirits.
He does send strong delusion.
He does use lying spirits to answer people according to the idolatry in their hearts.
As the Old Testament informs us he creates both the good and the evil. He uses evil people as his pawns to accomplish his purposes.
Nebuchadrezzar the king was an evil tyrant, however the Lord refers to him as “his servant”, because the Lord used him to accomplish his purposes,
“And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.” · Jer. 43: 10
Before leaving this portion of the critique, let me briefly show you an amazing prophecy in Deuteronomy that is probably related to the prophecy Ezekiel was speaking of in chapter 14. More importantly, it is probably a prophecy about a great test that God puts the Latter day Saints through.
Please understand, the following verses contain a prophesy of a future event that takes place in the latter days after God cuts off the nations of a land that Israel inhabits (read chapter 12 for context);
“When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
It would certainly be a grave mistake for me to reject this revelation if in fact it was a true revelation from God. However, I would be forced to reject several other revelations by accepting this one.
Based on the myriad of doctrinal inconsistencies that I have found in this revelation, I have no choice but to reject the other gospel that is taught in this revelation.
I have decided to stay true to all of the passages in the four standard works that this revelation mocks.
As with all of the articles that I write, I encourage the reader to discount my own interpretations and to study for yourselves the scriptures presented above.
May the Holy Spirit Guide you as you discern truth from error.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
A new medical condition is mysteriously emerging. It is called “Sudden Adult Death Syndrome” AKA “SADS”
This mysterious disease is killing hundreds in Australia.
The most common SADS conditions include genetic arrhythmia syndromes such as long QT syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and Brugada syndrome, the organization stated.
It is unclear how many deaths are attributed to the condition globally every year, but a register by Melbourne’s Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (BHDI) suggested SADS kills about 750 young people in the state of Victoria annually, a report by 7News.com.au said.
“Of these, approximately 100 young people per year will have no cause found even after extensive investigations such as a full autopsy,” Dr. Elizabeth Paratz, a cardiologist and researcher at BHDI, told the outlet…”
Natural News) EXCLUSIVE: Today we are publishing a series of lab microscopy photos of bizarre clots which are now being routinely found in adults who “suddenly died,” usually in a number of months following covid vaccinations.
These clots are often referred to as “blood clots” but they are nothing at all like normal clots, and they consist of far more than mere blood cells. Unlike normal clots which are gelatinous, almost jelly-like, these so-called “clots” contain extremely large, complex, repeating structural elements (all shown below) that are clearly being constructed in the blood of the victims who died from these clots.
All of these clots were extracted from patients within a few hours of their death. These are not the result of post-mortem blood stasis. These are structures found in blood vessels and arteries. They are not congealed blood.
We wish to publicly thank Dr. Jane Ruby for connecting us to the embalmer (Richard Hirschman) who provided these clots. (Telegram channel T.ME/DRJANERUBY) Without the persistence of Dr. Ruby, you would not be seeing this report. Dr. Ruby is frequently featured on the Stew Peters Show (StewPeters.TV) and will also be my featured guest Monday on the Infowars.com broadcast.
***
Here is the latest newsletter by Dr Robert O Young
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Continuing on from the last post, regarding some of the observations and speculations made in the series regarding the “man among the gentiles”-
I agree that the “man among the Gentiles” prophecy is very significant and worth pondering and researching for better understanding.
I believe Nephi mentioned this man among the gentiles in the Book of Mormon for an important reason. I think our understanding of prophecy will be enhanced if we know who the man is and when he came across the many waters to the seed of Lehi.
I believe it is possible to know who the man is, and why the Lord inspired Nephi to include him in the prophecies.
Christopher Columbus is usually considered to be the man that Nephi saw in vision among Latter day Saints. However, I agree with the author, Christopher Columbus does have a very disturbing history and he never set foot in North America. He simply does not fit the prophetic narrative and it is very unlikely that he is the man the Nephi saw in vision.
The author suggests that it may be very helpful to understand who Nephi saw if we want to understand the timing of events in the prophecies contained in 1st Nephi 13-14.. The man in vision possibly does represent a prophetic signpost
to know where to start counting the 400 year prophetic timeline associated with the narrative.
He suggests that the starting point is when the “man among the gentiles” emerges. He claims that the 400 year period ends with the time of “destruction” as related in the 1st Nephi 13-14 narrative.
I find his speculation to be intriguing and possible if not probable.
The reason I find this timeline scenario intriguing is that it just happens to match a 400 year prophecy in the Old Testament that we shall consider in this post.
While I agree with some of the primary observations and speculations of the author, I disagree that Roger Williams is the man Nephi saw among the gentiles.
In my opinion, Roger Williams cannot possibly be the man that Nephi saw in vision. He simply does not meet the prophetic chronological criteria set forth in the prophecy.
It is odd that the author states that he does not want to debate the likelihood of his candidate Roger Williams when in fact, he is basing much of his entire premise on Roger Williams and the related year of 1630 when Williams emerged, as being the starting point of the prophecy. The author states:
“I realize there are many theories as to the identity of the man shown to Nephi and that cases can be made for each candidate. I’m not interested in arguing the relative merits of the various candidates. In this introduction to Roger Williams, I have made the case that he *could* be the man.. He’s not necessary to the story. He was put there so we would ask questions.”
The problem with this curious stance of not being interested in “arguing the merits of the various candidates” is that his timeline he proposes only holds water if he can document the starting point by identifying the “man among the gentiles“.
He has identified the year 1630 as the starting point of the prophecy and he has identified the emergence Roger Williams in America in that year. He provides Williams emergence as the proof that 1630 is the starting point.
Hence, Roger Williams becomes integral to his hypothesis.
Shortly after stating that Williams is not necessary to the storyline, the author makes the following statement:
“Using Roger Williams’ flight from England as the starting point yields a match to our history and a dire warning to the latter-day gentiles as well as to the covenant people. Time is short..”
“Roger Williams, the “man among the gentiles” was the beginning. He laid the foundation that supported the structure for nearly 400 years. But true to the Nephite pattern, it has been destroyed in the expected time period. All that remains is the sweeping off soon to come. We may yet have a few years of relative stability in which to build a temple, but even that is in terrible jeopardy at this moment. God help us.”
Perhaps the most astounding claim made by the author in his attempt to sensationalize the life of Roger Williams is to make the following declaration:
“The first amendment to the U.S. constitution is the direct result of the thoughts, ideas, and sacrifices of Roger Williams..
..I think it no exaggeration to call Roger Williams the founder of our nation. Seriously.”
Actually, it feels like somewhat of an exaggeration to me.
The author seems to want to have his cake and eat it too. He spends part of the time showing the importance of Roger Williams and the year 1630 and part of the time saying that Roger Williams is not hugely important to the story?!?!?!
Which is it?
As mentioned in the previous post, it appears that the author simply backtracked 400 years from the year 2030 which the author feels is an important prophetic milepost of destruction because of the published globalist agenda.
Once he arrived at the year 1630, he simply looked for the most high profile Christian that emerged in that year.
Having pinpointed the beginning point of the prophetic timeline, Roger Williams seemed to be the most qualified individual so the author picked him the base his 400 year timeline around, and possibly embellished the role he played in the establishment of this nation.
There is nothing wrong with backtracking from an end date to come up with the starting date of a prophecy, and then looking to see if a major event and / or person can validate the starting point. I do it all the time.
The elephant in the room in this entertaining and speculative prophetic storyline which is easy to forget about is that Roger Williams simply came to America too late to be among the first to arrive in this country, per the requirements of the prophecy.
He was clearly not among the first Gentiles to come across the many waters to the land of promise.
He was late to that party.
His brethren of the Mayflower Puritans arrived in America in 1620. Roger Williams did not arrive in the promised land until 1635!
15 years later!
In my opinion, Roger Williams would have to have come over to America with the Mayflower Puritans or at least very close to that period of time in order to be seriously considered as the man that Nephi saw in vision.
Nevertheless, I think the author is onto something about the possibility of a 400 year prophecy
in the 1st Nephi 13-14 narrative. I suspect that it matches the 400 year prophecy
from the Old Testament that I have blogged about from time to time of the years.
Let us review the prophecy in the Old Testament.
The 400 Year Prophecy of Abraham
In the 15th chapter of Genesis, our Father Abraham was placed in a trance and shown that his children, would be strangers in a land where they would serve a foreign power and be afflicted for 400 years:
“And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance… But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” Gen. 15:12-16)
Although this prophecy is usually characterized by Bible scholars as referring to the time that ancient Israel was in bondage, that historical event was only a type and shadow of the literal event that would take place at a later time.
The actual time of ancient Israel’s bondage was 430 years, not 400!
From that it is obvious that ancient Israel was only a shadow fulfillment of the prophecy.
I believe the literal
fulfillment of the above prophecy has reference to latter day Israel and the founding of a Gentile nation on the promised land by the Christian gentiles from England.
Abraham was shown that his posterity would come to a new land and that they would be a stranger in it. After arriving in that land, they would be afflicted for four hundred years.
The cryptic wording of the prophecy also mentions “four generations” which is a term and time frame that the Lord uses several times in modern revelation. According to the revelations Joseph Smith received, it is after four generations that the Lord chastises those that hate him.
I believe the saints of the restoration are the latter-day Israelites and we are the strangers in this land. We are paying taxes to and serving and being afflicted by a secret foreign power. Even a secret combination.
True believers in Christ in America have been in bondage for 400 years, ever since they first came to this country.
The prophecy informs us that at the end of the 400 years, God judges the nation.
I believe this matches the prophetic sequence in 1st Nephi 13-14 which begins with the man among the Gentiles playing a significant role and providing a starting point. One that leads to the eventual wrath of God and destruction falling upon the great and abominable church.
The prophecy of Abraham possibly provides a second witness to a 400 year timeline given in the Book of Mormon. It enables us to place a designated period of time upon the prophetic narrative in Nephi’s vision.
I believe we have come to the end of the 400 years and I believe our nation is now under God’s judgement.
It is my belief that the timing of the man Nephi saw coming across that many waters most likely takes place either in 1607 with the arrival of Paster John Hunt, or 1620 with the arrival of the Mayflower Puritans and men such as John Carver, William Brewster, and William Bradford.
Those are the two prominent years when Christian Gentiles arrived in America and did profound things relating to the establishment of Christianity in the new world.
Over the years I have mentioned those two events as possibilities that might interrelated to the 400 prophecy of Abraham.
Each of them lead to major catastrophic events in the history of our nation.
In my opinion, it was the arrival of the Puritans on the Mayflower that played the most prominent role in the prophecy about the gentiles given in 1 Nephi 13. Adding 400 years to that date takes us to the beginning of the global conspiratorial genocide that we are currently witnessing.
Interestingly, these Puritans were of the same religious tradition, fervor and integrity as Roger Williams.
If my speculation is correct, the timing of the recent sc*amdemic and the ki*ll sh*ot associated with it that began in about 2020, represents the ending point of the 400 year prophecy and the beginning of JUDGEMENT upon this nation.
It would mean that we have just witnessed a major prophetic signpost beginning in about 2020. That would indicated that we have entered the beginning point of God’s judgement upon the wicked of this nation.
And that would mean that this nation is about to face much greater bondage than we have ever experienced before.
That’s the bad news.
It might also mean that our deliverance is nigh at hand.
That’s the good news.
In a future episode I will address those key dates and key figures a little more but please remember, I am not necessarily stating that the man Nephi saw was one of the Gentiles associated with those two time periods.
There is actually another very prominent player from that time period who is not a Gentiles.
The person I am thinking of was from the seed of Lehi who found himself separated from his brethren, among the Gentiles. He crossed back over the many waters and becomes reunited with his American native brethren at the very period of time that the Mayflower reached the New World. Upon his return, he then plays an incredible role in facilitating the Christian Gentiles who are coming to the New World.
My guess is that you have now figured out who I am talking about.
More on that in the next episode.
For now, I want to reiterate if 1620 is the beginning point of the two prophecies, that would make the year 2020 the completion date and the beginning of JUDGEMENT UPON THIS NATION.
This would suggest that the global conspiracy to commit mass genocide which began in 2020 is the prophetic event that results in DESTRUCTION.
We have been witnessing a remarkable event resulting in the systematic destruction of our free enterprise system, the healthcare system and just about everything else in America and the world as a result of the mass genocide that has begun to take place.
I believe we have been experiencing greater bondage in America associated with the wrath of God and destruction falling upon this nation. This would indicate that the amazing prophecy about the return of Joseph Smith to lead us out of bondage become hugely relevant at this time.
We need to be Led out of Bondage
In section 101, the Lord provides the parable of the redemption of Zion in which he explains how Zion will be redeemed. The Lord resumes talking about the prophecy in section 103.
One of the grand promises in section 103 is that the time would come when Joseph Smith, accompanied by the Lord Himself, would return to lead us, the latter day children of Israel out of bondage!
17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.
18 And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
19 Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers: Mine angel shall go up before you, but not my presence.
20 But I say unto you: Mine angels shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land.
21 Verily, verily I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., is the man to whom I likened the servant to whom the Lord of the vineyard spake in the parable which I have given unto you.
(Speaking of the parable of the redemption of Zion in section 101)
22 Therefore let my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., say unto the strength of my house, my young men and the middle aged—Gather yourselves together unto the land of Zion, upon the land which I have bought with money that has been consecrated unto me.
23 And let all the churches send up wise men with their moneys, and purchase lands even as I have commanded them.
24 And inasmuch as mine enemies come against you to drive you from my goodly land, which I have consecrated to be the land of Zion, even from your own lands after these testimonies, which ye have brought before me against them, ye shall curse them;
25 And whomsoever ye curse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies.
26 And my presence shall be with you even in avenging me of mine enemies, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
If we have reached the end of the 400 year period of bondage and if this nation is currently being judged by God, the time for the return of Joseph smith and our Lord is near.
Are you ready or are you going to seek refuge from false prophets?
The return of the God’s deliverer is eminent. It has been prophesied about since ancient times:
There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Romans 11:26)
The above passage from Paul in the New Testament is a rephrasing of the following passage from Isaiah in the Old Testament.
19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
20 ¶ And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Notice that the deliverer/redeemer comes forth right at the time when the enemy is coming into the land like a flood.
If you don’t think the enemy is currently coming into our land, you must be watching the mainstream media which is controlled by the global conspirators. The enemy has been flowing in for some time and the numbers keep increasing. But a huge surge is about to take place.
Liberty
Once again, most Mormons and Christians are completely oblivious to the fact that America has never totally been a land of real LIBERTY in the ultimate sense that is spoken of in 1 Nephi 13. .
The land of liberty mentioned in 1st Nephi 13 is referring to the eventual establishment of Zion.
Prior to the upcoming establishment of Zion, America has actually been a land of bondage masquerading as a land of freedom.
Secretly, it has been controlled by nefarious powers in the secret chamber.
America has been disguised and promoted as a land of freedom.
The term “hidden darkness” in the book of Mormon might be an appropriate descriptive to refer to the bizarre situation we find ourselves in.
5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord
that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. (2nd Nephi 3:5)
Study the above passage.
Clearly, we are living in the latter days.
Is there anyone reading this blog post that actually believes that the Messiah has been manifest to us in the spirit of power resulting in bringing us out of darkness into light?
Are any of you deluded enough to think that we have been brought out of “hidden darkness” and out of captivity unto freedom?
The term Hidden darkness perfectly describers Mormons that walk around holding the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants both of which clearly document and testify against the darkness and apostacy they are living in. Yet they proudly proclaim membership in the only true church and claiming that all is well in Zion.
However, “hidden darkness” in the above passage has a broader political connotation as well.
It is also an appropriate term to describe people who proudly put their hand over their heart and repeat the pledge of allegiance, thinking they live in a free country, while in fact they are in bondage to a foreign power.
But I digress, which I have been known to do from time to time.
Please notice on the graphic how the 1st Nephi 13-14 narrative begins with the man among the gentiles going to the seed of Lehi in the promised land and ends with the wrath of God being poured out upon the wicked Gentile nation living in the promised land.
It ends in destruction upon the wicked.
Notice also how Abraham sees God’s people enter into a land not previously theirs and after 400 years judgment falls upon that nation.
The cryptic wording of the “trance” that Abraham had suggests the significance of the last four generations of the 400 year period, which is the period of time from the rejection of the fulness of the gospel by the believing gentiles, to the time when the wrath of God begins to fall upon the wicked gentile nation.
Hence God refers to the upcoming vengeance upon the third and forth generation of those who hate him multiple times in the revelations he gave to Joseph Smith, including sections 103 and 105.
30 And after these lands are purchased, I will hold the armies of Israel guiltless in taking possession of their own lands, which they have previously purchased with their moneys, and of throwing down the towers of mine enemies that may be upon them, and scattering their watchmen, and avenging me of mine enemies unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
I believe the man that Nephi saw in vision does indeed represent the beginning of a prophetic sequence that we are living in and I think it is the same 400 timeline shown to Father Abraham.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
“The fulness of my Scriptures”
With Mysteries which have been Sealed
Click here for the audio version of Part 4 with Mrs Watcher https://youtu.be/SHF01GWbKHc
(Previous episode Part 3 Click Here.)
In January of 1831 (Section 38) the Lord commanded the Latter-day Saints of the newly restored Church of Christ to gather to the Ohio to receive the LAW and endowment, to escape the power of the enemy:
31 And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—
32 Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;
This was necessary in order for the saints to be protected from the enemy in the secret chambers who wanted to destroy God’s work and His servants.
After the saints gathered in Kirtland Ohio, the Lord gave them the LAW as contained in section 42.
In that section, a preliminary law was given which would suffice until the “fulness of my scriptures is given“.
The preliminary law commissioned the elders of the church to teach the principles of the fulness of the Gospel as it was jointly contained in the existing King James Version of the Bible and Book of Mormon.
However, the revelation in section 42 revealed that once the fulness of the scriptures was given, additional church covenants
would be provided
necessary to establish Zion.
66 Ye shall observe the laws which ye have received and be faithful.
67 And ye shall hereafter receive church covenants, such as shall be sufficient to establish you, both here and in the New Jerusalem.
BTW please don’t confuse the terms, “fulness of the gospel” which seems to refer singularly with the saving ordinances of the gospel, with “fulness of the scriptures” which refers to all of God words and counsel and admonitions, etc. They represent two different but closely related topics.
The phrase “fulness of my scriptures” in section 42 has been greatly misunderstood.
According to the orthodox teachings of the church and most commentaries, the term refers primarily and especially if not singularly to the inspired translation of the Bible that Joseph and Sidney were currently working on.
Below is the definition from my favorite commentary on the D&C:
As you can see, the original version of the Doctrine and Covenants Commentary by Smith and Sjodahl states that the “fulness of my scriptures” “refers ESPECIALLY to the new English version of the Bible which the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were preparing”, referring to the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. (The newer version of the Doctrine and Covenants Commentary that has been updated by the LDS church also teaches the same thing)
Definition of Especially
ESPE’CIALLY, adverb Principally; chiefly; particularly; in an uncommon degree; in reference to one person or thing in particular.
Sadly, that interpretation of the passage is false.
It represents a huge misdirect which hides the significance of the revelations that Joseph smith was in the process of receiving.
The truth is that the phrase “fulness of my scriptures” ESPECIALLY has to do with the revelations that would eventually be canonized in the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants although it undoubtedly applies to the inspired version of the Bible as well.
To get an accurate understanding of what was being communicated by the Lord, and what the true definition of the “fulness of the scriptures” is actually referring to, we need to splice together the beginning of the textual construct with the second part of the textual construct which emerges about 40 verses later. This will provide the proper context of how the phrase is being used.
As with many of the hidden treasures of knowledge cryptically embedded within the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord often begins a topic, then He temporarily detours to other topics, and eventually returns to the original topic to continue the information and to wrap things up.
I believe the Lord communicates this way in scripture to see if we are truly focused on his words and intently searching for the truth.
We shall therefore splice together verses 12-15 which begin the topic, with verses 56-62, 65-67 which concludes the topic.
We will do this to find out what the phrase, “fulness of the scriptures” really refers to:
12 And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.
13 And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, [Section 20] and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit.
14 And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.
15 And all this ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning your teaching, until the fulness of my scriptures is given.
56 Thou shalt ask, and my scriptures shall be given [The Doctrine and Covenants] as I have appointed, and they shall be preserved in safety;
57 And it is expedient that thou shouldst hold thy peace concerning them, and not teach them until ye have received them in full. [referring especially to the Doctrine and Covenants, but also to the JST of the Bible and the Book of Mormon]
58 And I give unto you a commandment that then ye shall teach them unto all men; for they shall be taught unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.
59 Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church;
60 And he that doeth according to these things shall be saved, and he that doeth them not shall be damned if he so continue.
61 If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal. (a clear reference to the revelations Joseph Smith was receiving)
62 Thou shalt ask, and it shall be revealed unto you in mine own due time where the New Jerusalem shall be built.
Clearly, it is especially the revelations Joseph Smith was receiving and secondarily all other scriptures that represent the “fulness of the scriptures“.
Section 42 reveals that the revelations Joseph was receiving that would be canonized in the Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants contained the mysteries pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth.
A textbook example of one of the mysteries was the location of where the New Jerusalem would be built. That mystery was revealed by revelation shortly after section 42 was given, in Sections 57 & 84.
Another textbook example of one of the mysteries that was withheld from the saints is the true identity of John the Baptist who restored priesthood keys in Section 13. It is only after it is revealed that John the Baptist in the New Testament is Elijah the Prophet from the Old Testament that one can link section 13 with the declaration of Elijah the Prophet in section 110. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to understand the secret history of the latter day restoration movement.
Many of the mysteries contained in the Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants could not easily be decoded by the saints without Joseph or Sidney elaborating on them, yet they were not allowed to reveal many of these cryptic teachings until they had been received in full.
When Joseph and Sidney and Oliver and others return, they will present the fulness of the scriptures and will expound upon them, revealing the mysteries contained therein to those that have believing hearts.
According to the providence of God, many of these mysteries that were hidden from the eyes of the saints during the preliminary WORK that Joseph did, are being revealed to those that are diligently searching the scriptures now, four generations later.
Even before the servants return to give the last warning, I believe some of the mysteries are beginning to be revealed through the mystical WORK
of the Father.
Why were these mysteries being hidden from the saints at the time of the restoration of the church?
Because of unbelief.
One would assume that Joseph and Sidney should be able to teach the great truths being revealed in the revelations Joseph was receiving, including the inspired revision of the Bible as soon as these things were revealed unto them.
Obviously, these amazing mysteries were not to be revealed until a future time!
The scriptures teach us that the greater things were withheld from the saints because of their unbelief and because they took the scriptures Joseph was receiving lightly.
Hence God placed a spirit of deep sleep over his people.
Truly the Doctrine and Covenants has been a sealed book.
Section 42 informs us that God’s servants were allowed to know the mysteries of the kingdom but the world was not allowed to know them.
65 Behold, thou shalt observe all these things, and great shall be thy reward; for unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but unto the world it is not given to know them.
This is why Joseph proclaimed that he could keep a secret until doomsday. He knew many things that we was not allowed to reveal.
Establishing the Saints in Zion
Following the law in section 42, church covenants would be given that would enable the saints to be established in Kirtland and Zion.
67 And ye shall hereafter receive church covenants, such as shall be sufficient to establish you, both here and in the New Jerusalem. [Law of Consecration see 78:4,11, 13 and others covenants see 103:35 Baptisms for the Dead, Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood]
As you can see, the term fulness of my scriptures is clearly referring to the revelations that Joseph was in the process of receiving. Obviously, the inspired Version of the Bible that Joseph and Sidney were working on, and the Book of Mormon would be included in the revelations being received, however the primary emphasis was being placed on the revelations that would eventually be canonized in the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Once these concepts are understood, words begin to emerge in other parts of the scriptures that were not noticed before.
For instance, a keyword search of the word ESTABLISH takes us to the following passages relative to this topic of God’s word coming forth in its fulness in 1st Nephi 13
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
The “other books” that came through the prophet Joseph Smith are the “last records” which will “ESTABLISH” the previous records. However the Doctrine and Covenants needed to be received in full and the Saints need to repent before the mysteries will be revealed and Zion will be established.
The revelations that Joseph received will play a major role in the end times events when Joseph and his servants return.
Just two years after section 42 was given, Joseph announced that he had completed the translation of the Bible, yet he did not begin teaching from it or the Doctrine and Covenants or the Book of Mormon.
Why?
Because God placed a spirit of deep sleep upon the saints because of their unbelief.
The Lord had also told Joseph that certain things would not be revealed until the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible was completed and published to the world.
In section 45 the Lord gave additional clarity to the prophecies of Christ in Matthew 24 but stopped short of revealing some really important information. The Lord informed Joseph that the additional information would not be revealed until he completed the translation of the New Testament.
60 And now, behold, I say unto you, it shall not be given unto you to know any further concerning this chapter, until the New Testament be translated, and in it all these things shall be made known;
61 Wherefore I give unto you that ye may now translate it, that ye may be prepared for the things to come.
There is information in the Joseph Smith translation of the New Testament that will prepare us for things to come.
It is the JST that reveals that great mystery of who John the Baptist is.
Many other important mysteries about how God’s kingdom will roll forth are contained in the JST of the Bible.
Nevertheless, it was ESPECIALLY the WORDS of CHRIST in the revelations that Joseph Smith was receiving that needed to be completed in their fulness before Joseph and Sidney and others would be allowed to teach from the scriptures that Joseph Smith brought forth.
Lest you think I am wresting the scriptures to get the true definition of the term fulness of the scriptures, look at the only other time that the term is used in the Doctrine and Covenants.
It is found in section 104:
57 But, verily I say unto you, I have appointed unto you to be stewards over mine house, even stewards indeed.
58 And for this purpose I have commanded you to organize yourselves, even to print my words, the fulness of my scriptures, the revelations which I have given unto you, and which I shall, hereafter, from time to time give unto you—
59 For the purpose of building up my church and kingdom on the earth, and to prepare my people for the time when I shall dwell with them, which is nigh at hand.
Bingo.
You cannot get much plainer that that.
The term, “fulness of the scriptures” refers to the literal words of Christ that had been and would be given to the prophet Joseph Smith!
The term refers to the revelations Joseph was receiving, primarily in the Doctrine and Covenants, as well as the inspired translation of the Bible and the Book of Mormon that will establish the truth of the Old and New Testaments.
This event of the servants returning with God’s word gathered into one, that will CONVINCE God’s people and build up the church and kingdom and prepare God’s people for the time when he shall dwell with them!
The Joseph the Seer Narrative in 2nd Nephi 3 and JST Genesis informs us that the seer (Joseph Smith) will bring forth “MY WORD” which will CONVINCE the fruit of the loins of Joseph of Egypt
11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
The convincing event is yet a future event. It never took place during Joseph Smith first ministry. The narrative informs us that God’s word will “grow together” unto the CONFOUNDING OF FALSE DOCTRINES AND LAYING DOWN CONTENTIONS AND ESTABLISHING PEACE.
“shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.“
The above scenario never took place during Joseph Smith’s first ministry. It will take place during his second ministry.
Verses 56-62, 65-67 in section 42 are addressing the topic of the fulness of the scriptures contained in verses 12-15 of the same revelation.
In the above passages, a textbook description is given of how Joseph smith received revelation.
“If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal“
Many of the revelations that Joseph received began by asking God a question. Knowledge would then follow in a revelation.
To summarize the passages in section 42, pertaining to what we are told about the revelations Joseph was receiving:
A Warning to those who take the Revelations Lightly
Interestingly, an integral part of God’s law (section 42) commands us to “observe the covenants and church articles [as contained in section 20] to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit”
God would later declare that anything “more or less” that what he had revealed “cometh of evil“.
The covenants and church articles that had been given in section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants are integral to the law given in section 42. They were recorded accurately and have been preserved in safety and were never intended to be discarded.
This is critically important information to those who might consider rejecting any of the revelations Joseph canonized and had sustained by the law of common consent.
Sadly, the modern church has added sections like 132, which contradict established revelations that had been sustained by the law of common consent.
There are fringe groups that have discarded some or all of the revelations Joseph received because they think he was only commissioned to bring forth the Book of Mormon.
There is even a fringe group that has discarded Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants because they think it is no longer applicable.
Section 20 had been canonized and sustained by the church at the time of Joseph’s and Hyrum’s deaths!
Embedded within section 20 is a stern warning to anyone that adds or diminishes from the holy scriptures in the Bible AND the revelations received through Joseph Smith.
“God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (The Book of Revelation)
| 35 And we know that these things are true [section 20] and according to the revelations of John, neither adding to, nor diminishing from the prophecy of his book, the holy scriptures, or the revelations of God which shall come hereafter by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, the voice of God, or the ministering of angels. (D&C 20:35) | 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Revelation 22:18-19) |
It is a very serious thing to reject any of the revelations that Joseph Smith received, and canonized.
But I digress.
This series was motivated in part by a cryptic passage in the book of Ether which our dear friend John Pratt identified.
Pratt’s contention was that there would be a record that would come forth BEFORE the coming forth of the sealed portion of the plates containing the vision of the brother of Jared.
This record would prepare those that believe the words of Jesus, for the marvelous work and for the unfolding of the revelation that the brother of Jared had seen.
Regarding this record, Pratt said:
“It will not come in a time when people have the faith of [the brother of ] Jared, but rather when they need to repent and follow Jesus and believe in His words.
Here are some of the key passages and key words in the prophecy in Ether that substantiate John Pratt’s preliminary conclusion.
In verse 7 the Lord speaks about unfolding all of his revelations.
In verse 8 the Lord warns that those that contend against the “Word of the Lord” would be accursed.
In verse 9 the Lord refers to “my word“.
In verse 10 the Lord once again speaks of the importance of believing “my words”
In verse 11 the Lord speaks of the importance in believing the “things which I have spoken”
Please notice the keywords “my words” contained in the prophecy of Ether because they are speaking about the revelations Joseph Smith received.
10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.
11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good. (Ether 4)
The active ingredient in the prophetic narrative is-
“My words”
There is going to be a record that contains “my words“.
16 And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed.
17 Therefore, when ye shall receive this record [which contains my words] ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land.
The passage suggests that a record containing the words of Christ is going to come forth in the final generation BEFORE the record containing the vision of the Brother of Jared is brought forth.
The great sign that takes place when all of this is to take place, is the unfolding of the prophecies that are spoken of in the Book of Revelation.
I personally believe that we are witnessing some of the revelations that John the Revelator spoke of, right now.
The above passages (and other related passages) regarding the “fulness of the scriptures” reveals that the record containing the words of Christ, spoken of in the Book of Ether, is primarily speaking about the Doctrine and Covenants in its completed form, and secondarily the other scriptures Joseph Smith brought forth, ie, the JST Translation of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Wait.
Did I just say that the Doctrine and Covenants will be canonized with the Inspired Version of the Bible and Book of Mormon?
Yes.
But Joseph Smith never said that did he? He only said the Bible and Book of Mormon will be canonized in the same volume.
I realize that. But,
The Book of Mormon testifies that all of the canons of scripture will be gathered in one:
12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.
13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.
Granted, it is possible that the words of Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants could simply be presented along with the combined canon of the Bible and Book of Mormon, but “gathered in one” seems to be suggesting that all of these canons of scripture will be in one canon of scripture.
The Words of Christ Contain the Mysteries
We have demonstrated several things from section 42.
The Doctrine and Covenants which contain the words of Christ will be taught to all nations along with all other valid canons of scriptures.
All of the records necessary for our salvation will be gathered in one into one canon of scripture along with the Doctrine and Covenants. It is this composite record that combines all of the records, that will come forth before the record of the vision of the Brother of Jared.
The Doctrine and Covenants contains the mysteries pertaining to the kingdom of God.
The fact that the Lord would not allow Joseph and Sidney to reveal the greater things and secrets contained in the revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth is undeniable evidence that the Doctrine and Covenants has been a sealed book.
I have been claiming that the Doctrine and Covenants is a sealed book for 11 years now. But I have never provided any scriptural passages to back that up.
I believe section 42 substantiates the claim.
However, in the next episode of this series, I will further demonstrate from the WORDS OF CHRIST in the Doctrine and Covenants that the mysteries in the Doctrine and Covenants have been sealed up and hidden from the eyes of the natural man until the WORK OF THE FATHER takes place, which I believe has already begun.
Keep watching
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
For those who are following the current series titled “Frankly..” I apologize for the delay in getting the next episode out. I have been highly distracted and experimenting with various ways to introduce the next concepts I want to address. I hope to post the next episode in the near future.
In the meantime, my friend from Canada just emailed with an interesting question. Since the topic has been on my mind lately, I tought I would respond and share the communication with the readers of this blog.
Here is the email he sent this AM
Good Morning to you, Watcher.
Sorry to bother you again. I suspect that sometimes you get more emails than you can respond to.
I am looking forward to getting your book “Solving the Prophet Puzzle”. It’s been shipped, but who knows when it will arrive.
I agree with you that three orders of priesthood were restored through Joseph Smith Jr — i.e. the Levitical/Aaronic, the Patriarchal/Abrahamic, the Melchizedek/the Son of God — and that each order has the office of high priest. I also agree with you that the lowest priesthood mostly (exclusively?) has to do with the curse of carnal commandments (cursed because no one can keep the letter of the law without the Spirit of the Lord / the Holy Ghost teaching the spirit of the law), while the highest priesthood exclusively has to do with spiritual blessings.
You have written about one’s blessings becoming cursed and this has to do with the “gospel of Abraham”. I’m curious if the term “gospel of Abraham” is mentioned anywhere in the scriptures other than D&C section 110. My question, though, has to do with the gospel of Abraham being an order of priesthood which has (equally?) to do with being cursed and blessed at the same time. Do you go into answering this question in your book?
Thanks for your patience with me as I’m on a bit of a steep learning curve. Also, please don’t be anxious about your memory not being as sharp as when you first started writing about what you were learning (following your period of overcoming naïveté and your period of overcoming your belief in the sanitized version of church history), which writing led to you creating the “three watches” blogspot website, which then morphed into the “Because I am Watching” WordPress website and your YouTube channel. Like you have written, you have been writing prolifically about church history for over three decades. The brain ages. Cognitive skills — such as a memory for details — decline.
I’m not into prophet-worship or teacher-worship, but I think that it’s okay to esteem you as one who is providing your readers sound doctrine.
Anyway, I hope that your book explains more about the gospel of Abraham being a priesthood order which can either curse or bless or do both (sometimes simultaneously).
Again, I have been pondering the topics he brings up so I thought I would share my latest ponderings with him and the readers of this blog..
This was my response-
Hi XXXX-
I love your questions because they show how deep you have gotten into the various doctrinal, historical, & prophecy related issues and because they are so timely and relative to what I have been pondering..
I have recently been thinking about the topic you just brought up.
“You have written about one’s blessings becoming cursed and this has to do with the “gospel of Abraham”. I’m curious if the term “gospel of Abraham” is mentioned anywhere in the scriptures other than D&C section 110. My question, though, has to do with the gospel of Abraham being an order of priesthood which has (equally?) to do with being cursed and blessed at the same time. Do you go into answering this question in your book”
The term “dispensation of the gospel of Abraham” and “gospel of Abraham” only show up one time in all of the scriptures which is absolutely mystifying to me. Why would the Lord even reveal that dispensation if he is not going to elaborate on what it is and what it requires of us?
Furthermore, he reveals it in a secret journal that was sealed up at the time it was revealed only to come forth at a later time after the D&C had already been published and sustained by the church.. go figure.
Hence we are left to wander in the dark trying to figure out what our status is relative to this mysterious dispensation..
It is odd that section 110, as profound as it is, was never sustained and therefore never official binding upon the church as a revelation… of course it is mainly prophetic in nature outside of the obvious implications relative to the keys spoken about..
I have spent so much time chasing my tail trying to fully comprehend the significance of it and what it means in our lives.
It is logical to assume that it represented some type of “down-grade” from the fulness of the Gospel to a previous ancient gospel dispensation and that in fact it may indicate that we are living something akin to the law of Moses.. or letter of the law with carnal commandments and associated cursings.
Whenever Mrs Watcher and I are lamenting the fact that we are not and cannot live the fulness of the gospel at this time since it is not on the earth, I semi-kiddingly tell her that “we sin cheaply because the fulness is not on the earth and we have very little knowledge of what is expected of us at this time” LOL
In the past I have assumed that the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham which appears to have ushered in the 2nd watch, is the dispensation that continues on until the final dispensation of the fulness of times is ushered in when the servants return in the 3rd watch.
I think that is a real possibility.
HOWEVER, I am currently toying with the possibility that the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham touched down very briefly for the sole purpose of transferring important keys and facilitating the intercession that Joseph and his brethren had to perform in behalf of apostate latter day Israel.. It is possible that the dispensation disappeared as quickly as it arrived, leaving us to wander in a state of darkness during the “days of the gentiles” which does not necessarily represent a gospel dispensation.
It is obvious to me that a temporary, temporal atonement offering similar to the one Moses and Joseph Smith offered up in behalf of ancient and modern Israel, could never take place when the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth, and that is largely why the gospel of Abraham needed to be ushered in, so that Joseph could perform his intercession.
I am speculating the possibility that the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham lasted for only a brief moment in time and did not continue on until our time, for a couple of reasons.
One reason is that the Book of Mormon describes time times we live in as the “days of the gentiles” and the “times of the gentiles” rather that identifying a “dispensation” of the gospel.
Another reason for the speculation is that it would explain why God did not feel a need to elaborate on the rules of engagement relative to the dispensation. (why did he not feel a need to explain what is required of us relative to interim commandments and covenants, etc.. if we are under a different dispensation?)
Another interesting possibility as to why the dispensation may have been very temporary and unnecessary for the saints to understand and collectively know about at the time, is that the closing warning/observation in section 110 from Elijah is that the world was about to be smitten with a curse and the great and dreadful day of the Lord was near… even at the doors..
15 To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—
16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.
It is interesting to note that section 112 came shortly after section 110 took place and 112 seems to be announcing the beginning of a new era as well… verses 1-22 are prophetic and futuristic, referring to things that would take place in the 3rd watch.
The Verse 23 declared that “darkness covereth the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people and all flesh has become corrupt before my face”
That declaration does not bode well for the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham as a gospel dispensation with any redeeming value.
As you know, section 124 would follow 112 with lots of bad news about the state of the church being under condemnation, declaring that the Kirtland Temple had been defiled, and warning that the church would be rejected as a church with their dead if they did not repent, etc., etc., etc.
Verse 23 in section 110 represents an all encompassing declaration. Everyone, including the entire church was now in darkness, which is consistent with Isaiah’s description of our time when he observes that the saints would be “drunken but not with wine” because “the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, behold ye have closed your eyes and ye have rejected the prophets”
The next verse in section 110 reads as follows:
24 Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.
25 And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;
26 First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.
I have always assumed that the above prophecy about the day of wrath, burning, desolation and lamentation beginning at the house of God is exclusively referring to an event that would take place many generations later in the final generation. Everyone I know assumes that because there are prophecies in the New Testament that seem to fit perfectly with that end times scenario.
And I still believe there will be a future prophetic tipping point that begins at the literal house of God which begins the “great and dreadful day of the lord”. I think it is coming up in the near future..
However,.. we know that prophecy virtually always has a dual fulfillment, and it is a remarkable fact that shortly after section 112 was given, a fight broke out among leaders of the church in the Kirtland Temple!
This fight, wherein priesthood leaders who professed to know the name of the Lord, were standing in the holy place threatening to take each others lives, appears to have been a defining moment when the house of God in Kirtland was defiled and the wrath of God began to spread into the world.. possibly a type and shadow of the final “day of the Lord” event at the house of God that will unleash the final destruction upon the world
Regarding the significance of the event in the temple which probably defiled it… it is worth reading the two accounts of the event here and here Eliza Snow and Lucy Smith
Anyway, sorry to take so long getting to the question you asked.
You asked,
” My question, though, has to do with the gospel of Abraham being an order of priesthood which has (equally?) to do with being cursed and blessed at the same time. Do you go into answering this question in your book”
I don’t think I addressed that in the book..
I do think that any priesthood that exists in the church collectively is lineal priesthood, not ordained.
I think the saints have been rejected as a church with their dead and they are under a cursing as described in section 112 and 2nd Nephi 27. Nevertheless, there is an unconditional promise that those that search God’s word and believe it, and stand ready to receive the fulness when it returns, are blessed with the manifestations of God’s spirit.. so a blessing and cursing are in force right now..
With regard to the leaders of the church, any priesthood stewardship they have is related to stewardship over the scriptures and taking the name of Christ into the world through the written word of God.
I think the scriptures provided by the LDS church as they currently stand, contain many valid and true revelations in them but also have been perverted and transfigured by taking away valid revelations and inserting false doctrines such as section 132.
Hence, there are blessings and cursings associated with the word of God that is currently available..
I realize that some of what I have said regarding the duration of the Gospel of Abraham on the earth, may be a little different than what I have writen about in the past… I, like everyone else am on a continual learning curve and always seeking greater light and knowledge and better understanding of our current situation relative to doctrine, history, and prophecy..
As always, I encourage everyone to do their own searching and prayerful study to arrive at their own conclusions under the direction of the spirit… we all see through a glass darkly at this time..
Thank you for a thoughtful question.. I think this exchange is worthy of a post and therefore may share it with others
Have a great day
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Yesterday I saw the following post on a message board along with some related comments:
Action Alert for tomorrow 12/13/21 – please consider taking a few minutes out of your day to rattle your congress critter’s cage. Very important that this further imposition on us NOT pass…
The bill, “Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021“ would expand state and local health department vaccine-tracking systems to monitor the vaccination status of American citizens. States would provide the information to the federal government.
More info here:
[link to childrenshealthdefense.org (secure)]
A comment on the message board:
Whoa Whoa Whoa there !
Why hasn’t anybody reported or told the people about this ?
This is the last thing we need
More surveillance
“For our own good “
Mayday Mayday Mayday
More eyes on this immediately
Another comment:
This Bill is Green Lighting the Covid Passports
“(i) assessing current data infrastructure capabilities and gaps among health care providers to improve and increase consistency in patient matching, data collection, reporting, bidirectional exchange, and analysis of immunization-related information;
iii) improving secure data collection, transmission, bidirectional exchange, maintenance, and analysis of immunization information;
“(iv) improving the secure bidirectional exchange of immunization record data among Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial governmental entities and non-governmental entities,
Let me end this post by addressing concerns of some of my readers who feel that I have wondered away from the original purpose of this blog, which was to address issues relating to Latter-day Saint
doctrine, history and prophesy, to speculate about “conspiracy theories“.
First of all, I am not speculating about conspiracy theories when it comes to the so-called Covid vaccines. The documentation and evidence is beyond overwhelming to those who have done a deep dive on the issues and do not rely solely on the mainstream media for their information.
Covid Vaccines are pure evil.
They are they are poison.
They are contrary to the word of God.
They represent the fulfillment of ancient and modern prophecy which speak of epidemics, plagues and the unleashing of deadly substances and pollutions by “conspiring men“.
The listing of toxins contained in the vaccines and the listing of contraindications related to the administration thereof, regardless of whether the results are sudden or delayed, is long and proven.
Those claiming to be prophets that claim the vaccines are “safe and effective” are among the false prophets that Christ warned us about in Matthew 24.
Students of the gospel who are getting vaccinated and encouraging people to get vaccinated are “false teachers“.
The following admonition from God is worth noting:
“..we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven— These should then be attended to with great earnestness…” (Section 123 written by Joseph Smith while a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, March 1839. HC 3:302–303.)
When was the last time you read section 123 all the way through?
It is a remarkable revelation embedded in a letter written by Joseph Smith while incarcerated.
While much of the content seems dated and singularly related to the events taking place at that time, much of the content also relates to our current situation as well.
“For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Using keywords such as “marvelous”, “marvelous work”, “great work”, etc., are essential in drilling down and identifying the primary chapters of scripture that detail those great events.
By focusing on those selected chapters from the various canons of scripture, other keywords emerge which provide tools for a broader search. Then, by using other closely related keywords from those chapters, one can find several more chapters to add to the list. From that larger list of references and prophetic narratives, one can create a bullet point listing of events that are associated with this great work.
This can be helpful in providing a template of major events associated with that great work.
So why haven’t I approached this topic that way in this series?
Because doing so can also result in a contextual misdirection and associated conundrum.
Why is this?
Because there is a larger narrative that the marvelous work narrative is buried in and if one does not understand how the Marvelous Work integrates with the larger narrative, it can be difficult and confusing to understand and identify the marvelous work when it comes forth.
There are only a handful of chapters within the four standard works that utilize terminology that clearly speaks about the Marvelous Work and a Wonder. Because of this, if one is relaying on key word searches one will be greatly limited in the references and associated prophetic contexts that emerge.
We are currently seeing amazing end time events emerge that are clearly documented in the Old Testament and Book of Revelation. Yet a bullet point listing of events about the Marvelous Work derived from a narrow keyword search on the Marvelous Work does not necessarily correlate well with it.
The events associated with the Marvelous Work do not necessarily appear to intersect chronologically with the larger prophetic narrative found in the Book of Revelation and related Old Testament narratives.
LDS prophecy scholars often times do not see the Marvelous Work narrative coinciding with the Mark of the Beast narrative.
It is true that John sees 144,000 high priests standing on Mt Zion and the everlasting gospel preached to all nations in chapter 14 of the Book of Revelation, but few details are given about how this event emerges from the chaos and rubble that is otherwise spoken of in the Book of Revelation narrative. .
These brief observations about the 144,000 and the final missionary work of the second harvest are sandwiched between other narratives that don’t necessarily make sense chronologically.
For instance, the declaration that Satan will make war with the saints and overcome them and have power over all kindreds, and tongues and nations, is just before the emerging of the 144,000 in chapter 13 with no other details.
Following the emergence of the 144,000, we hear of the last plagues that cover the earth and the dominance of mystery Babylon which is documented in the chapter that follow chapter 14.
It is not surprising that people find it confusing to integrate the prophecies in modern revelation pertaining to the final work and gathering of God’s elect, with those in the Book of Revelation.
That is why I began this topic and associated series with the amazing prophecies from Moses and the Lord that are contained in the Book of Deuteronomy.
I did it to begin providing this greater context and larger narrative that the Marvelous Work is buried in.
Deuteronomy informs us that the house of Israel would reject the law and go a whoring as they would be scattered among the heathen among the nations of the earth. This state of apostasy would continue into the last days and not be resolved until the end times.
There would be many collective attempts at restoration and repentance throughout history but all would result in backsliding and ongoing apostasy. The scriptures characterize God’s people Israel as being “sleepy”, “Blind”, and “drunk”.
The bible is a history of the house of Israel is a record of a fallen people.
The Book of Mormon is a record of a fallen people.
The Doctrine and Covenants is a record of the Latter day Saints as a fallen people.
Yes, the restoration saints of Joseph Smith’s ministry were a fallen people who were in full blown apostasy before he even died.
The Elect will be Gathered and Prepared
Over the years I have repeatedly quoted section 29 and related end times prophecies about how the elect of God would be gathered out, prepared, and protected before the final tribulation and utter desolation that is about to take place.
However I have rarely addressed how that gathering out relates and intersects with the sobering sequence of events contained in the Book of Revelation and similar narratives in the Old Testament.
In this part of the series I will attempt to address this relationship.
Section 29 is remarkable because it reveals that the elect will be gathered out before the final desolation takes place. However, it also incorporates information about the larger narrative and points us to the words of Ezekiel as one of the primary sources for the larger narrative.
And the great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall be cast down by devouring fire, according as it is spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, who spoke of these things, which have not come to pass but surely must, as I live, for abominations shall not reign.
That is a blatant invitation to read Ezekiel and realize that his Old Testament verbiage is referring to what the Book of Mormon refers to as “the great and abominable church“.
Since Ezekiel never uses terminology like “great and abominable church“, one needs to do a contextual reading and use other keys words and key topics provided in section 29 and other restoration revelation.
The Book of Revelation refers to the fall of the great and abominable church as the fall of Babylon.
It does not occur to many Latter day Saints that they are part of apostate Israel and therefore, a portion of Babylon, ie, the great and abominable church.
In this episode we shall observe assorted passages from the Old Testament Prophets with our primary focus on Ezekiel’s narrative.
Ezekiel informs us in his dry bones resurrection narrative that the “whole house of Israel” does not come out of their apostasy and know that the lord is God until after they are destroyed and restored in the flesh.
Yes, you heard me correctly.
It is after that dry bones resurrection that the whole house of Israel finally knows that the Lord is God and is then gathered to the land of Israel and is sanctified before the Lord without any preliminary repentance.
They are restored and redeemed through the mercy of God strictly because of His Will and Mercy.
Ezekiel is not referring to the elect of God in his dry bones narrative. He is speaking of the second harvest which is explained in more detail in Section 76.
Paul was speaking about the second harvest House of Israel when he declared that “.. all Israel shall be saved“. (Romans 11:26)
This category of souls is saved into a kingdom of glory without repentance during probation. Conversely, the elect need to proactively repent and receive the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost.
If not for section 29 and other revelations received by Joseph Smith, it would be difficult to divine the fact that a remnant of the elect of God accepts the fulness of the gospel and is gathered out before the the remainder of apostate Israel will be destroyed in the flesh as documented in Ezekiel’s dry bones resurrection prophecy. (I use the term resurrection loosely here.. It appears they are returned to the flesh in mortality, not resurrected to a state of eternal glory.)
So please keep tucked in the back of your mind the fact that there is a mystical secretive gathering out of the elect that is not blatantly mentioned in the general gathering out narratives we are going to be reviewing in Ezekiel.
In the previous two parts of this series the Deuteronomy narrative makes it clear from the beginning that the house of Israel is an inherently rebellious people.
The One Like Moses
This is why the life of Moses and the related prophecies in Deuteronomy provide a broader picture of what is taking place during the marvelous work.
Moses documents the long journey of apostasy and eventually the utter abolishment of apostate Israel because of their unrepentant transgressions. He also notes an eventual redemption.
However, Moses is also integral to this study because he prophesied about two future prophets that would both be types of himself.
One was Christ who people were to categorically obey since he would never sin or lead anyone astray
The other one was Joseph Smith, the latter day servant that would first relay the word of God out of his mouth but would eventually speak presumptuously and die.
“The first prophet like Moses in the narrative is contained in verses 15-17.
That prophet like Moses is clearly speaking of Christ and the admonition is to categorically “hearken” to whatever he says.
Period.
Because he only speaks words of truth.
Then in verses 18-20 the text transitions to a secondary end times prophetic figure that is also typological to Moses.
At first, this prophet has the words of God placed directly in his mouth.
Joseph Smith was different than any other prophet in the New and Old Testament in the sense that most of the canonized revelations that he brought forth contained ongoing, detailed pontifications directly, word for word from the mouth of God.
Conversely, Old and New Testament prophets would give short “thus sayeth the Lord” snippets from God, but rarely if ever gave long detailed communications from God as Joseph Smith did.
Interestingly, one of the things that differentiates the first prophet like Moses (Christ) from the second prophet like Moses (Joseph Smith) is that the second prophet, after speaking forth the literal words from God, eventually begins to speak “presumptuously” words which God had not spoken to him (see verse 20 &22)
We have previously addressed the ramifications of Joseph’s calling to provide an intercession for latter day Israel typological to how Moses provided an intercession for ancient Israel. Both committed transgression as a result of their intervention.
It is poetic that Moses prophesies of the “One Like Moses” that would arise in the latter days that would first speak the words of God and then provide the supreme test by speaking presumptuously.
Ancient Prophets Foresaw the Covid Vaccine Pandemic (Pestilence)
We have previously addressed the prophecy in the Book of Revelation which spoke of how world leaders and great merchants of the earth would deceive the inhabitants of the world through sorcery (pharmica).
But his is not the only prophet to speak of this.
One of the remarkable things about Ezekiel’s prophetic account of the fall of Babylon-America, is that it foretells the Covid 19 Vaccine Epidemic!
Before we review those passages, let us recall what Leviticus tells us about the blood that coursed through our veins:
In Leviticus 17:11 we read-
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
The correct concept of blood atonement is not well understood which is unfortunate. We largely have Brigham Young to thank for bastardizing the concept and creating misdirection.
Perhaps we will address it in greater detail at some point, but for our purposes right now, we shall focus on the profound truth that the “life of the flesh is in the blood“.
The Pandemic (Pestilence) is One of the Curses of God
We previously read passages in Deuteronomy that foretold which curses the Lord would send upon His people if they failed to keep his commandments and his statutes.
15 ¶ But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
It is remarkable to realize that the term “pestilence” literally means “pandemic”.
Ezekiel is going to observe that a blood related pandemic is one of the things which facilitates in the fall of modern Babylon.
Abraham’s 400 year Prophecy
But first, let revisit an amazing timeline indicator that was briefly covered in the last post:
Abraham was placed in a prophetic trance in which he saw what would happen to his seed 400 years after hey would enter into a strange land.
They and the nation they are in servitude to, would be judged.
400 years after the puritans dropped anchor at the tip of Cape Cod in 1620, the epidemic and associated lock downs begin to emerge. Again, the Book of Revelation had prophesied that the nations would be deceived by sorcery (pharmica) and would be pressured and enticed by the merchants of the world to drink the cool-aid.
The governments and merchants of the world are offering all manner of incentives to get jabbed and penalties for not getting jabbed.
Further, it is remarkable to realize that in the Ezekiel narrative, the Lord is taking credit for sending the pandemic.
Yes, there is a global masonic luciferian cult, which is referred to as a secret combination in the Book of Mormon, that that is orchestrating this covid-vaccine delusion and administering the poison, but they are unwittingly doing the Lord’s bidding.
This grand delusion represents God’s cursing, vexation and rebuke upon His people for their disobedience.
The pestilence (pandemic) is a reoccurring theme in Ezekiel’s ominous narrative about the fall of the fall of Babylon.
Ezekiel’s narrative primarily lists sword, pestilence and famine as the cursings that will destroy and scatter his people in the latter days (while the gathering of the elect documented in section 29 is quietly taking place in the background.)
Referring to the unrepentant of latter day Israel, Ezekiel explains how they will be destroyed and scattered
Ezekiel 5
12 ¶ A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine
shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and
a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee;
and
I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.
14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.
15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury
17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.
Notice in the text above how “pestilence” is grouped with “BLOOD” as a singular concept prior to the “sword” narrative.
It is not referring to the blood from the sword.
It is interrelating the concept of blood with the pestilence.
Why?
Because the pestilence-pandemic takes place IN THE BLOOD, primarily after having the vaccine poison administered into the blood, although the principle of shedding from vaccinated to unvaccinated people seems to be a reality.
[Editorial Note: From a scriptural point of view, it is important to remember, “the life of all flesh is the blood thereof” This is why it is so significant that Ezekiel prophesies of a blood related pestilence (pandemic).
The passage continues on to warn that those who eat the living blood of any human or animal will be “cut off”.
“Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off” (Lev 17:14)
There are mystical and sacred powers associated with the blood which should not be tampered with. We have been created in the image of God and our bodies are the temple of God. Injecting foreign toxic substances directly into the blood stream is a serious sin against our creator.
I attended the same high school as Dr. Robert O. Young, the research scientist and best selling author who speaks about the importance of PH in the bodily fluids, ie, blood, saliva, urine, etc..
He was two years ahead of me in school but married a classmate of mine.
The following discussion in which he participates, addresses, among many other things, the significance of the blood with regard to health in general, and the pandemic specifically.
It is quite interesting and pertinent to this prophetic series and what is taking place in the world right now. If you listen to this discussion, prepare to enter an alternate reality with lots of verbiage that will be Greek to you… Link
Those who are interested in learning more about the significance of the blood with regard to health, may find the following article by Young of interest
“Who Had Their Finger on the Magic of Life – Antoine BeChamp or Louis Pasteur?”
BTW here is a recording of a conversation with the FDA asking some important questions about the legal responsibility of the FDA in shutting down this mass murder that we are currently witnessing.
And here is the most recent video from a whistleblower from the pharmaceutical industry Link
See also A PATHOLOGIST SUMMARY OF WHAT THESE JABS DO TO THE BRAIN AND OTHER ORGANS
Hosea also speaks of the same event in the latter days when resulting in the mass destruction of the remainder of God’s people who are not mystically gathered out as per section 29.
He notes the significance of “blood touching blood” during a great “controversy” that God is having with the inhabitants of the land.. It is during this controversy where blood touches blood, that the land will mourn and everyone will “languish“.
1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
The “great controversy “being spoken of in the above passages is upon us.
It has begun and yet the vast majority of the masses are sleepy blind and drunk.
“Blood tougheth blood“.
What a curious observation.
Is he referring to the method in which the vaccines are made or the ingredients thereof?
Is he simply referring to the defilement of the blood banks with vaccinated blood which is then administered into the blood of other people?
Is he referring to vaccine shedding?
Is he referring to blood clotting and the result of blood coagulation which is taking place in the victims of the jab?
False Prophets
The Hosea text notes that those bearing the title of prophet in apostate Israel will also die along with apostate Israel from this epidemic and the sword:
“..the prophet also shall fall with thee..”
Latter day Saints have been indoctrinated to think that the Savior’s warning to “beware of false Prophets” during the last generation at the time of the end, could not possibly be referring to us because our prophets could not possibly lead us astray.
It is almost beyond comprehension that President Nelson has taken the vaccine and has just recently made an official admonishment over his signature endorsing the vaccine and imploring the latter day saints to accept the death jab. LInk.
Perhaps it will eventually be required for entrance into the Mormon Temples to participate in the masonic temple endowment ceremonies.
Interestingly, about 50% of Latter day Saints have taken the Jab while about 50% are very reluctant to take it.
Is that a coincidence??
Will President Nelson’s admonishment wake up sleeping virgins and result in a huge exit from the church?
It is not surprising that Ezekiel is preoccupied with the topic of false prophets
One of the passages in the Ezekiel text typologically applies to the above directive:
9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have not deceived that prophet; therefore, I will stretch out my hand upon him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
In Ezekiel 3 Ezekiel gives a warning to those who are to be “watchmen” on the tower who are to warn the people about the enemy. He declares that a watchman that fails to utter the warning voice and allows destruction to come upon the people will have consequences. “his blood will I require at thine hand..”
This warning is given to the false watchman four times in the Ezekiel text.
Ezekiel 13 also speaks of the false prophets of Israel
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
10 ¶ Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar:
11 Say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.
14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
17 ¶ Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
Those Who Seek Wisdom and Become Wise
We are approaching the time when the literal fulfillment of the parable of the wheat and the Tares will be fulfilled. It has probably already begun.
We are also approaching the time of the literal fulfillment of the Wise and Foolish virgins will take place.
Some that are WISE shall have oil in their lamps (have taken the Holy Ghost for their guide) and will respond to the final warning and enter into the protective chambers to be sheltered from the storm of God’s wrath.
The others will be told to go into the city where they can “buy and sell“.
In Section 88 the Lord informs Joseph and his associates that they will be called again into the ministry for the last time to
80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
82 Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.
83 He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
84 Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
85 That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come.
Verse 85 speaks of the desolation of abomination that Ezekiel is speaking of.
In a previous revelation the Lord had prophesied about the same desolation apostate Israel and the latter day land of Israel that Ezekiel and Section 88 speak of.
114 Nevertheless, let the bishop go unto the city of New York, also to the city of Albany, and also to the city of Boston, and warn the people of those cities with the sound of the gospel, with a loud voice, of the desolation and utter abolishment which await them if they do reject these things.
Can you get more clear than that?
Those that reject the sound of the gospel when the true servants return to the vineyard will face the desolation of utter abolishment.
115 For if they do reject these things the hour of their judgment is nigh, and their house shall be left unto them desolate.
116 Let him trust in me and he shall not be confounded; and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed.
117 And verily I say unto you, the rest of my servants, go ye forth as your circumstances shall permit, in your several callings, unto the great and notable cities and villages, reproving the world in righteousness of all their unrighteous and ungodly deeds, setting forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days.
118 For, with you saith the Lord Almighty, I will rend their kingdoms; I will not only shake the earth, but the starry heavens shall tremble.
No need for any of us to argue about what the what the desolation of abomination is. God’s servants will explain it clearly when the last warning goes forth.
Those Who Seek Me Early
Verse 83 of section 88 informs us that when the final warning comes during a time of preliminary tribulation, the elect will seek the Lord early and find Him.
A keyword search of “seeketh me early” takes us to Proverbs 8.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
In this account, it is arguably Wisdom that is found when we seek early.
The term WISE and the term WISDOM are closely related in meaning and find root in each other.
This chapter depicts Wisdom not just as an attribute, but as an intelligence that can speak to us.
It depicts Wisdom as an intelligent female gender who was with God before the world was created.
Clearly, wisdom is of God and is an attribute of God and could be interpreted as being God, nevertheless the text appears to depict Wisdom separate and distinct from God.
Proverbs 8 begins with Wisdom calling out to the sons of men:
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
Wisdom provides counsel in this chapter admonishing us to “Receive my instruction”
She ends the chapter by saying:
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
In the next chapter we are informed that-.
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she (Wisdom) saith to him,
5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
In this inspired narrative provided by Solomon, Wisdom admonishes us to seek her (instead of being seduced by the “strange woman” mentioned in chapter 7 that “flattereth with her words“.)
We are admonished to seek Wisdom instead of silver and gold.
By so doing true substance will finally fill our treasure chest in Zion.
Those who do not follow this counsel are depicted as being “foolish“.
We have just witnessed the nuts and bolts of the parable of the foolish and wise virgins in an ancient text.
Amazing how cross referencing exact same keywords in modern revelation takes us to ancient scriptures that integrate the same concepts in perhaps a deeper way.
More observations about the Ezekiel narrative and the utter abolishment of those that remain unrepentant when the last warning takes place by God’s true servants in part 4.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
If you go into LDS.org and type the following name into the search engine “Brian C. Passantino”, the top reference will take you to an article in the history section of the site, titled “Ask Us: Top Five Questions about Doctrine and Covenants Publishing”
Brian Passantino is one of the co-authors of the article.
He is one of the credible historians that the LDS Church commissioned to help answer questions about the Doctrine and Covenants.
In LinkedIn he states his official title as “Church History Consultant at Church History Library“.
Recently a friend of mine in Boise Idaho brought something to my attention that is quite interesting. It is the dissertation written by Brian Passantino in 2020 for his Master of Arts Degree in History at Utah State University.
The “Major Professor” that approved the thesis is Patrick Mason, Ph.D. who is an LDS apologist who recently spoke at a stake fireside in Logan Utah about how to deal with a faith crisis.
The reason I find the dissertation interesting is because in it Passantino reveals a remarkable epiphany that he had while doing his research.
Here is the comment I got from my friend in Boise, along with a quote from Passantino in his dissertation:
Section 132??…he demonstrated that Pratt felt constrained by the canon of scripture and sought to align his doctrinal beliefs within its confines.
“My research takes this a step further and shows that Pratt’s anxiety about squaring his beliefs with scripture may have influenced him to canonize scripture that helped lend credence to his non-canonical beliefs.”
This is really quite interesting given the fact that some of the “revelations” that were added to the Doctrine and Covenants by Orson Pratt, (under the direction of Brigham Young) were clearly meant to discredit and retire foundational doctrines and promote heretical ones.
It is interesting that some of the additional revelations that Pratt added were simply “Items of Instruction given by Joseph Smith” during the Nauvoo period that Joseph Smith had not felt inspired to includ in the canon of revelation prior to his death.
For instance, section 130 states that both the Father and the Son have a body of flesh and bones. This is a blatant contradiction to the Lectures on Faith which had been sustained by the church as the “doctrine” portion of the “Doctrine and Covenants“.
Section 131 redefines the term “everlasting covenant” as a marriage covenant (presumably polygamous) rather than baptism.
And section 132 a revelation, the exact origins of which cannot really be documented with clarity and the original is nowhere to be found, is absolutely riddled with false doctrines and the bastardizing of long established scriptural definitions.
Years ago I deconstructed section 132 and showed countless problems with it. I will not reiterate all of the problems in this post. You can read the article here.
There is one huge problem with section 132 that I neglected to address in my analysis. It has to do with the definition of “Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost“. Again, section 132 redefines the term to be something different than originally intended.
In my opinion, the definition given in section 132 has nothing in common with the originating term given by Christ in the New Testament. I may elaborate on that topic in a future blog post or newsletter.
Anyway, major kudos to Brian C. Passantino for having the courage to point out the obvious in his dissertation and kudos to the LDS church for elevating the stature of brother Passantino as an LDS historian rather than holding a disciplinary court on him.
Perhaps this is all part of the Church’s new goal of being more transparent.
Nevertheless, it would be fascinating to see if the observations he shared in his dissertation would have made it through the final cut if he had submitted it at BYU instead of Utah State University.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Current Events, Signs of the Times and Nauvoo
We live in a time when there are signs in the heavens that seem to line up with major current events as well as some prophetic events.
On February 14th 2020 the electoral college met to officially determine who won the presidency.
This is what Forbes magazine had previously observed about that event.
Donald Trump’s Presidency Will End On The Day Of A Comet, A Meteor Shower And A Total Eclipse Of The Sun. It will be no ordinary Monday. In the early hours of December 14, 2020 the year’s biggest and most impressive meteor shower will strike—the Geminids. A few hours later a darkness will come to the day as a rare total eclipse of the Sun occurs.
Observers in the path of totality in South America are hoping for a glimpse of the Sun’s corona, but they’ll also be looking for green flashes of Geminids meteors in the twilight, and possibly also a comet close to the spectacle.
It’s also a day we will see Joe Biden officially confirmed as President of the United States,” said Jay Pasachoff, Professor of Astronomy at Williams College, Massachusetts, who’s witnessed 35 total solar eclipses and 72 solar eclipses of all types. “Maybe it takes a total eclipse of the Sun to make that official.”
To the chagrin of Forbes magazine and countless other liberals, it was no ordinary Monday indeed! It was not Electoral College Event. The day did not go exactly as they anticipated since several unexpected electoral votes from republican electorates who are disputing the integrity and validity of the election cast their votes for President Trump. PA, GA, MI, WI, AZ, NV, and NM all had GOP electors cast votes for TRUMP
Three swing states sent 2 sets of Electorates which suggests a contested election in which Biden is under the 270 mark.
By doing this, they hope to keep President Trumps hopes of winning the election alive.
This comes at a time when President Trump has hinted at the possibility of getting military tribunals involved in restoring the integrity of the election by actuating an executive order that he had made in 2018.
Here is a quote from recent video on youtube-
“The U.S. military is the final arbiter and THE deciding, ultimate factor in what happens to this country, its freedom and its future, and the rest of the world. And that means a full-scale, wholesale destruction, termination, extermination, elimination of the global criminal empire from the planet. Period.”
The acting Secretary of Defense has ordered the Pentagon to stop the Biden transition. https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1339946748115075072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1339946748115075072%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.godlikeproductions.com%2Fforum1%2Fmessage4632024%2Fpg1
B https://www.intellihub.com/acting-secretary-of-defense-orders-pentagon-to-stop-biden-transition/
Regardless of who, if anyone, ultimately wins the 2020 election, the signs in the heavens that are taking place are noteworthy and pointing us to the grand event that will be taking place in Nauvoo .
Unsurprisingly, we are getting reports of unusual things happening in the heavens. Radio astronomers have discovered dozens of “throats” of wormholes in space (for transport?)
But the intrigue regarding signs in the heavens and notable events does not end there.
“None of us had ever seen anything like it before, and we had no idea what it was. A few days later, our colleague Emil Lenc found a second one, even more spooky than Anna’s.
Anna and Emil had been examining the new images from our pilot observations for the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) project, made with CSIRO’s revolutionary new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope.
EMU plans to boldly probe parts of the Universe where no telescope has gone before. It can do so because ASKAP can survey large swathes of the sky very quickly, probing to a depth previously only reached in tiny areas of sky, and being especially sensitive to faint, diffuse objects like these.
I predicted a couple of years ago this exploration of the unknown would probably make unexpected discoveries, which I called WTFs. But none of us expected to discover something so unexpected, so quickly. (Science Alert)”
The Bethlehem Star December 21 2020
It has been reported that on or about December 21st, during the upcoming winter solstice, Jupiter and Saturn will line up to create what is known as the “Christmas Star” or “Star of Bethlehem.” Although it will only be seen by the naked eye in certain parts of the world See Video
“You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.”
One of my readers made these comments about it
“This [Bethlehem Star] happens one week after the midpoint between the two total eclipses over Zion (the 2017 and 2024 ones). The midpoint on December 14th is also interestingly the day the electoral college votes.” The winter solstice is a highly symbolic date when darkness stops increasing and the light begins to overcome it again. Time for a rebirth perhaps?
Although the Internet is a buzz regarding this amazing sign in the sky, few people have connected the date of the upcoming Bethlehem star on December 21st, with a very significant date in history which also may link up with the 400 year prophecy given to Abraham.
The Mayflower Compact
Christian Puritans known today as the “Pilgrims from England” sailed to the “new world” of America in 1620.
These Puritans signed a “compact” as a promise to bring “glory to God“ AND “advancement of the Christian Faith” as their primary purpose to plant a colony in the foreign land of what would be called America.
COMPACT, noun An agreement; a contract between parties; a word that may be applied, in a general sense, to any covenant or contract between individuals; but it is more generally applied to agreements between nations and states, as treaties and confederacies. So the constitution of the United States is a political contract between the States; a national compact Or the word is applied to the agreement of the individuals of a community. (1828 Websters Dictionary)
According to some accounts, it would be on December 21 1620 that these Puritans would actually drop anchor at the tip of Cape Cod and rest their feet on dry ground.
The intended destination was an area near the Hudson River, in “North Virginia”. However the ship was forced far off-course by inclement weather and drifted well north of the intended Virginia settlement.
As a result of the delay, the settlers did not arrive in Cape Cod until after the onset of a harsh New England winter. The settlers ultimately failed to reach Virginia where they had already obtained permission from the London Company to settle, due to difficulties navigating the treacherous waters off the southeast corner of Cape Cod.
To establish legal order and to quell increasing strife within the ranks, the settlers wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact after the ship dropped anchor at the tip of Cape Cod on November 11/21, in what is now Provincetown Harbor.
Source: Wikipedia
They entered Cape Cod in the early morning of November 11/21, and anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor, waiting for sunrise. After the sun was up and the tide was high, they sent shore a small group of men to collect juniper wood–the living quarters on the Mayflower had no doubt become very rancid and smelly, and one of the Pilgrims highest priorities was to collect some juniper wood to burn onboard the ship, to make everything smell just a little bit better.
Source: Caleb Johnson
On December 21, 1620, the first landing party arrived at the site of what would become the settlement of Plymouth. World History Project
(there are conflicting historical accounts pertaining to the exact time the puritans wrote and signed the compact and also pertaining to when they went to shore}
The Compact
“In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.
Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.” Ref
The Abrahamic Land Covenant
Some people feel that this historic event having to do with the Puritans promise to inhabit the land of promise (America) “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith” had to do with the Abrahamic Land Covenant.
In previous blog posts we have demonstrated from the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and covenants that America is the land of the end times land Covenant that God made with Abraham and his descendants. It is the land of the latter day Jerusalem and the land of Zion.
Interestingly, it appears as if December 21 2020 could possibly mark exactly 400 years since that event.
Why is this important from a prophetic point of view?
Because of the prophetic promise that the Lord gave to Abraham in Genesis 15 that his seed would be an afflicted stranger, in a land not theirs, for a period of 400 years.
Following that 400 period, God’s judgment will fall upon that nation in behalf of Abraham’s true seed.
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
We have previously pointed out how protestant scholars that don’t have all of the scriptures brought forth through Joseph Smith are compelled to make erroneous assumptions about the fulfillment of prophecy. That has been true with the prophecy in 2nd Samuel 7 and other Davidic Servant prophesies.
The above prophecy is no exception. Again, most protestant prophecy scholars miss the boat on understanding the above passage.
They claim that the above prophecy refers to the length of time that the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness-
40 ¶ Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
Although the 430 years sojourning of the children of Israel was possibly a vague type and shadow of the prophecy given in Genesis 15, it was obviously not the literal fulfillment. We know that for multiple reasons.
For one thing, God is exact in his promises and his prophetic timelines. 400 years is different than 430 years.
Secondly, the prophecy states that Abraham’s seed would be in servitude to a wicked nation that would afflict
them. That is not an accurate characterization of the sojourn of the children of Israel In the wilderness.
It is my opinion that the prophecy refers to the latter days and the New World of America.
Some may object to this interpretation claiming that we have had four hundred years of freedom in America.
Few Americans realize that there has never been true freedom and liberty in America. There have always been restrictions and fees to live here from the time of the arrival of the Gentiles, although the oppression has gotten significantly worse in recent years.
The Book of Mormon does prophesy that America will be a land of liberty to the righteous Gentiles, however, it does not become a land of liberty until a great work of gathering takes place and Zion is established–
9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto [the Jews], and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute?
10 But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land.
11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.
12 And I will fortify this land against all other nations.
13 And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.
As you can see, the time of liberty is when Zion has been established.
Second Nephi 1 also reminds us that America only becomes a land of liberty AFTER God’s people obey his laws-
7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. (2nd Nephi 7)
Despite the rhetoric and historical indoctrination, America has never been a land of liberty to the Gentiles, however, it will be once the marvelous work takes place and the righteous remnant of the people repent and built Zion.
Believers Represent the seed of Abraham
So who is the seed of Abraham?
We are informed in the New Testament that everyone that believes in Jesus Christ is of the seed of Abraham. Regardless of whether this is speaking literally or through the spiritual adoption, it is still a fact.
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. (Galations 3 6-9)
Once someone realizes this, there are other dots to be connected that demonstrate that in the latter days, the Abrahamic land covenant carried over to the land of America. We have covered these passages in previous posts.
Admittedly, it is total speculation to assume that December 21st could be a significant prophetic milestone or tipping point that God begins to remove his people from bondage.
But it is fun to speculate and anticipate.
If nothing else, it helps us to prepare our minds and hearts for other events that are soon to take place.
What do any of these signs in the heavens or prophetic events have to do with Nauvoo, the Nauvoo House, and section 124?
Everything.
The Set Time
The proclamation referred to in section 124 declares that it will be the “set time” when the proclamation goes forth. One of the reasons that God gives us signs in the heavens is to alert us to the coming “set time“.
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth.
2 Your prayers are acceptable before me; and in answer to them I say unto you, that you are now called immediately to make a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted to be a cornerstone of Zion, which shall be polished with the refinement which is after the similitude of a palace.
3 This proclamation shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable president-elect, and the high-minded governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad.
4 Let it be written in the spirit of meekness and by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be in you at the time of the writing of the same;
5 For it shall be given you by the Holy Ghost to know my will concerning those kings and authorities, even what shall befall them in a time to come.
6 For, behold, I am about to call upon them to give heed to the light and glory of Zion, for the set time has come to favor her.
7 Call ye, therefore, upon them with loud proclamation, and with your testimony, fearing them not, for they are as grass, and all their glory as the flower thereof which soon falleth, that they may be left also without excuse—
8 And that I may visit them in the day of visitation, when I shall unveil the face of my covering, to appoint the portion of the oppressor among hypocrites, where there is gnashing of teeth, if they reject my servants and my testimony which I have revealed unto them.
As you can see, section 124 merges the topic of the “set time” with the “day of visitation” when the wicked will be left “without excuse“
The term “set time” first shows up in scripture when God promises Abraham he will establish his covenant through a son to be named Isaac which will be born through Sarah at the set time the following year. (Gen 17:21)
How fitting that the term relates to the promises of God to Abraham. It is the seed of Abraham who are referred to as strangers, that will be gathered to Nauvoo!
But the keyword tapestry does not end there.
In Exodus 9 when God is in the process of freeing the children of Israel from bondage through Moses, the Lord warns Pharaoh that he refuses to let the children of Israel go, he will
“sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel. And the Lord Appointed a set time, saying, to morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.”
Other references to the term set time, appear in the Old Testament until we arrive at the book of Job.
Job makes an interesting lamentation that suggests that his body will be in the grave until after the Lord’s wrath be past, but at the set time the Lord will remember him.
13 Oh, that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
Will Job be in Nauvoo when the set time to favor Zion takes place?
The next notable stop for this keyword is in Psalms 102.
It provides another lamentation which begins thusly-
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
The Psalmist seems to know that in the day of trouble, God will no longer hide his face when his elect call upon him.
Later in the lamentation in Psalms 102, we are brought to the prophetic narrative when the Lord will favor Zion as is documented in the Nauvoo proclamation. Compare this narrative with the narrative in section 124.
12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be gathered shall praise the LORD,
19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
It is remarkable how often the upcoming events of Nauvoo are prophesied of in ancient scripture.
A House for Strangers
There is a very mysterious passage in section 124 that has been greatly misunderstood by those not familiar with the Old Testament.
It uses the term Strangers.
Section 124:23-24 informs us that strangers will lodge in the Nauvoo House where the Lord personally dwells:
23 And it shall be for a house for boarding, a house that strangers may come from afar to lodge therein; therefore let it be a good house, worthy of all acceptation, that the weary traveler may find health and safety while he shall contemplate the word of the Lord; and the cornerstone I have appointed for Zion.
24 This house shall be a healthful habitation if it be built unto my name, and if the governor which shall be appointed unto it shall not suffer any pollution to come upon it. It shall be holy, or the Lord your God will not dwell therein.
This passage seems very contradictory on the surface.
Why would the Lord allow strangers from “afar” presumably from other states and all over the world to lodge in a hotel where God himself dwells?
The first clue to the meaning of strangers is found in the 400 year prophecy.
“..thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs..”
That passage seems to be one of the originating reasons why the seed of Abraham became identified as people who were “strangers”.
In previous articles I have chronicled numerous other Old Testament passages wherein Abrahamic seed had been called strangers.
Strangers to whom?
To a land not yet given to them…. Perhaps to God. During a time of apostasy.
It is not until God has the gospel preached to them and gathers them in the last days to the cornerstone of Zion and gives it to them as an inheritance that they will dwell in their own land.
Until that time, they are identified as “strangers”. Regardless of whether they are living in foreign countries or America, they are strangers until they receive the gospel.
Context is everything.
Sidney Rigdon gave a talk in Nauvoo in which he revealed that the term “strangers” can refer to a group of people who have yet to come to the full knowledge of the gospel and have not yet gotten to know God through the reception of the Holy Ghost-
“The doctrine Peter taught was different from sectarians. His doctrine was repent and be Baptized and you shall received the Holy Ghost. Take a view of this subject. Look at the spirit of promise. View the congregation on that day . They were strangers not having a knowledge of Salvation.
They were strangers to the power of God and did not know that Jesus Christ was crucified and all they knew about it was what Peter told them on the day of Pentecost, 14 verse of 2 ch. of Acts.
The only knowledge they had about the Holy Spirit was what Peter taught them by quoting the prophet Joel 37 verse. Now mark this, Peter had defined the spirit of God of the fruits of it be prophecy, dreams, visions, revelations, and etc.
Yes this is the spirit of God the spirit of Prophecy, dreams, visions, heal the sick, and all the great things, and I will in the last days pour out my spirit upon all flesh. This is the definition of the Spirit. All were called to be baptized without any exceptions, villains, Harlots, scoundrels and all.”
Rigdon then gives a very clear explanation of the fruits of the Spirit when the fulness of the Gospel is on the earth;
“I will now sum up the testimony. What is a man to preach when they go out? Tell the people to repent, quit their iniquity, be Baptized and you shall receive the Holy Ghost, dream dreams, see visions, and prophecy and if they don’t tell them this, they preach another gospel”
Rigdon was declaring that the true gospel is only on the earth when the saints have received the true baptism and are showing the fruits of the spirit including dreams, visions, prophecy, healing, etc.
Rigdon warned that any church that does not have the gifts of the spirit, dreams, visions, prophesying, healing, miracles, does not have the power to save.
Section 124 is informing us that Abraham’s children who have been classified in scripture as “sojourning” “strangers” will receive the gospel and gather to Nauvoo.
In Ephesians 2 11-22, speaking to the seed of Abraham, Peter speaks of the “wall of separation” that makes us “strangers and foreigners” and how the gospel makes us of the commonwealth of Israel and of the household of God-
Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. or through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
When the set time arrives for God to favor Zion, those of us that truly repent and gather to Zion will no longer be strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints.
The Old Normal Will Never Return
Americans are experiencing a level of oppression that we have never felt before. It is tempting to reminisce about the “old normal” and to desire to return to it as we blame the deep state and globalists for the restrictive and oppressive “new normal” that we are suffering under. However, the deeper truth of the matter is that God is behind the scourge brought about by the false report.
He does not want us to return to the old normal. Our awful situation is the consequence of four generations of stiff-neckedness and apostasy. We are quickly approaching the appointed time to repent and God is humbling us. God is preparing us to come out of Babylon and live his law.
According one of Joseph Smith’s brethren, things will get so bad that-
“.. the Saints will be put to a test that will try the very best of them.
The pressure will become so great that the righteous among us will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes.”
It appears we will shortly be called upon to flee Babylon which includes most of the pleasures and delicacies that we have all enjoyed and taken for granted for a long time.
That is a tough pill to swallow for most of us, but it is true. The appointed time for the redemption of Zion is quickly approaching and God wants a humbled and sober people. Instead of marshalling and directing our energy and anger at the globalists in the secret combination, we might be wise to realize that what we are experiencing is God’s chastening hand upon us, preparing us for a radical change. We need to prepare our hearts and minds for consecration.
Section 124 contains a reminder that there is going to be a formal and official calling out from Babylon by proclamation.
If in fact that calling out is close at hand, the real reason for the bizarre global lockdown becomes apparent. Satan and his minions are very much aware of God’s timeline and they are trying to prevent the global gathering that must take place.
This gives us greater context for many of the prophetic pronouncements pertaining to the gathering.
For instance, section 1 assures us that God’s servants will forth in power and none will prevent them from going forth..
Section 110 describes the process by which the teaching and warning of the servants will be conducted before the gathering takes place..
Section 84 speaks of the sense of urgency that will characterize the servants warning about the desolation of abomination..
Many other keys and clues have been given for those that search the scriptures.
The Next Version of Covid
Reports of a modified and much more potent strain of the Covid as well as other sicknesses are already circulating. These will certainly be used to justify the next level of oppression and lockdown. Yet the remedy is clearly laid out in prophecy. The saints that repent and gather will be given power over sickness. Healings and other miracles will accompany the saints of the final restoration.
The Day of the Lord
I recently came across a video and short research paper on the “day of the Lord’.
You can view the paper online here
I found it interesting that the fellow whom I assume is protestant made the following observation:
“What will it be like when Messiah comes to the Earth? HIS Faithful followers will be “gathered” and then He gives judgment on His ‘own people’ who have strayed away?”
I have also seen that narrative in scripture. The elect of God are gathered first, then His people who have strayed will be judged.
One thing I think he got wrong is that he believes the “gathering” is synonymous with the “rapture“. He does not realize there will be a physical gathering to Zion years before the rapture takes place.
We can all rejoice as we see these things unfold for the day of our deliverance is nigh at hand.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
A reader just sent me a link to a very thought-provoking summary of what is taking place right now regarding the election fraud. You can read it here.
Another interesting video about the Fall of Babylon and some interesting history about President Trump is in this presentation by Seventh Day Adventist Walter Veith.
This link takes you to an interesting video about the virus and psychological warfare. And another one about the possible use of the PSR test to secretly vaccinate people can be read here.
I want to think all of the wonderful watchers that send me incredible links to share with my readers. I apologize that I cannot post all of them and give them the attention they deserve. Keep them coming.
The Day of Calamity
45 We know that thou hast spoken by the mouth of thy prophets terrible things concerning the wicked, in the last days—that thou wilt pour out thy judgments, without measure; 46 Therefore, O Lord, deliver thy people from the calamity of the wicked; enable thy servants to seal up the law, and bind up the testimony, that they may be prepared against the day of burning. (Dedicatory Prayer 109:45-46)
Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants speaks of an upcoming global CALAMITY. One that ultimately sets the stage for the return of the servants. The calamity ultimately results in the weak things of the world coming forth and breaking down the mighty and strong ones=
17 Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;
18 And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
19 The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—
Is the constitutional crisis that the world is witnessing the beginning of this global calamity that ushers in the return of God’s servants?
The Book of Mormon speaks of the appointed time of this calamity in Ether 8, characterizing it as an AWFUL SITUATION
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
Are we currently witnessing the awful situation right now?
One of the things that has taken me by surprise is the fact that some components of the prophetic narrative laid out in scripture are actually happening BEFORE the servants have publicly returned. Many of these events that I thought the servants would initiate have begun taking place before their arrival. I am beginning to wonder if they have gotten the memo. LOL
For instance, the public outing of a global conspiracy is taking place before our eyes. I thought that the servants would begin that process.
The general awakening of the masses about a global conspiracy seems to have begun
Is this not the beginning of the fulfillment of Ether 8?
Secret acts are being shouted upon the house tops
As I have watched the testimonies of countless people who have been in the right places at the right times to witness the fraud I have been amazed. People are coming out of the woodwork to shine a light on the dark acts of this conspiracy! Some of them are democrats and libertarians that did not vote for Trump and yet they are incensed at the criminals that have blatantly attempted to steal this election. Many of these people are being harassed, threatened, mocked on SNL and are losing their jobs.
Many of the events taking place before our eyes I had originally assumed would be initiated by the public return of the God’s servants , but I’ll be a son of a gun if the party hasn’t begun without them.
This brings me to the point I want to make.
Students of the LDS restoration, such as myself, have been conditioned and indoctrinated to believe that when God is doing His work, it is always obvious and very public and always being done through is anointed servants like Joseph Smith.
But that is not always the case. God has many ways of influencing the hearts and actions of people. The Lord has made the following declaration:
I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work.
In other words, sometimes God uses his anointed mouthpiece to do a work, but sometimes God simply does his own work mysteriously though the masses.
The above quote is incorporated in a prophecy that I believe is about to take place which will be discussed in a future post. The beginning of God’s work will involve someone who is not highly educated and well thought of. He will be UNLEARNED in the eyes of the world.
We have entered into an amazing time when history and prophecy and current events are all merging together in relevancy. What does the history of Nauvoo and section 124 have to do with the constitutional crisis and calamity that the world is currently witnessing?
EVERYTHING!!!
Cognitive Dissonance.
If you are a new reader of this blog you are probably having cognitive dissonance and you should probably brace yourself for a little more of it.
You have been previously brainwashed to believe that the Nauvoo House was just a hotel for strangers to lodge in and that if it is ever fully rebuilt, anyone that wants to lodge in it can check in if they have Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card and American Express.
You probably believe that the Nauvoo Temple was commanded to be built and that it was finished during the Nauvoo Era.
That is all false.
It was not commanded to be built and it was never finished before the saints got their asses kicked out of Nauvoo.
Virtually the entire historical narrative presented by the apostate church is false.
The Nauvoo Temple has been rebuilt by the modern church. Interestingly, many of the subcontractors who helped to rebuild it were LDS fundamentalists from Utah. How ironic that modern polygamists would be chosen by the church building committee and approved by the brethren to participate in the work. Outwardly, the church leaders condemn the practice of modern polygamy, assuring us that they hold the keys and that they will resume the practice again at the appropriate time, but privately they have a fondness and admiration for those that continue the tradition. Doctrinally, the leaders and members of the of the church are all polygamists since they accept section 132 as scripture and doctrine. Those that have a spouse die and then are “sealed” again to another spouse, are literally practicing spiritual polygamy right now.
Is it a coincidence that the president of the church under whose watch this calamity is taking place, without any voice of warning on his part, is currently practicing spiritual wifery?
I find that poetic in a kind of perverse and demented way.
The other day some friends of ours that once lived in our little town dropped by unexpectedly for a visit. They are mainstream LDS believers in the “brethren” but they are also “last daysers- survivalists” who do believe that the world is coming to an end. The husband sat there in front of his wife and told us how excited he is to live celestial principles making reference to section 132 and “celestial marriage”.
Normally we try not to argue with those that believe differently than us, but this time, Mrs. Watcher, bless her heart, came unhinged and in righteous rage she really let him have it.
During the scotch blessing, she sat down next to him and had him read from her well-marked scriptures about celestial monogamy in section 42. Then she had him read about it in section 49. She pointed out to him that it was only “lawful” according to God’s law to have one wife and that it was through celestial monogamy and the act of cleaving to just one wife that two people would be able to unite together and be able to be filled with the full measure of man according to the creation that took place before the world was made.
marriage is ordained of God unto man. Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation; And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made.
She gently scolded him for having an adulterous heart and for not treasuring his helpmate and being concerned about her feelings.
She gave him a lesson on the history, or lack thereof, regarding section 132 and assured him that if he accepted section 132 as divine revelation, then the was guilty of denying the true revelations contained in
sections 42 and 49.
This man’s wife just sat there quietly with half a smile on her face. You could tell she had been indoctrinated and dominated by her husband on the subject and she knew better than to enter the fray.
After getting totally school from the scriptures he sheepishly said, “yes but I am a product of polygamy, I would not be here if it was not for polygamy.”
That was his final and ultimate justification for why polygamy must be a true principle.
The guy left with some heavy stuff to ponder.
The Sanitized History
The Nauvoo Temple stands as a monument to the Jewish Brighamite faction that was given the legal lease of the kingdom.
They won the internal battle at the time of the succession crisis and as the victors they rewrote and sanitized the history. The leaders of this organization now stand as a beacon of light to the world as they mingle with and swap the masonic hand shack with politicians and popes. It has recently been revealed that they have been hording well in excess of 130 BILLION dollars in secret investment accounts. The financial status and liquidity of the LDS church puts the Vatican to shame. It is surely a sign that it is the only true church, right?
After church leaders got the spotlight shown on them, they arrogantly said that the money was to be used to usher in the second coming or some such nonsense.
The last four episodes and other previous posts have documented that the Nauvoo House and the Nauvoo Temple represented a fork in the road during a time of great confusion. The saints were being tested to see if they would hearken to the word of the Lord in revelation, or whether they would allow themselves to be delivered over to Satan.
Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4
The choice to build and focus on the Nauvoo Temple after the Lord warned the Saints that they must complete the building of the Nauvoo House within a specific window of time caused the saints to take the wrong turn.
However the project was doomed to begin with when Joseph and the saints chose not to recommit to the laws of Zion and enter into the consecration covenant. The Lord had warned that Zion could not be established except by the laws of the celestial kingdom
It is not surprising that section 124 prevents anyone from entering into the sacred privilege of purchasing stock in the Nauvoo House that was not a believer in the Book of Mormon and the revelations that had been given by the Lord, sustained by the church, and canonized. The revelations contained in those two canons of scripture state under no uncertain terms that polygamy is not part of the celestial law of God.
119 And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God;
120 For that which is more or less than this cometh of evil, and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen.
The Proclamation
One of the remarkable narratives in section 124 has to do with the proclamation
that Joseph Smith and his brethren will send to the leaders of the world when the “set time” comes for Zion to be redeemed.
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth.
2 Your prayers are acceptable before me; and in answer to them I say unto you, that you are now called immediately to make
a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted to be a cornerstone of Zion, which shall be polished with the refinement which is after the similitude of a palace.
3 This proclamation shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable president-elect, and the high-minded governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad.
4 Let it be written in the spirit of meekness and by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be in you at the time of the writing of the same;
5 For it shall be given you by the Holy Ghost to know my will concerning those kings and authorities, even what shall befall them in a time to come.
6 For, behold, I am about to call upon them to give heed to the light and glory of Zion, for the set time has come to favor her.
7 Call ye, therefore, upon them with loud proclamation, and with your testimony, fearing them not, for they are as grass, and all their glory as the flower thereof which soon falleth, that they may be left also without excuse—
8 And that I may visit them in the day of visitation, when I shall unveil the face of my covering, to appoint the portion of the oppressor among hypocrites, where there is gnashing of teeth, if they reject my servants and my testimony which I have revealed unto them.
9 And again, I will visit and soften their hearts, many of them for your good, that ye may find grace in their eyes, that they may come to the light of truth, and the Gentiles to the exaltation or lifting up of Zion.
10 For the day of my visitation cometh speedily, in an hour when ye think not of; and where shall be the safety of my people, and refuge for those who shall be left of them?
11 Awake, O kings of the earth! Come ye, O, come ye, with your gold and your silver, to the help of my people, to the house of the daughters of Zion.
12 And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant Robert B. Thompson help you to write this proclamation, for I am well pleased with him, and that he should be with you;
In the last episode we talked about how the return of the dead played a grand part in the Nauvoo House narrative. Again, we see in the above passages an allusion to past kings and rulers of the earth coming forth from the dead. Some to be appointed their portion of the oppressor among hypocrites. Some will have their hearts softened and will come to the light of Zion.
It is curious that the Lord commands Joseph to “immediately make
a solemn proclamation
and yet the history informs us that Joseph never completed the proclamation.
In fact, the modern church claims that one of the reasons the proclamation was never finished is because the Nauvoo Temple took precedence:
Although the Prophet Joseph Smith worked on writing this proclamation, other concerns and challenges took precedence, including the construction of the Nauvoo Temple. (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual-2017/chapter-48-doctrine-and-covenants-124?lang=eng)
Joseph would be killed three years later without having obeyed that commandment.
In the revelation Joseph is commanded to send the proclamation to all of the high-minded governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad” including the “president elect“.
At the time that the revelation was given, William H. Harrison had been elected to become the ninth president of the United States. It was therefore just assumed that he is the one mentioned in the revelation as “the Honorable president elect.”
Harrison took the oath of office on March 4, 1841 and unexpectedly died a month later on April 4 1841. He was succeeded by John Tyler as the tenth president.
The Nauvoo saints and possibly even Joseph Smith must have been perplexed when Harrison died before the proclamation was written and sent forth.
They were perhaps even more perplexed when Robert B. Thompson died on August 27 1841 of tuberculosis since he had been commanded to help Joseph Smith write the proclamation.
“..verily I say unto you, let my servant Robert B. Thompson help you to write this proclamation, for I am well pleased with him, and that he should be with you..”
[later in the revelation, William Law is also admonished to help Joseph write the proclamation see vs 107]
Being a literalist who believes that all of the unconditional prophecies of the Lord will come to pass, I have stated for years that I believe the prophecy will yet come to pass and that the president elect in the prophecy was never referring to William Harrison. Rather, it is referring to someone else at a future time.
An interesting but little-known fact is that the quorum of the Twelve took it upon themselves in 1845 to write the proclamation and send it forth. It makes for an interesting read, although it was not their prerogative to write such a proclamation and it fell on deaf ears.
Joseph Smith Actually Did Begin Writing the Proclamation
Recently a reader of this blog revealed in the comments section that she had discovered that Joseph Smith actually did create an unfinished draft of the proclamation.
This was mind-blowing to me because I have been unaware of the content in this amazing draft of the proclamation that Joseph had begun. This a remarkable find!
This draft is found in the “book of the law of the Lord” that Joseph Smith kept (not to be confused with the book of the law of the lord that James Strang claimed to have translated.)
Book of the Law of the Lord
The book of the Law of the Lord was a Nauvoo-era donation record book that also includes JS’s 1842 journal and the text of several revelations. It began with nine revelations.
Thanks to independent historian extraordinaire, H Michael Marquardt, the unfinished draft of the proclamation can be found online at his research site.
Here is what the unfinished draft says:
A Religious Proclamation
From Joseph Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Prophet, Seer, and Revelator of the Most High God, to the President of the United States of North America – the Governors of the Several States – the Emperors, Kings, and Princes of the Earth – the Executives of all nations – the Chiefs of all tribes – and all occupying high places in the administration of governments.
“Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing – fathers, and their queens thy nursing – mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” (Isaiah – LX, LXI, LXII.)
Now in obedience to a revelation given January 19th, AD. 1841, I proceed to call upon you to yield yourselves as obedient subjects to the requirements of heaven, in fulfilling the contributing to the fulfilment of the predictions of the prophets – to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of and abandon your sins, be immersed for the remission of sins, receive the imposition of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and, in fine, to embrace the gospel in its beauty & fulness.
“And now, why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on th[e] name of the Lord.”
This is more honorable than the diadems of kings or the pearls of princes – it will confer upon you an excellence unsurpassed, a glory which you never knew.
“God came from Teman, and the Holy one from mount Paran;”
and, as his glory covered the heavens, so now will it envis[i]on the earth, and illumine the holy city, until all the obedient shall bask in the rejoice in the brightness of his coming, and bask in the sun – shine of God’s benignity.
Hasten then to Zion! and contribute to the erection of temples, sanctuaries, and palaces, such as this world never saw – [illegible] with their walls finished with th[e] pencil of Raphahel [sic; Raphael] decorated with gold, and pearls, and precious stones, beautified by the finger of God.
Tho’ your minds are yet darkened, and your eyes dim of sight, by the traditions, superstitions, and follies of the ages, injured upon you by the Papal See, and hierarchy of Rome; th[e] Patriarch, and [illegible] ecclesiastical council, of Constantinople; and th[e] priesthood of th[e] protestant sects; the Lord of heaven addressed you as intelligent beings, and direct you to come out from among them, that you may become the elite of the kingdom – bright, and shinning lights in your Father’s house.3
[The draft of the Proclamation ends at this point and was not finished in Joseph Smith’s lifetime.]
The commandment to send forth the proclamation was given in January of 1841.
The Book of the Law of the Lord has under the date of December 22, 1841, “this evening Joseph the Seer commenced giving instructions to the scribe [Willard Richards] concerning writing the Proclamation to the Kings of the earth mentioned in the Revelation given January 19. 1841
The last canonized revelation (Section 128) that Joseph Smith received was given in early September of 1842.
Because Joseph received his last revelation nearly one year after the draft was written, one could argue that Joseph was still at least intermittently inspired in his views even though he was proceeding on the Nauvoo Temple.
Nevertheless, the draft appears to have been written just one month after Joseph’s shocking “thus sayeth the Lord” declaration that there shall be no more baptisms for the dead performed until the Lords House was completed::
“There shall be no more baptisms for the dead, until the ordinance can be attended to in the font of the Lord’s House; and the church shall not hold another general conference, until they can meet in said house. For thus saith the Lord (October 1841 See https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minutes-and-discourse-1-5october-1841/3#full-transcript )
As previously documented, the Lord is referring to the Nauvoo House that needed to be completed with a baptismal font.
According to Lyman Wight, the above declaration by Joseph Smith marked the ultimate rejection of the church with their dead:
“We were to have a sufficient time to build that house during which time our baptisms for our dead should be acceptable in the river. If we did not build within this time we were to be rejected as a church we and our dead together.
Both the temple and baptizing went very leisurely till the temple was somewhere in building the second story when Bro Joseph from the Stand announced the alarming declaration that baptism for our dead was no longer acceptable in the river, as much to say the time for building the temple had passed by and both we and our dead were rejected together.
The church now stands rejected together with their dead The church being rejected now stands alienated from her God in every sense of the word” Church History Vol 2 p 790
It is notable and remarkable that in section 124 the Lord acknowledges that abominations are already being practiced among the saints .
It is also interesting that those abominations are associated with the prophecy about the upcoming failed attempt at the Nauvoo Temple.
One could even argue that Joseph Smith is being singled out in acting out abominations.
In 124:45&6, the Lord refers to the “saints” as “my people” and “they” and then in serves 47
the Lord appears to single out Joseph Smith as “you“, resulting in the consequences that would fall upon multiple “heads” in verse 48:
45 And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
46 But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them.
47 And it shall come to pass that if you [Joseph Smith] build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, [Joseph Smith] neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord.
48 For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practise before me, saith the Lord.
Again, the Lord appears to be acknowledging in section 124 that abominations are already being practiced or are about to be practiced, and will ultimately result in the Lord not performing his oaths and promises relating to the House.
Again, one could argue that Joseph Smith was, by his own admission, the one building the temple with the support of the church (as he claimed to be the one to be the one that would build a temple as great as Solomon’s)
It appears according to one way of interpreting the text that it was Joseph Smith specifically that would not be doing what the Lord had commanded and thus, the Lord would not perform the oath that he had made with Joseph Smith. The fulfilling of an oath also seems more conducive to a singular interpretation rather than a collective interpretation.
Your knee jerk reaction to my singular interpretation to Joseph Smith above might be that the passage in question was speaking to the saints collectively not specifially to Joseph Smith.
Really?
Look at how the revelation begins
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto **you**, my servant **Joseph Smith**, I am well pleased with **your** offering and acknowledgments, which **you** have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth.
2 **Your prayers** are acceptable before me; and in answer to them I say unto you, that you are now called immediately to make a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted to be a cornerstone of Zion, which shall be polished with the refinement which is after the similitude of a palace.
It clearly begins as a very singular revelation to Joseph Smith.
Like many of the revelations, it eventually weaves back and forth during the narrative and involves other singular individuals at times and perhaps even the church collectively at times.
But even when others are being addressed, it is often referring to them indirectly as the Lord is still addressing Joseph Sith:
12 And again, verily I say unto **you**, let my servant Robert B. Thompson help you to write this proclamation, for I am well pleased with **him**, and that he should be with you;
13 **Let him**, therefore, hearken to **your counsel**, and I will bless him with a multiplicity of blessings; let him be faithful and true in all things from henceforth, and he shall be great in mine eyes;
14 But let him remember that his stewardship will I require at his hands.
This revelation is primarily given through Joseph Smith about him and others.
With this in mind, the above interpretation of what is being communicated in verse 47 may not be too outrageous.
How Revelatory Was Joseph Smith at this Time?
One could argue that Joseph’s revelatory gift had been compromised by this time, however if that is the case, one must also consider the fact that Joseph Smith would still received what appears to have been a valid revelation after those dates. It would not be until a few years later that Joseph would resign from his position and claim that he would no longer prophesy for the church.
God sometimes continues to speak to those that are committing transgressions, although the heavens were clearly closing during the Nauvoo era. Saul had received a revelation while chasing David to kill him.
The Untimely Deaths of President Harrison
and Robert B. Thompson
One still wonders why he and Thompson did not attempt writing it immediately as they were commanded.
A Few Observations about the
Unfinished Proclamation Draft
Clearly the draft was not finished, however it has some very interesting stuff in that I would like to address.
The $64 question is whether Joseph was inspired in what he wrote in the draft or was his mind covered because of the apostasy of the saints and the abominations that were being practiced?
Observation #1 “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints”
It is interesting that Joseph refers to himself as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. Obviously, that would be what he would have said had the proclamation been sent out at that time. But is it what he would say if the proclamation is sent out now, four generations later?
It might depend on where he is geographically located when he sends the proclamation out.
Let’s review the passages that address this in section 115
1 Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and also my servant Sidney Rigdon, and also my servant Hyrum Smith, and your counselors who are and shall be appointed hereafter;
2 And also unto you, my servant Edward Partridge, and his counselors;
3 And also unto my faithful servants who are of the high council of my church in Zion, for thus it shall be called, and unto all the elders and people of my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, scattered abroad in all the world;
4 For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
5 Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations;
6 And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth.
Verses 3 & 4 inform us that in the last days, God’s people that are gathered in the land of Zion will be called the “church in Zion” while his people that are scattered will be called the “Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints“.
Verses 5 & 6 reveal that this narrative is a prophetic narrative having to do with the third watch.
In fact, the key words light and standard are used in section 124 and in the related Isaiah passages and in the draft of the proclamation
So, if Joseph Smith will be speaking from the land of Zion after it is established when the final proclamation goes forth, it seems as if he would be the president of the church in Zion.
Nevertheless, there are several other possible scenarios that relate to timing and where he is located geographically when he issues the proclamation.
Observation #2 “Chiefs of all Tribes”
I love the insertion of the “Chiefs of all Tribes”. It makes perfect sense. In fact, it is surprising that the descendants of Lehi were not specifically mentioned in section 124. However Indian chiefs would fall under the broad terminology used.
Observation #3 “Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles”
In previous blog posts we have covered the fact that the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham comes to an end when the corrupt leaders of the apostate church who sit in darkness reject the fulness when the servants return. That will usher in the final dispensation of the fulness of times.
The first part of Joseph Smith’s ministry was to the gentiles in Kirtland. After they became condemned, the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham was secretly ushered in and the knowledge of the gospel went to the Jews (Dispersed of Judah and outcasts of Israel). This began during the Nauvoo period.
When the marvelous work begins in the third watch, the believing gentiles repent.
There is a remarkable narrative in 2nd Nephi 30 which speaks of the second part of the unsealed words within the plates that are about to come forth.
The first portion of the unsealed words that came forth during Joseph’s ministry did not establish the gentiles, nor was it instrumental in gathering Lehi’s seed. It’s purpose was to take the KNOWLEDGE of the fulness to the dispersed of Judah and the outcasts of Israel. Those are the converts that began gathering to Nauvoo and then to Utah and ultimately the people that call themselves latter day saints have become scattered all over the world again.
However, in the 3rd watch, the next portion of the unsealed words which are about to come forth will be written to the gentiles and it signal the time that the gentiles repent:
1 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish; and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.
2 For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel.
3 And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed.
4 And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews.
5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.
6 And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.
The above prophecies about the restoration of the believing Gentiles and the seed of Lehi were never fulfilled during Joseph’s ministry. They are about to be fulfilled IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
The fourth chapter of Ether speaks of the time when the Gentiles will repent of their iniquity
6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.
Observation #4 “come out of her“
In the draft Joseph Smith calls upon those who have been deceived aby the Catholic Church and the protestants to “come out of her“. He is obviously paraphrasing a prophecy from Revelation 18
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
This gives us a prophetic milestone for additional context when the proclamation goes forth.
If it should go out in the near future, we have proof of just how far into the prophesied in the Book of Revelation we are living in.
Observation #5
Papal See and Protestantism
The interesting thing about the above proclamation is that the 3rd watch gentiles who are invited to come out of her are the pure in heart whose minds have been darkened, and eyes dimmed of sight, by the false traditions, superstitions, and follies of the Papal See, and hierarchy of Rome; the Patriarch of the council, of Constantinople; and the priesthood of the protestant sect
Joseph Smith rarely spoke of Catholicism as being the great whore spoken of in the book of Revelation but this pretty much confirms what we already know.
The book of Mormon is very clear about who the great and abominable church is.
The first edition of LDS Church general authority Bruce R. McConkie‘s Mormon Doctrine stated:
“It is also to the Book of Mormon to which we turn for the plainest description of the Catholic Church as the great and abominable church..”
McConkie’s book became controversial with the leadership of the LDS Church, and he was pressed into making significant changes in the second edition. The second edition of Mormon Doctrine removed the reference to the Catholic Church, and instead stated: “The titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature—whether political, philosophical, educational, economic social, fraternal, civic, or religious—which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God” REF
The Jesuit army of the Catholic church has successfully infiltrated every major religious, political, and business organization on the face of the earth including the modern corporate LDS church. A more esoteric way of characterizing this phenomenon as presented in the scriptures is that Satan reigns in the hearts of all members of the great and abominable whore of all the earth.
One could argue that all of us are members of that church to some degree until the light shines forth, the servants return and the fulness of the gospel is accepted with the true baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost.
Observation #6
the President of the United States of North America
The reader who brought this draft to our attention noted the above verbiage and suggested the following possibility:
“Something else that caught my attention and had me rubber-necking is that it started off referring to “the President of the United States of North America”. What?!?! NORTH AMERICA?!?!? Is that for real?!? Prophetic?!?! Will Canada, Mexico and our current geographical United States of America be joining together as a new Union delineating the whole of the North American Continent? Interesting, to say the least.”
Interestingly, the 1828 Websters does not have “North America” in it.
The modern Websters provides this definition:
The northern continent of the Western Hemisphere, extending northward from the Colombia-Panama border and including Central America, Mexico, the islands of the Caribbean Sea, the United States, Canada, and Greenland. The term often refers more narrowly to Mexico, the continental United States, and Canada.
I find it very interesting that Joseph apparently felt that the window of time had passed for the “president elect” aspect of the prophecy to be pertinent.
It is possible that a window of time had been given for the set time to take place in the second watch and that in the third watch, the president elect aspect of the prophecy is no longer necessary and valid.
I find that possibility very intriguing.
But I am not convinced.
Time will tell.
Observation #7 elite of the kingdom!!!
One glaring omission in the draft is that the apostate latter day church that has become scattered all over the earth is not even mentioned .
The draft is identifying the repentant gentiles that come out of Catholicism and Protestantism as being the elite of the kingdom
OH my gosh!
Can this be true?
Now wait a minute.
Common sense would dictate that the ones to be invited to be the elite of the kingdom would be the millions of latter day saints right?
After all, they are the only true church. And they have accepted the Book of Mormon and the revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth, while those in Catholicism and Protestantism have rejected them.
Even if the latter day saints are in apostasy like the rest of Christianity, they have accepted the Book of Mormon and D&C as scripture while those in Catholicism and Protestantism have not.
That places them as the elite in the kingdom.
Right?
Wrong!
It only makes their condemnation greater.
Prophecy informs us that before the proclamation goes forth, the servants will offer the fulness to the apostate latter day saints Jews who sit in darkness but they will receive it not.
Their acceptance of the book of Mormon only condemns them.
The Lord warned the latter day saints to be careful how you hold the scriptures, warning them that if they treat the scriptures as a light thing, they will be under condemnation and will stumble and fall when the storms descend.
3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come;
4 Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another, yea, even unto the church.
5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house.
Collectively speaking, the Mormons are the latter day Jews who have the additional scriptures but only give lip service to them. The know what the law is but don’t live it.
They will only accept the gospel AFTER THEIR PAIN (Section 133)
When the repentance gentiles are gathering to Nauvoo to meet the “True Messiah” , the latter day saints will be gathering to another place in America cryptically called Jerusalem (Section 133)
Prior to becoming converted to the true messiah the latter day Jews will be looking for another Messiah (2 Nephi 25:16-18)
The Latter-day saints Jews have perverted virtually every major truth that was revealed during Joseph Smith’s ministry. They have even perverted their own history. They have become a cult. In essence they are an extension of the Great and abominable church of the devil and yet, they are under a much greater condemnation.
Observation #8 “..for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”
It becomes apparent that the believing gentiles and their posterity that did not come out of the great whore during Joseph Smith’s first ministry are those that the Lord refers to as the ones that wait for me. They will come out of the great whore at that appointed time.
12 And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for this cause the prophet has written these things.
13 Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.
Observation # 9 the Lord of heaven addressed you as intelligent beings
That statement really resonates with me.
When I listen to some of the mindless childish sermons of modern general authorities I feel like I have lost countless brain cells.
On the other hand, after listening to an inspiring bible-based discourse from biblical Christians I feel myself being uplifted and filled with light.
Truly, after the heavens are once again opened and God is shedding forth his spirit on his elect, God will be communicating with his elect as if they are intelligent creatures.
Who Hath Believed Our [Proclamation]?
Reading Joseph Smith’s draft of the proclamation has energized me.
I am not claiming that every word of it is necessarily correct and inspired.
Nevertheless, it is very thought provoking, and I must admit there are narratives in it that fit the narratives I have previously parsed out of the scriptures.
I am very anticipatory about the nearness of this event. It has been interesting to watch some of the testimony regarding the election fraud that has taken place in the recent election and how most people are probably oblivious to what is taking place.
The mainstream media have done an astounding job of covering up the true facts. And placing a false narrative on what has taken place up to this point, just as they have placed a false narrative on the Covid pandemic.
Yet it is interesting how those that desire truth seem to be led to it. Truth seekers seem to be magnetically attracted to the truth.
One of the things that I have previously assumed is that few people would even know about the marvelous work that quietly takes place, but I am now very open to the possibility that the marvelous work will attract a global audience. Regardless of what percentage believes, everyone must be exposed to the truth so that they can be fairly tried and tested.
I am going to suggest that in Isaiah 52 when God’s servant exclaims “who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” The report that is being revealed may well be the proclamation that is prophesied of in section 124.
Afterall, the servants cannot simply begin inviting the inhabitants of the world to repent and come to Zion.
People need context.
Also, the bias that exists against Joseph Smith needs to be addressed before people are going to take his message seriously.
Any Catholic or Protestant that is familiar with the prevailing orthodox history of Joseph Smith and Mormonism and has been expose to the plethora of anti-Joseph Smith propaganda about Joseph Smith that does not provide the prophetic context of his actions, probably has a bad taste in their mouth about Joseph Smith and the restoration.
I believe that the final “proclamation” will very possibly include a “report” of the truth behind Joseph’s previous ministry and how it meets the true biblical profile of God latter day intercessory servant.
After all the facts are presented, each person will have the opportunity to accept or reject the report in the proclamation that is sent forth. Perhaps even more importantly, angels will once again begin making appearances to many of the spiritually elite to testify to them about the final restoration of true Christianity.
Additionally, the next portion of unsealed words that is written to the Gentiles will very possibly shine a light on things as well.
Only those who have taken the holy spirit as their guide will discern the truthfulness of the report and the intercessory calling of Joseph Smith. They are the ones that will have the “arm of the Lord” revealed to them.
Those that have the spirit of Christ and the holy Ghost, will have God’s messenger revealed to them.
In part 6 of this series we shall briefly discuss the role of “quickening” or “translation” of God’s school of the prophets in Nauvoo and some other issues
Keep Watching
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
High profile people are now starting to warn of civil war.
Some and are petitioning President Trump to invoke limited martial law and hold a new election.
Prophecy informs us that the time would come when all things would be revealed and shouted from the housetops and it appears as if we may be entering that time-frame.
It is astounding how many intelligent and articulate whistle blowers are coming forth to expose the fraud that has taken place in the election. In some cases these whistle blowers are highly skilled in pattern recognition and other skills that can identify voting irregularities and anomalies.
If you have not watched the state hearings you have really missed out.
The cumulative amount and quality of evidence in my opinion is compelling.
One of the most shocking things to be revealed is the fact that Dominion voting machines have the ability to create a fractionalized or weighted votes.
Two different experts using completely different models, have concluded that Bidon Votes were worth about 1.30% of a vote while votes from Trump supporters were awarded .70% of a vote .
Another one is the fact that the machines are hooked up to the Internet and the data is sent to foreign countries which is very disconcerting.
Dominion denies these things.
I suspect that more evidence will be coming forth and the truth will prevail.
” for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known”
“whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
God has apparently placed numerous very intelligent and inspired patriots into positions where they could see irregularities and have been able to identify and testify against the conspirators and their fraudulent acts.
Republican Governor Doug Ducey
However, this evil vs good is not a black and white issue with regard to politics.
There is a very profound narrative coming to light that few people are openly speaking about.
As the patriot whistle-blowers, security specialists and investigative reporters are uncovering this grand conspiracy and shining the spotlight on the corruption, this constitutional crisis is actually outing some of the “Republicans” as being part of this vast conspiracy.
Sure, it has been obvious for a long time that people like Mitt Romney have been swimming in the swamp and are in league with the opposition, however we are now seeing some others who have previously been less obvious, that are apparently involved in this clandestine conspiracy.
Example: During the hearings in Arizona, Republican Governor Doug Ducey, who claims to be a supporter of Donald Trump, chose to boycott the hearings and quickly certify the election while the hearings were being conducted. So important was the certification process that he could not take a few minutes to speak to the White-house during the signing.
Why?
Why not give the Trump team the courtesy of presenting their evidence and then certifying after the evidence has been presented?
Even if you have predetermined that you are not going to believe the evidence or take it seriously, why not allow the evidence to be presented, then certify.
If the evidence is so obviously lacking, why so threatened?
This is a red flag.
IMO he is very possibly in league with the radical left and he very possibly secured his office via the use of Dominion voting machines.
The swamp is very deep and very wide.
The mud can be found on both sides of the isles.
I realize that it is common knowledge that there are corrupt Republicans, my point is that Dominion machines and voter fraud have apparently been used by both parties.
It appears to me as if Doug Ducey realizes that if the patriot whistle blowers dig deep enough, his involvement in voter fraud will be exposed. He just wants to get things over with and hope the whole thing blows over before he becomes implicated.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The Election drama has been wild and crazy. However, we have arrived at some interesting political tipping points. One is that the Trump legal team, after presenting Sidney Powell as part of their legal team in a new conference, has now released a very short blunt statement saying she is not part of the campaign legal team or the President’s personal legal team.
I have my own conspiracy theories as to why the President and his legal team is distancing himself from her.
But the bottom-line is that we have (or will have) a President Elect, which makes this series all the more timely and pertinent. With Biden clearly getting ready to put the lockdowns on steroids and many state militia’s preparing for civil war in this country, the stars seem to be lining up for the President Elect prophecy to take place sometime before January 20th.
The unconditional promises and prophecies about Nauvoo, the Nauvoo House of the Lord, the return of the first laborers of the last kingdom, and the proclamation, are all part of the remedy to this awful situation we find ourselves in.
If this is the time of the President Elect Prophecy, a proclamation is about to go forth telling the kings and political authorities “WHAT WILL BEFALL THEM”. All of the hidden things will be brought to light. “THEY WILL BE LEFT WITHOUT EXCUSE” in the DAY OF VISITATION God will “APPOINT THE PORTION OF THE OPPRESSOR AMONG HYPOCRITES“.
Secret Combinations
In a previous post I provided a link to a magnificent thesis about secret combinations done by a reader of this blog. I think she has done an outstanding job in her research. If there is one thing I felt that she did not develop sufficiently, it is the foundational role that the Jesuits play in the global conspiracy that we are currently witnessing. I have provided various resources pertaining to this topic over the years. Recently another reader has reminded me about the Jesuit Handbook which is a very good resource.
The Two Paths that were offered in Nauvoo
I ended episode #2 of this series by suggesting that the two houses of the Lord that the saints were struggling to build speedily in Nauvoo might just represent two opposing paths that were placed before the saints.
One path was obedience to God and his commandments which would have resulted in the successful completion of the Nauvoo House down in the valley by the river, which God commanded the saints to build in Section 124. The other path was to reject the law of the gospel, practice abominations, and focus on the Nauvoo temple up on the hill that does not appear to have been definitively commanded to be built by a specific revelation.
The Lord had warned the saints before the formal establishment of the church that he would deliver them over to Satan if they harden their hearts
“And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I WILL DELIVER THEM UP UNTO SATAN” (book of Commandments Chapter 5:19)
Was Nauvoo the final fulfillment of that warning? Is that where and when the delivering of the hard hearted saints took place?
Once in Nauvoo, the Lord gave a revelation that had several ominous warnings in it.
Among other things, the Lord revealed that the Kirtland Temple had been defiled and the fulness of the priesthood had been taken from the saints who had previously been condemned by the Lord. In the revelation the Lord warned that if the House of the Lord was not completed withn the “sufficient time” allotted, the saints would be rejected as a church with their dead. He also promised that if the saints would hearken to the voice of the Lord they would not be moved out of their place. Nevertheless if they were not obedient and if they polute his holy grounds, they would be moved out of their place.
Joseph Smith would eventually urgently warn the saints that
“.. If the Temple and Nauvoo house are not finished you must run away..”
One another occasion he warned
“if we did not build the temple & Nauvoo house it would proove the ruin of the place that if we did not build those buildings we might as well leave the place & that it was as necessary to build one as the other..”
If the warning in section 124 about finishing the house within a sufficient time was referring to the Nauvoo Temple, it is quite illogical and detrimental for Joseph to have included the Boarding House in his warnings.
I think it is obvious that Joseph realized that the warning in section 124 pertained to the Boarding House. In his mind, if the boarding house needed to be finished, then certainly the temple also needed to be finished within that period of time. The is why his warnings bundled the two houses together.
The Nauvoo Temple was not commanded to be Built in Sections 97 and 124
In this episode I am going to simply refer to these two houses of the Lord in Nauvoo as the “Nauvoo Temple” and the “Nauvoo House” since the Lord designated by revelation that the Boarding house of the Lord by the river simply be called the “Nauvoo House”.
In previous blogs I have pointed out that the Nauvoo Temple building committee assumed that section 97 was the revelation that commanded the building of the Nauvoo Temple. They publicly published this announcement AFTER section 124 was received. They knew that section 124 was not commanding the construction of the Nauvoo Temple which was already under construction before section 124 was given.
Although the temple committee assumed that section 97 was the revelation that commanded the building of the Nauvoo Temple, I have since parsed through the revelation and history relating to is and concluded for my self that it was also referring to the Nauvoo House.
In the last episode of this series I showed why I believe that section 97 was actually the preliminary revelation to section 124, commanding the construction of the Nauvoo House.
I am convinced that God only commanded one house of the Lord to be built in Nauvoo and it was the Nauvoo House.
I believe there was no revelation commanding the construction of the Nauvoo Temple.
I realize this is a very difficult concept for all of us that have been indoctrinated by the orthodox version of LDS history.
I have received a few comments from readers and there still seems to be some die-hards that believe that the Nauvoo Temple was commanded to be built in section 124.
They believe that section 124 begins by commanding the Nauvoo House to be built, but also eventually addresses the building of the Nauvoo Temple.
For this reason, I thought it might be an instructive exercise to do some more parsing of section 124 to look for possible references to the Nauvoo Temple, as well as to provide some additional context to the revelation.
Two Separate Committees
First, let’s start with the calling and composition of the two building committees.
The building committee for the Nauvoo House was called by revelation:
62 Behold, verily I say unto you, let my servant George Miller, and my servant Lyman Wight, and my servant John Snider, and my servant Peter Haws, organize themselves, and appoint one of them to be a president over their quorum for the purpose of building that house.
On the other hand, the building committee for the Nauvoo Temple was called by committee:
3 Oct 1840 — In the General Conference of the Church the congregation resolved, “That the Saints build a house for the worship of God, and that Reynolds Cahoon, Elias Higbee, and Alpheus Cutler be appointed a committee to build the same.” Men agreed to”tithe” their labor, working one day in ten on the temple. (Smith, History of the Church, 4:205.)
That is the first red flag.
Similarly, the Nauvoo House was appointed to be constructed by revelation
22 Let my servant George, and my servant Lyman, and my servant John Snider, and others, build a house unto my name, such a one as my servant Joseph shall show unto them, upon the place which he shall show unto them also.
Conversely, the construction of the Nauvoo Temple was appointed by committee with no definitive revelation commanding the construction being mentioned at that time the appointment was made:
Winter 1839/40 Even as the Saints began to settle Commerce, the Brethren “began to talk upon the subject of building a temple, wherein to administer the ordinances of God’s house. Several councils were held and a place selected where upon the temple was contemplated to be built.” (Clayton, “Nauvoo Temple History Journal,” p. 3.)
1 Aug 1840 — In Nauvoo the First Presidency issued a general epistle, stating, “…it is necessary to erect a house of prayer, a house of worship of our God, where the ordinances can be attended to agreeably to His divine will, in this region of country.”(Smith, History of the Church, 4:186.)
Perhaps that is the second red flag.
It is not difficult to see why the saints in Nauvoo may have been a little confused and conflicted regarding the urgency of building two different houses with two different building committees.
Why did the church need two separate and distinct Houses built unto the name of the Lord?
My next observation does not necessarily prove anything. It may just be some interesting trivia.
it is nevertheless interesting to compare how the members of each temple committee reacted at the time of the succession crisis and who was loyal to Brigham Young and the Twelve, vs those that could not sustain them as having the keys that Joseph held.
| Nauvoo Temple Building Committee succession loyalties |
Nauvoo House Building Committee succession loyalties |
| Reynolds Cahoon: Followed Brigham Young Elias Higbee: Died in 1843 Alpheus Cutler: Initially followed Brigham but excommunicated Apr 1851 |
George Miller: Rejected Brigham Young
Lyman Wight: Rejected Brigham Young John Snider: Followed Brigham Young Peter Haws Initially followed Brigham Young but Excommunicated 1849 |
As pointed out in previous posts, section 124 lists more people by name than any other revelation. It virtually represented a who’s-who of high-profile priesthood holders and leaders in Nauvoo. In it the Lord complements and blesses some while warning others. It is interesting to note that two members of the Nauvoo House committee received some of the most remarkable complements from the Lord. They were clearly among the great men of the restoration. On the other hand, two of the three members of the Nauvoo Temple committee are not even mentioned in the revelation.
Again, this does not prove that the Nauvoo Temple was never commanded to be built. But it does seem significant to me.
| Nauvoo Temple Building Committee
Appointments and Attributes according to 124 |
Nauvoo House Building Committee
Appointments and Attributes according to 124 |
| Reynolds Cahoon: Not mentioned Elias Higbee: Not mentioned Alpheus Cutler: named to the high council of Nauvoo |
George Miller: my servant George Miller is without guile; he may be trusted because of the integrity of his heart; and for the love which he has to my testimony I, the Lord, love him
Lyman Wight: should continue in preaching for Zion, in the spirit of meekness, confessing me before the world; and I will bear him up as on eagles’ wings; and he shall beget glory and honor to himself and unto my name. 19 That when he shall finish his work I may receive him unto myself, John Snider: appointed to quorum presidency to build the house and trusted to receive stock for building house Peter Haws appointed to quorum presidency to build the house and trusted to receive stock for building house |
Another very interesting differentiation between the Nauvoo Temple and the Nauvoo House is the architecture.
The architecture for the Nauvoo Temple was determined by Joseph Smith through trial and error:
Fall 1840 — Joseph Smith “advertised for plans for a temple. He [William Weeks] said several architects presented their plans, but none seemed to suit Smith. So when he went in and showed his plans, Joseph Smith grabbed him, hugged him and said, ‘You are the man I want.'”(F. M. Weeks to J. Earl Arrington, in Arrington,”William Weeks,” BYU Studies, 19 [Spring 1979]: 340.)
On the other hand, very little is mentioned regarding the plans for the Nauvoo House. Section 97 suggests that the pattern was given to Joseph. The architects were
Lucien Woodworth and William Weeks
10 Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you.
Sadly there is very little detailed information about the architecture of the Nauvoo House. it was designed to be a three story L shaped building with two 120 foot wings (holzapfel and cottle) It is my hunch that the shape has something to do with marking the corner of a much much larger geographical area pertaining to the land of Zion.
It appears as if William Weeks was involved in preparing plans for both houses under Joseph Smith’s direction.
One thing that is very important to mention about the Nauvoo Temple is that Joseph Smith had claimed that he would build a temple that was as great as the one that Solomon built:
July 19, 1840: “Now brethren I obligate myself to build as great a temple as ever Solomon did, if the church will back me up”
8 Segments containing House of the Lord Text
Now I am going to share with you my observations in attempting to find a definitive reference to the Nauvoo Temple in section 124.
Frankly, I don’t think there is a commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple in section 124.
It is obvious that the very first mention of building a House unto the name of the Lord begins in verse 22 and it clearly has to do with the Nauvoo House. The 64 dollar question is whether the narrative actually ever transitions to a commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple.
As I parsed section 124 looking for possible transition points from the Nauvoo House to the Nauvoo Temple, I divided snippets of the text into eight different groupings that address the house of the Lord topic.
I was surprised to realize that the house of the Lord theme seemed to be the primary theme that was interwoven throughout the entire revelation. Previously I thought it was simply a small portion of the revelation.
First lets zero in on the first segment pertaining to the House of the Lord that was to be built.
The segment begins by commanding three men who would be called as members of the building committee to build the house. It informs them that Joseph would show them what the house would look like and where to build it. It is important to realize that it is the Nauvoo House that is to receive the gold, silver, copper, brass zinc, precious stones, antiquities and precious trees of the earth from all over the earth to beautify it.
Segment 1
22 Let my servant George, and my servant Lyman, and my servant John Snider, and others, build a house unto my name, such a one as my servant Joseph shall show unto them, upon the place which he shall show unto them also.
23 And it shall be for a house for boarding, a house that strangers may come from afar to lodge therein; therefore let it be a good house, worthy of all acceptation, that the weary traveler may find health and safety while he shall contemplate the word of the Lord; and the cornerstone I have appointed for Zion.
24 This house shall be a healthful habitation if it be built unto my name, and if the governor which shall be appointed unto it shall not suffer any pollution to come upon it. It shall be holy, or the Lord your God will not dwell therein.
25 And again, verily I say unto you, let all my saints come from afar.
26 And send ye swift messengers, yea, chosen messengers, and say unto them: Come ye, with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones, and with all your antiquities; and with all who have knowledge of antiquities, that will come, may come, and bring the box tree, and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth;
27 And with iron, with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of the earth; and build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein.
28 For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.
29 For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead—
30 For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.
31 But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
32 But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
33 For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me;
34 For therein are the keys of the holy priesthood ordained, that you may receive honor and glory.
35 And after this time, your baptisms for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me, saith the Lord.
36 For it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.
37 And again, verily I say unto you, how shall your washings be acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you have built to my name?
38 For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was.
39 Therefore, verily I say unto you, that your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name.
40 And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people;
41 For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times.
42 And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built.
43 And ye shall build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it.
44 If ye labor with all your might, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy.
45 And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
46 But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them.
Most of the die-hards that insist that the Nauvoo Temple is addressed in the revelation identify verses 25-27 to be a transition point from the Nauvoo House to the Nauvoo Temple. But frankly, I cannot see it. There is no clear transition and there are too many contradictions to make that assumption.
Verse 25-27 appear to be a continuation of the Nauvoo House that had just been commanded to be built.
Verses 25-43 contain the narrative that has been superimposed upon the Nauvoo Temple according to the orthodox history of the church, but in my reading of it, there is no transition. The entire text is addressing the Nauvoo House.
You will notice that the Lord reiterates in verse 43 what had previously been addressed in verse 22,
that construction on the house has not been started and that it would be built sometime in the future in the location where Joseph had been contemplating it. Section 124 was given on January 19, yet the property on the hill where the Nauvoo Temple was to be built had been obtained many months previously for the purpose of building the Nauvoo Temple and the Nauvoo Temple construction had already begun prior to this revelation.
| 22 ..build a house unto my name, such a one as my servant Joseph SHALL show unto them, upon the place which he SHALL show unto them also. | 43 And ye SHALL build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it. |
As you can see, verse 43 is reiterating what had been said in verse 22. The construction of the Nauvoo House being spoken of in section 124 had not yet been started and yet construction on the Nauvoo Temple had already begun. The Church at large had not previously known where to build the Nauvoo House and yet the land for the Nauvoo Temple which was under construction had been obtained many months before this revelation was given. Clearly, it is the Nauvoo House that is being addressed between verses 22 and 43.
Verses 22 and 43 act as book ends to the text showing that no transition to a different house had been made. Only the Nauvoo House was being addressed. It is the House upon which construction had not yet begun. In fact, it is the one in which the location had not yet been determined by revelation.
Here is a brief chronology of the construction of the Nauvoo Temple showing that the location and land had been clearly identified and obtained and the construction had begun BEFORE section 124 was given. This proves that section 124 was not referring to the Nauvoo Temple. Please notice that everything is done by committee and no revelation is ever provided:
Back in August of 1840 the First Presidency issued a general epistle, stating,
“…it is necessary to erect a house of prayer, a house of worship of our God, where the ordinances can be attended to agreeably to His divine will, in this region of country.”(Smith, History of the Church, 4:186.)
In October of 1840 — In the General Conference of the Church the congregation resolved,
“That the Saints build a house for the worship of God, and that Reynolds Cahoon, Elias Higbee, and Alpheus Cutler be appointed a committee to build the same.”
Men agreed to”tithe” their labor, working one day in ten on the temple. (Smith, History of the Church, 4:205.)
The Temple Committee was charged to superintend the work and oversee the entire operation. They also received donations. Those who donated received receipts, usually written by Elias Higbee. (Clayton,”Nauvoo Temple History Journal,” p. 3.)
A limestone quarry in an old stream bed northwest of Nauvoo, but within the city limits, opened. It was located west of Main Street, between Hyrum Street and Joseph Street. Elisha Everett struck the first blow for stone for the temple. William Niswanger operated the quarry, which came to be called the Temple Stone Quarry. Albert P. Rockwood and his assistant Charles Drury supervised the crews cutting the limestone. (Smith, History of the Church, 4:229; William Clayton Journal, Journal History, 31 Dec 1844.)
Later, stone from another quarry was also used. Joseph Smith III stated, that the stone for the Temple came”from a quarry in the north side of the city along the river bank [the Temple Stone Quarry] and some of them from down the river [probably the Loomis Quarry].” (Saints Herald,26 Sept 1949.)
In the Fall 1840 — Joseph Smith
“advertised for plans for a temple. He [William Weeks] said several architects presented their plans, but none seemed to suit Smith. So when he went in and showed his plans, Joseph Smith grabbed him, hugged him and said, ‘You are the man I want.'”(F. M. Weeks to J. Earl Arrington, in Arrington,”William Weeks,” BYU Studies, 19 [Spring 1979]: 340.)
By October of 1840 19 Oct 1840 –
the Temple Committee had contacted Daniel H. Wells about land for the temple. (Clayton,”Nauvoo Temple History Journal,” p. 4.)
Joseph Smith wrote that the Church had
“secured one of the most lovely situation [for the Temple] in this region of the Country.”
He also stated that the Nauvoo Temple was
“expected to be considerable larger than the one in Kirtland and on a more magnificent scale.” (Smith. History of the Church, 4:229; Times and Seasons, 2 [1 Jan 1842]: 259-260.)
The acquisition of the limestone for the temple had already begun by October 12 1840:
A limestone quarry in an old stream bed northwest of Nauvoo, but within the city limits, opened. It was located west of Main Street, between Hyrum Street and Joseph Street. Elisha Everett struck the first blow for stone for the temple. William Niswanger operated the quarry, which came to be called the Temple Stone Quarry. Albert P. Rockwood and his assistant Charles Drury supervised the crews cutting the limestone. (Smith, History of the Church, 4:229; William Clayton Journal, Journal History, 31 Dec 1844.)
Finally, the construction on the Nauvoo Temple had already begun prior to January 19 1841 before section 124 was given:
15 Jan 1841 — The First Presidency reported, “The Temple of the Lord is in the progress of erection.” (Times and Seasons, 2 [15 Jan 1841]: 274.)
It is easy to document that the revelation for the Nauvoo House was given on January 19 1841 and construction had not yet been started and yet the Nauvoo Temple had already been started.
How much more clear can it be that section 124, verses 22 thru 46 are speaking specifically about the Nauvoo house and not the Nauvoo Temple??
Clearly the future place where Joseph was thinking about building the Nauvoo House in verses 22 and 43 of section 124 are different and distinct from the land that had already been acquired for the Nauvoo Temple and upon which the construction project had already begun. Verse 43 proves that the narrative had not transitioned from the Nauvoo House to the Nauvoo Temple.
It is easy however to see why future generations have merged the two narratives and misunderstood what section 124 was speaking about. Scripture informs us that when God’s people go into apostasy, the truths they had previously known are taken from them. The latter day saints clearly suffer from historical amnesia. Back when section 124 was given, it was commonly understood that it had nothing to do with the Nauvoo Temple on the Hill. That is why the Nauvoo Temple Committee posted their erroneous belief that section 97 was the justification for the Nauvoo Temple.
Let us now review the next segment that speaks about a house to be built
Segment 2
47 And it SHALL come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord.
48 For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practise before me, saith the Lord.
OH..
MY..
Gosh!
I think we just uncovered a passage that does indeed address the building of the Nauvoo Temple. It does not command the saints to build it, it simply foretells what would happen when they acted presumptuously.
The phrase “it shall come to pass” suggests that the above snippet is actually a prophecy about a future event. I am willing to concede that the above passages may well be referring to the Nauvoo Temple because in fact the saints did attempt to build a house to the Lord’s name without doing the things that God had commanded them. Instead of the saints being blessed with authentic Pentecostal endowments from God in the unfinished house, they were cursed with the masonic endowment which became associated with false sealing ordinances and the corrupt spiritual wife abomination.
Technically, the Nauvoo Temple was never completed by the saints of that generation. This is because they did not obey the commandments and they were cursed. For that reason, the Nauvoo Temple was destroyed. However, the modern apostate church has indeed rebuilt it and has continued to promote a modified version of the endowment that brought the cursing’s that were evident in the first attempt to build it.
This is undoubtedly why the Lord is going to have the strength of his house break down the walls, throw down the tower and avenge Him of his enemies when the appointed time arrives.
“Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen. And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land.” (Section 101 57-58)
Bottom-line, the above snippet does not validate a commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple. It does however validate the historical fact that an attempt was made to build a house, but because of the “works” of the saints, it brought cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon their heads, by their follies, and by all their abominations, which they practiced before the Lord in Nauvoo.
Later in this episode we shall observe that the Nauvoo temple was destroyed just like the New Testament temple was destroyed, with not one stone sitting upon another.
Let us now review the next snippet having to do with the house:
Segment 3
55 And again, verily I say unto you, I command you again to build a house to my name, even in this place, that you may prove yourselves unto me that ye are faithful in all things whatsoever I command you, that I may bless you, and crown you with honor, immortality, and eternal life.
56 And now I say unto you, as pertaining to my boarding house which I have commanded you to build for the boarding of strangers, let it be built unto my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant Joseph and his house have place therein, from generation to generation.
57 For this anointing have I put upon his head, that his blessing shall also be put upon the head of his posterity after him.
58 And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph: In thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed.
59 Therefore, let my servant Joseph and his seed after him have place in that house, from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord.
60 And let the name of that house be called Nauvoo House; and let it be a delightful habitation for man, and a resting-place for the weary traveler, that he may contemplate the glory of Zion, and the glory of this, the cornerstone thereof;
61 That he may receive also the counsel from those whom I have set to be as plants of renown, and as watchmen upon her walls.
62 Behold, verily I say unto you, let my servant George Miller, and my servant Lyman Wight, and my servant John Snider, and my servant Peter Haws, organize themselves, and appoint one of them to be a president over their quorum for the purpose of building that house.
63 And they shall form a constitution, whereby they may receive stock for the building of that house.
64 And they shall not receive less than fifty dollars for a share of stock in that house, and they shall be permitted to receive fifteen thousand dollars from any one man for stock in that house.
65 But they shall not be permitted to receive over fifteen thousand dollars stock from any one man.
66 And they shall not be permitted to receive under fifty dollars for a share of stock from any one man in that house.
67 And they shall not be permitted to receive any man, as a stockholder in this house, except the same shall pay his stock into their hands at the time he receives stock;
68 And in proportion to the amount of stock he pays into their hands he shall receive stock in that house; but if he pays nothing into their hands he shall not receive any stock in that house.
69 And if any pay stock into their hands it shall be for stock in that house, for himself, and for his generation after him, from generation to generation, so long as he and his heirs shall hold that stock, and do not sell or convey the stock away out of their hands by their own free will and act, if you will do my will, saith the Lord your God.
70 And again, verily I say unto you, if my servant George Miller, and my servant Lyman Wight, and my servant John Snider, and my servant Peter Haws, receive any stock into their hands, in moneys, or in properties wherein they receive the real value of moneys, they shall not appropriate any portion of that stock to any other purpose, only in that house.
71 And if they do appropriate any portion of that stock anywhere else, only in that house, without the consent of the stockholder, and do not repay fourfold for the stock which they appropriate anywhere else, only in that house, they shall be accursed, and shall be moved out of their place, saith the Lord God; for I, the Lord, am God, and cannot be mocked in any of these things.
72 Verily I say unto you, let my servant Joseph pay stock into their hands for the building of that house, as seemeth him good; but my servant Joseph cannot pay over fifteen thousand dollars stock in that house, nor under fifty dollars; neither can any other man, saith the Lord.
73 And there are others also who wish to know my will concerning them, for they have asked it at my hands.
74 Therefore, I say unto you concerning my servant Vinson Knight, if he will do my will let him put stock into that house for himself, and for his generation after him, from generation to generation.
75 And let him lift up his voice long and loud, in the midst of the people, to plead the cause of the poor and the needy; and let him not fail, neither let his heart faint; and I will accept of his offerings, for they shall not be unto me as the offerings of Cain, for he shall be mine, saith the Lord.
76 Let his family rejoice and turn away their hearts from affliction; for I have chosen him and anointed him, and he shall be honored in the midst of his house, for I will forgive all his sins, saith the Lord. Amen.
77 Verily I say unto you, let my servant Hyrum put stock into that house as seemeth him good, for himself and his generation after him, from generation to generation.
78 Let my servant Isaac Galland put stock into that house; for I, the Lord, love him for the work he hath done, and will forgive all his sins; therefore, let him be remembered for an interest in that house from generation to generation.
79 Let my servant Isaac Galland be appointed among you, and be ordained by my servant William Marks, and be blessed of him, to go with my servant Hyrum to accomplish the work that my servant Joseph shall point out to them, and they shall be greatly blessed.
80 Let my servant William Marks pay stock into that house, as seemeth him good, for himself and his generation, from generation to generation.
81 Let my servant Henry G. Sherwood pay stock into that house, as seemeth him good, for himself and his seed after him, from generation to generation.
82 Let my servant William Law pay stock into that house, for himself and his seed after him, from generation to generation.
In the beginning of the above snippet the Lord states “And again, verily I say unto you, I command you again to build a house to my name,”
The Lord indicates that He is commanding them AGAIN, a second time, to build the Nauvoo House. This second commandment could simply be the second time within the revelation, but more than likely it is referring to the fact that God had previously commanded the House to be built in section 97, prior to section 124. I think that is the real interpretation.
The next snippet referring to the House begins in verse 111:
Segment 4
111 And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant Amos Davies pay stock into the hands of those whom I have appointed to build a house for boarding, even the Nauvoo House.
112 This let him do if he will have an interest; and let him hearken unto the counsel of my servant Joseph, and labor with his own hands that he may obtain the confidence of men.
113 And when he shall prove himself faithful in all things that shall be entrusted unto his care, yea, even a few things, he shall be made ruler over many;
114 Let him therefore abase himself that he may be exalted. Even so. Amen.
The concept of raising funds to build the Nauvoo House is an interesting one that might seem to contradict the original command to build the House by the tithing (consecration} of the saints. However, I would point out that he is required to “abase himself that he may be exalted“. That may well be an inference to the act of consecrating everything before he can properly pay stock. (see section 85 which states that people must be tithed in order to receive an inheritance)
I still see no transition to a commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple here.
The next snippet begins with verse 115. The only reason I am separating it from the previous passages is because it begins with “and again..” which may or may not be a significant reason to separate the snippets, since it is essentially extending the same opportunity and blessing of paying stock in the house to Robert D Foster.
Segment 5
117 [Speaking about Robert D. Foster who was to build Joseph Smith’s mansion house] And pay stock also into the hands of the quorum of the Nauvoo House, for himself and for his generation after him, from generation to generation;
Again, no discernable transition to the Nauvoo Temple is taking place and if a commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple had taken place earlier in the revelation it would be extremely confusing that God continues with the Nauvoo House narrative.
The next segment continues with the same general theme of paying stock into the Nauvoo House. I only separate the passages because of the “and again..” beginning of the verses.
Segment 6
119 And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God;
120 For that which is more or less than this cometh of evil, and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen.
Again, no transition to the Nauvoo Temple, however the warning about cursings seems to be related to those that don’t truly believe in the Book of Mormon and the “revelations” (D&C)
Obviously both the Book of Mormon and the revelations both stress the necessity of consecrating and having all things equal or the spirit will be withheld.
A keyword search pertaining to the “Book of Mormon” and “revelations“, i.e.., the “commandments” that had been given through Joseph Smith takes us to Section 84 which informs us that one does not actually fully believe the Book of Mormon and commandments given unless one obeys the law of Zion which is contained in them, which includes consecration and monogamy.
| Section 84 | Section 124 |
| 57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written— 58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion. |
119 And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God; 120 For that which is more or less than this cometh of evil, and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen. |
Clearly, any house of the Lord that the saints might have attempted to construct in the cornerstone of Zion was doomed to failure unless the saints were true believers in the Book of Mormon and commandments that had commanded them to consecrate and live the celestial law of monogamy. Both of those commandments were violated in Nauvoo. To be a true believer in the Book of Mormon and the revelations one must not only give lip service to those commandments, one must actually obey and keep the commandments. This is basically clarifying the prophecy in verses 47-48
“And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord. For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practise before me, saith the Lord.
Regardless of whether Joseph Smith was inspired or not when he said the saint were not capable of living the laws of Zion in Nauvoo, the holy and infallible word of God makes it clear that blessings would be withheld and cursings would be the result for not keeping God’s commandments.
It is true that God had told the saints that they must wait for a little season of chastisement before Zion could be redeemed. The question is, could the little season of chastisement have ended in Nauvoo if the saints would have repented and lived the laws of God during the Nauvoo period.
Section 105 makes it abundantly clear that “Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom”
Verily I say unto you who have assembled yourselves together that you may learn my will concerning the redemption of mine afflicted people— Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now.
But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them; And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom; And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. (Section 105:1-5)
The next passage also begins with “and again..”. No transition to the Nauvoo Temple exists.
Segment 7
121 And again, verily I say unto you, let the quorum of the Nauvoo House have a just recompense of wages for all their labors which they do in building the Nauvoo House; and let their wages be as shall be agreed among themselves, as pertaining to the price thereof.
122 And let every man who pays stock bear his proportion of their wages, if it must needs be, for their support, saith the Lord; otherwise, their labors shall be accounted unto them for stock in that house. Even so. Amen.
Finally, the last passage informs us that all of the priesthood offices and officers listed in verses 123-143 will have a place prepared in the Nauvoo House which is to be built unto the name of the Lord:
Segment 8
123 Verily I say unto you, I now give unto you the officers belonging to my Priesthood, that ye may hold the keys thereof, even the Priesthood which is after the order of Melchizedek, which is after the order of mine Only Begotten Son.
144 And a commandment I give unto you, that you should fill all these offices [ Pertaining to Patriarch, Presiding Elder and Counselors, President of over the Twelve, Twelve Apostles, High Council, High Priests, Elders, Seventies, Bishopric, Priests, Teachers, Deacons ] and approve of those names which I have mentioned, or else disapprove of them at my general conference;
145 And that ye should prepare rooms for all these offices in my house when you build it unto my name, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen.
Oh My Gosh!!!
Verses 123 through 145 are itemizing all of the priesthood offices and officers that need to be physically housed in the Nauvoo House. It is describing a structure so massive that it is difficult to comprehend how in the world the building is going to be able to accommodate so many boarding rooms. At first blush, the number of rooms for offices and officers appears to be well over 100 and possibly many hundred depending on the number and size of some of the quorums being mentioned. Keep in mind these are the administrative offices of a global organization. How can the structure accommodate that many physical rooms and still accommodate countless “strangers” coming from afar?
It becomes apparent that the “strangers” coming from all over the world, which we have previously identified as the children of Abraham, will be filling many of these priesthood offices. These are essentially the 144,000 Saviors on Mount Zion.
That is a massive sanctuary.
We are talking about what appears to be a metaphysical undertaking that is difficult to comprehend. It appears that the initial “L” shaped structure that was laid out, was possibly only stage one of the Sanctuary. Either that or some type of mystical process is taking place. Of course there could be a huge number of levels to it as well.
For those that have dismissed the Nauvoo House as just a boarding house, and not a house of the Lord need to realize that God refers to the Nauvoo House in verse 145 above as “my house” which they are to “build unto my name“.
This proves that the previous passages in question, that people are attributing as Nauvoo Temple text, are actually speaking about the Nauvoo House.
In case you think I have lost my mind or that I have been smoking something, there are multiple textual giveaways that lead us to an even earlier revelation that was given regarding the future building of this massive sanctuary. I am referring to the commandment to build the Lords House in section 88!!!
One of the textual giveaways is in the fact that the above text in section 124 informs us that every priesthood office from the Presidency of the Church and high priest quorum down to the deacons will each have a room in this house. Compare this to the following passage in section 88
And again, the order of the house prepared for the presidency of the school of the prophets, established for their instruction in all things that are expedient for them, even for all the officers of the church, or in other words, those who are called to the ministry in the church, beginning at the high priests, even down to the deacons— (vs 127)
Un-be-freakin-lievable!
The work of the ministry began in Kirtland but it will reach its crescendo in Nauvoo. The final work of the ministry takes place in the mystical Nauvoo House (which is a sanctuary) and it will be where the school of the prophets is held and it will literally house all of the 144,000 and every priesthood officer from the high priests to the deacons.
The Nauvoo House is the Lord’s house. He will reside there.
That’s right, the sanctuary being described in section 84:117-141 is referring to the sanctuary called the Nauvoo House in Nauvoo!!!
By the way, Hyrum paraphrased the prophecy of Isaiah to identify Nauvoo as the “hiding place“.
“..therefore tarry not in any place whatever, but come forth unto this place from all the world, until it is filled up, and polished, and sanctified according to my word, saith the Lord, come ye forth from the ends of the Earth, that I may hide you from mine indignation that shall scourge the wicked..”
Here is what Isaiah says:
20 ¶ Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Section 88 refers to the Nauvoo House as a “sanctuary“.
136 Behold, verily, I say unto you, this is an ensample unto you for a salutation to one another in the house of God, in the school of the prophets.
137 And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving, as the Spirit shall give utterance in all your doings in the house of the Lord, in the school of the prophets, that it may become a sanctuary, a tabernacle of the Holy Spirit to your edification.
138 And ye shall not receive any among you into this school save he is clean from the blood of this generation;
Notice the following definitions of SANCTUARY in the 1828 websters:
5. A place of protection; a sacred asylum. Hence a sanctuary-man is one that resorts to a sanctuary for protection.
6. Shelter; protection.
It appears as if the Nauvoo House is where the school of the prophets that prepares the 144,000 for the work of their ministry will take place.
It appears as if this is the Sanctuary where the righteous will meet and converse with and be taught by the Lord.
It appears as if this is where he will receive each righteous person to himself and this is where calling and election takes place.
Read the following passages in section 88 very carefully. Everyone assumes it is referring to the building of the temple in Kirtland or Jackson County but it is clearly referring to the Nauvoo House which will eventually encompass Kirtland and Jackson County and all of the land of Zion. It is Nauvoo and the Nauvoo House where the great end times, Solemn Assembly will take place”
117 Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you.
[See Joel 1
13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
14 ¶ Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
[See Joel 2
15 ¶ Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
18 ¶ Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
[Zeph 3
14 ¶ Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.
118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
120 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.
121 Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.
122 Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.
123 See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.
126 Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.
127 And again, the order of the house prepared for the presidency of the school of the prophets, established for their instruction in all things that are expedient for them, even for all the officers of the church, or in other words, those who are called to the ministry in the church, beginning at the high priests, even down to the deacons—
128 And this shall be the order of the house of the presidency of the school: He that is appointed to be president, or teacher, shall be found standing in his place, in the house which shall be prepared for him.
129 Therefore, he shall be first in the house of God, in a place that the congregation in the house may hear his words carefully and distinctly, not with loud speech.
130 And when he cometh into the house of God, for he should be first in the house—behold, this is beautiful, that he may be an example—
131 Let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees before God, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant.
132 And when any shall come in after him, let the teacher arise, and, with uplifted hands to heaven, yea, even directly, salute his brother or brethren with these words:
133 Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in all the commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen.
134 And he that is found unworthy of this salutation shall not have place among you; for ye shall not suffer that mine house shall be polluted by him.
135 And he that cometh in and is faithful before me, and is a brother, or if they be brethren, they shall salute the president or teacher with uplifted hands to heaven, with this same prayer and covenant, or by saying Amen, in token of the same.
136 Behold, verily, I say unto you, this is an ensample unto you for a salutation to one another in the house of God, in the school of the prophets.
137 And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving, as the Spirit shall give utterance in all your doings in the house of the Lord, in the school of the prophets, that it may become a sanctuary, a tabernacle of the Holy Spirit to your edification.
138 And ye shall not receive any among you into this school save he is clean from the blood of this generation;
139 And he shall be received by the ordinance of the washing of feet, for unto this end was the ordinance of the washing of feet instituted.
140 And again, the ordinance of washing feet is to be administered by the president, or presiding elder of the church.
141 It is to be commenced with prayer; and after partaking of bread and wine, he is to gird himself according to the pattern given in the thirteenth chapter of John’s testimony concerning me. Amen
I have never even noticed the significance of the last few passages of section 124 before now.
I am more convinced now that ever before that the Nauvoo House is indeed the exclusive house of the Lord being spoken of in section 124.
Having parsed through section 124, I cannot find a definitive commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple, although verses 47-48 appear to be a prophecy about the failure of the Nauvoo Temple because of the abominations associated with it.
It is apparent to me why the saints labored on both the Nauvoo House and the Nauvoo Temple in vain.
Since posting the last episode I have been contacted by a reader who admits that it is difficult to identify a real clear transition point they insist that
“..the Lord saying in no uncertain terms that the Nauvoo House is a Boarding House plan and simple. Yes a very special boarding house for sure but a Boarding house nonetheless”
I challenge that claims. The Nauvoo House is much much more than just a boarding house.
They claim that verses 24 through 55 are speaking about the Nauvoo Temple. I believe this is what the orthodox church teaches as well.
Since they feel that the Nauvoo House is only a very special Boarding house, it makes sense that they don’t see verse 24 as referring to it because that verse states that the Lord dwells there when it is kept Holy.
24 This house shall be a healthful habitation if it be built unto my name, and if the governor which shall be appointed unto it shall not suffer any pollution to come upon it. It shall be holy, or the Lord your God will not dwell therein.
25 And again, verily I say unto you, let all my saints come from afar.
There are numerous problems with that interpretation. One has previously been pointed out in this episode. It is verse 43 which reiterates what verse 22 said. It proves that the Nauvoo House is being spoken of rather than the Nauvoo Temple which was already under construction.
| 22 ..build a house unto my name, such a one as my servant Joseph SHALL show unto them, upon the place which he SHALL show unto them also. | 43 And ye SHALL build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it. |
Another problem is that the term “healthful habitation” is a clear reference to the boarding house, which will be inhabited with boarders, not the temple.
It is understandable that since they only see the Nauvoo House as a boarding house, they don’t think that it would necessarily be holy or that the name of the Lord would be upon it, or that the Lord would dwell therein. However they probably didn’t realize that in the closing passages (verses 123-145) The Lord is clearly speaking about the Nauvoo House and he does refer to it again as “my house” which is built to “my name“.
“And that ye should prepare rooms for all these offices in my house when you build it unto my name, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen“
In those passages the Lord is commanding them to prepare rooms for all of the holy priesthood offices and officers in that house. Clearly, this is not just a boarding house. It is an amazing House of the Lord wherein the Lord will dwell with all of his priesthood officers.
One Temple will be Sanctified while Another will be Destroyed
Having now demonstrated that there is no clear transition point from the Nauvoo House to the Nauvoo Temple commanding the saints to build it, let me give you something else to consider.
We know that the Kirtland Temple was accepted by the Lord, then it was defiled by the saints, and yet prophecy assures us that God will cleanse it and once again use it for the purposes for which it was created.
Wouldn’t this be true for the Nauvoo Temple if it was really commanded to be built for a legitimate purpose?
And yet that is not the case.
Prophecy about the redemption of Zion in section 101 informs us that God is going to destroy the Nauvoo temple.
We shall now review what Jeremiah says about Nauvoo and the Nauvoo Temple for a second witness that the Nauvoo Temple was
Jeremiah speaks prophetically about Nauvoo
In Chapters 7 & 32
Whether literally or typologically, Jeremiah speaks about Nauvoo and the Nauvoo Temple. Clearly, in the words of Jeremiah “they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it“
This is one of many reasons why we know that Jeremiah is speaking of the cornerstone of Zion in Nauvoo instead of the center place in Independence Missouri. The profile matches the events that took place in Nauvoo, not Independence.
If you do a keyword search of “called by my name” in the book of Jeremiah, you will see a reoccurring theme regarding the abominations committed in the house that is “called by my name” and how God’s people falsely put their trust in the temple of the Lord. Note the following passages from Jeremiah 7
3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
8 ¶ Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, [Kirtland Temple??] and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
14 Therefore will I do unto this house, [Nauvoo Temple??] which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. ( Jer 7)
In the High Places of Baal
In chapter 32 Jeremiah gives a narrative that describes Nauvoo
In it he speaks of the final gathering of his people
37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
Interestingly he is revealing that when God gathers his people for the last time, he will return them to the place AGAIN where he had previously driven them from because of His wrath.
This is a perfect description of Nauvoo where the saints had been gathered yet driven by the wrath of the Lord.
37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
But hold the phone!
The preface of this prophecy reveals that Gods people built the “high places of Baal“!!!
Note that Gods people live in the city being in a valley yet the inhabitants build upon the “high places of Baal“.
We are informed that the Lord commanded them not to do the abomination that is up on the hill. Because of this, the city is delivered over to the sword and famine and pestilence
35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
36 ¶ And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
Because of the abomination that the people got [the dispersed of ]Judah
to participate in, the city was delivered over to the King of Babylon.
And yet, the narrative informs us that the final gathering and time of restoration will come when God will gather his scattered people back to the same city.
The Graven Images on the Nauvoo Temple
Anciently the Lord commanded Israel to not make any graven images in the likeness of anything in heaven above or the earth beneath. Oddly, latter day saints are oblivious to this commandment, assuming that it no longer applies them:
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth Exod 24
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Deut 5
Why images of moons and stars?
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Why images of a pagan sun god on the Nauvoo Temple?
Do those occult images on the temple on the hill depict the simple fulness of the gospel as taught in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants?
“If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the Lord your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, by transgressing His covenant, and has gone and served
other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded,
and if it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. Behold, if it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel Deuteronomy 17:2-5
The Destruction of the Nauvoo Temple on the Hill
Is it any wonder that the destruction of the corrupt Temple on the Hill in Nauvoo mirrors the destruction of the corrupt Jewish temple in Jerusalem?
In the New Testament Christ prophesied that not one stone would be left upon another regarding the destruction of the corrupt Jewish temple:
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? And do ye not understand them? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here upon this temple, one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down
What about the Nauvoo Temple on the Hill?
Was its fate not a type and shadow of what had happened to the corrupt New Testament temple?
This is a statement from the BYU Religious Studies Center
“The building site was described in 1870 as not having one stone upon another. Where the Saints once practiced their sacred temple ordinances there was now a vineyard.”
There were a series of catastrophes that brought this about.The Fire by Arsonists
The first was a fire that took place shortly after Brigham Youngs failed attempt to sell it to the Catholic Church. According to one historian, it may have been Brigham Young that paid to have the arsonist burn it:
“On Monday, 9 October 1848, at 3 a.m. the citizens of Nauvoo were awakened to witness the great Mormon temple enveloped in flames. It had been set on fire deliberately, apparently as an act to forever discourage the Latter-day Saints from returning to the city. A description of this fire, which resulted in the destruction of the temple, was published in the Nauvoo Patriot”:
“Destruction of the Mormon Temple. On Monday (October 9th) our citizens were awakened by the alarm of fire, which, when first discovered, was bursting out through the spire of the temple, near the small door that opened from the East side to the roof, on the main building. The fire was seen first about three o’clock in the morning, and not until it had taken such hold of the timbers and roof as to make useless any effort to extinguish it. The materials of the inside were so dry, and the fire spread so rapidly, that a few minutes were sufficient to wrap this famed edifice in a sheet of flame.
It was a sight too full of mournful sublimity. The mass of material which had been gathered there by the labor of many years afforded a rare opportunity for this element to play off some of its wildest sports. Although the morning was tolerably dark, still when the flames shot upwards, the spire, the streets and the houses for nearly a mile distant were lighted up, so as to render even the smallest object discernible. The glare of the vast torch, pointing skyward, indescribably contrasted with the universal gloom and darkness around it. “
The Tornado
Another event leading to the ultimate demise of the temple came in the form of a tornado in 1849 the account of the destruction was preserved by the Nauvoo Patriot:
The dreadful tornado on May 27th, which invaded the city of Nauvoo and neighboring places, has been for us, Icarians . . . a spectacle of frightful sublimity, and also a source of mortal anguish, on account of the disasters and catastrophes which have resulted from it, to the inhabitants of this county, and to us. . . .
Here are some particulars of what has happened to us during that storm; in its first blow which has been the most fatal to us, and everyone will certainly think so when they know, that part of the Temple walls was immediately blown to the ground. The Temple, which we were preparing so actively and resolutely to rebuild; the temple which we hoped to cover this year; and in which we were to settle our refectories, our halls of reunion, and our schools; that it is the temple; that gigantic monument, which has become the first victim of the tornado.
Is it a coincidence that God’s whirlwind and other events destroyed the occult temple on the hill with the images of pentagrams and sun gods on the side and without bothering the unfinished foundation of the Nauvoo House in the valley down by the river?
Interestingly, the modern day apostate corporate church has rebuilt the occult monument that the apostate saints were trying to complete in Nauvoo instead of purchasing and rebuilding the Boarding House of the Lord by the river.
Nauvoo must be Redeemed by the Shedding of Blood
The parable of the redemption of Zion informs us that the land of Zion, beginning with the cornerstone of Zion, must be redeemed by the shedding of blood.
The parable informs us that God’s servant will gather the strength of God’s house and pull down the tower of the ENEMY
55 And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants: Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take all the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry;
56 And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; for it is mine; I have bought it with money.
57 Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen.
58 And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land.
Unlike other designated gathering places in Missouri, the entire city of Nauvoo was indeed purchased with money. Yet the enemy infiltrated the saints and caused them to flee.
Hence the need to recover the land from the enemy by the shedding of blood.
Christ shocked the people when he declared, “I have not come to bring peace, but the sword“.
He was speaking ultimately of events that were to take place in the third watch.
God’s army will conquer with the sword.
When the Lord’s army redeems Nauvoo, one of the first things they will do is to throw down the tower of the enemy and avenge God of His enemies.
Whether wittingly or unwittingly, Joseph knew that the “tower” he was building would set the pattern for the apostate modern church to follow in rebuilding the pagan temple:
Speaking of the architecture of the Nauvoo Temple on the hill Joseph declared:
The steeple of our temple will be high enough to answer for a tower- between 100 and 200 feet high. REF
The tower on the temple was very large.
In addition to having abominable images on the walls of the temple, it became a foundational place where the corrupt masonic endowment was performed.
Joseph Smith introduced Brigham Young and others to the masonic endowment first in the red brick store and eventually in the unfinished temple on the hill.
On May 3, 1842, Joseph Smith prepared the second floor of his Red Brick Store, in Nauvoo, Illinois, to represent “the interior of a temple as circumstances would permit”.[26] The next day, May 4, he introduced the Nauvoo endowment ceremony to nine associates: Associate President and Patriarch to the Church Hyrum Smith (Smith’s brother); first counselor in the First Presidency, William Law; three of the Twelve Apostles, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards; Nauvoo stake president, William Marks; two bishops, Newel K. Whitney and George Miller; and a close friend, Judge James Adams of Springfield, Illinois.
Throughout 1843 and 1844, Smith continued to initiate other men, as well as women, into the endowment ceremony. By the time of his death on June 27, 1844, more than 50 persons had been admitted into the Anointed Quorum, the name by which this group called themselves.
The Nauvoo endowment consisted of two phases: (1) an initiation, and (2) an instructional and testing phase. The initiation consisted of a washing and anointing, culminating in the clothing of the patron in a “Garment of the Holy Priesthood“, which is thereafter worn as an undergarment.
The instructional and testing phase of the endowment consisted of a scripted reenactment of Adam and Eve‘s experience in the Garden of Eden (performed by live actors called officiators; in the mid-20th century certain portions were adapted to a film presentation).[27] The instruction is punctuated with personal covenants, gestures, and a prayer circle around an altar. At the end of instruction, the initiate’s knowledge of symbolic gestures and key-words is tested at a “veil”, a symbolic final frontier for the initiate to face the judgment of Jesus, before entering the presence of God in the celestial kingdom.[28]
Even though the Nauvoo Temple was only about half complete when Joseph Smith died, Brigham Young continued to use it to initiate people into the masonic endowment.
“During the winter of 1845–46, the temple began to be used for additional ordinances, including the Nauvoo-era endowment, sealings in marriage, and adoptions. The Nauvoo Temple was in use for less than three months. REF
“..I also gave them up to statutes that were not good..”
Ezekiel 20 informs us that when ancient Israel went into apostasy, God gave them statutes that were not good. This is a type of what happened in Nauvoo.
When the saints refused to repent and reform, God gave them the masonic temple endowment as a false statute
Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, 24because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
25“Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; 26and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all [d]their firstborn to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the Lord.” ‘
27“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. 28When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. 29Then I said to them, ‘What is this [e]high place to which you go?’ So its name is called [f]Bamah to this day.” ‘ 30Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? 31For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.
Wicked Church and Civic Leaders will be destroyed
When the appointed time for the redemption of Zion arrives, the Lord is going to destroy all of the wicked leaders of both the apostate church and the nation. Notice the descriptives that the Lord uses regarding this matter:
| Descriptives of the religious leaders of the Lord’s vineyard when the Lord descends out of heaven to reign in his kingdom JST Matthew 21:53-56 | Descriptives of the political leaders of the nation when the Lord comes out of his hiding place according to section 101 |
| 53 And the kingdom of God shall be taken from them and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (meaning the Gentiles).
54 Wherefore, on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. 55 And when the Lord, therefore, of the vineyard cometh, he will destroy those 56 And then understood they the parable which he spake unto them, that the [unrepentant] Gentiles should be destroyed also, when the Lord should descend out of heaven to reign in his vineyard, which is the earth and the inhabitants thereof. |
89 And if the president heed them not, then will the Lord arise and come forth out of his hiding place, and in his fury vex the nation;
90 And in his hot displeasure, and in his fierce anger, in his time, will cut off those 91 Even in outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. |
More later
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The video below is pretty astonishing and has gone viral. This guy is an American hero
The Supreme Court Has Ruled That They Can Order a New Presidential Election
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
I got an interesting email from an active member of the LDS Church who has concluded that Joseph Smith is going to return from the dead to complete his commission.
He was curious to know if anyone else had arrived upon the same conclusion so he began searching the internet.
He came upon a youtube that Mrs Watcher did on the topic. She read a paper that I had written over two decades ago.
Here is what this fellow said to me in the email.
I’ve been looking around the LDS community on YouTube as well as documentaries and other than my work, I only found two sources: one was The Joseph Smith Foundation’s documentary The Prophet Joseph: More Than We May Know and the other was a book by Richard Skousen “His Return” (and this was not referencing Joseph’s return, it just had a chapter in the book about Joseph’s return). I just found this yesterday searching the internet. Mr. Watcher called his paper “The Return of Joseph Smith” and I called mine “Joseph Smith to Return”. Our aim in the paper was similar but the way we went about it (proving it as well as teaching it) was different. I find it fascinating that we both arrived at the same conclusion on Joseph Smith’s barn dream. Here is a link to my video which has a link to my document in Word. (totally free to download): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmn8PLgtStQ Does Mr.Watcher have pdf or word version of this?
Sadly, this guy is still an active member of the church and very confused about a number of very important issues, including polygamy, which he considers to be part of celestial law.
Nevertheless, it is remarkable that he arrived at the same conclusion from largely, a different set of primary data. I say primary data because in some of the more recent articles I have written on the topic, I have limited my evidence to modern scripture, prophecy, patriarchal blessings, etc.
The modern evidence which I use in my recent articles is generally different from the evidence he uses in his thesis. Nevertheless, virtually all of the data that this fellow uses has also been covered in my blogs in past years.
Here is his youtube on the thesis
The link to his transcript did not work when I embedded it into this post
https://www.tihie.com/lds-archives.html
so I am simply pasting the transcript below.
I must say, that some of what he says is almost identical to stuff I have covered in past years.. I find that curious but not necessary significant. Time will tell whether he genuinely arrived at this information on his own or not.
He seems very passionate and informed about the source material.
For now, I am willing to take him at his word.
Here is the transcript
Enjoy
Joseph Smith to Return
Here is my relatively comprehensive piecing together of doctrine and prophecies regarding Joseph Smith’s death and future resurrection. Due to its nature it might seem a little scattered because it isn’t so easy to make it a chronological thing and so I will be using a multitude of sources from different places to bring light and understanding to the subject. After making the paper, I looked around online to see if there were any other solid resources who had attempted to do a similar thing and I found 2 resources (if you have found any others please send them my way and I can add them to the paper). The first was that of the work by Richard N. Skousen in his book, His Return- Prophecy, Destiny and Hope. And the second was a documentary style movie done by the Joseph Smith Foundation entitled The Prophet Joseph: More Than We Know. The movie is on the streaming service Living Scriptures- it is a great introductory video that is also pleasant on the eyes (lol) but my only complaint about it is that they don’t do a very good job at sourcing references. So I will be very careful in my paper/video to provide references as much as possible.
I believe that the best place to start off with understanding this is to start off with what the Lord said himself. I believe this is important to do because it gives validity to everything but also importantly Jesus lays out the best chronological picture much clearer than you will find in other locations. So where are these prophecies of Joseph Smith from the lips of Jesus found? They are found in 3 Nephi. But how do we know that these verses are in fact referring to Joseph Smith? In the Old Testament Student manual it states:
(17-20) Isaiah 52:13–15. Who Is the Servant?
The Savior Himself made it clear that Isaiah 52:13 also had reference to a servant involved in the “great and marvelous work” of the Father in the latter days (3 Nephi 21:9). The Book of Mormon verse undoubtedly refers to Joseph Smith and the Restoration. Men “marred” him, persecuting him throughout his life until they succeeded in killing him.
The Book of Mormon Student manual clarifies:
3 Nephi 21:9–11. “My Servant”
A careful reading of 3 Nephi 21:9–11 suggests that the Lord was referring to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he said, “The life of my servant shall be in my hand” (v. 10; see also Isaiah 52:13–15, 3 Nephi 20:43–44).
So let us read a passage, but let us replace “my servant” with Joseph Smith so we can get a clear understanding of what is happening here.
3 Nephi 21:10
10 But behold, the life of [Joseph Smith] shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt [Joseph Smith], although [Joseph Smith] shall be marred because of them…
We already had explained above what “marred” had reference to, but for even more concrete evidence let us go down to the footnote for “marred.” The Church takes you to D&C 135:1:
1 To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o’clock p.m., by an armed mob—painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons. Hyrum was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming: I am a dead man! Joseph leaped from the window, and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming: O Lord my God! They were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal manner, and both received four balls.
One can now come away with the understanding that marred means martyred. So the Lord here is saying that the life of Joseph Smith will be in His hands even after they kill him. So what does the rest of the verse say?
3 Nephi 21:10 (second half)
…Yet I will heal [Joseph Smith], for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.
So what does the Lord mean when he says that Joseph will die, he will be martyred, but the Lord will heal him?
D&C 63:47-49, 52-54
47 He that is faithful and endureth shall overcome the world.
48 He that sendeth up treasures unto the land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world, and his works shall follow him, and also a reward in the world to come.
49 Yea, and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth, when the Lord shall come, and old things shall pass away, and all things become new, they shall rise from the dead and shall not die after, and shall receive an inheritance before the Lord, in the holy city.
52 Wherefore, for this cause preached the apostles unto the world the resurrection of the dead.
53 These things are the things that ye must look for; and, speaking after the manner of the Lord, they are now nigh at hand, and in a time to come, even in the day of the coming of the Son of Man.
54 And until that hour there will be foolish virgins among the wise; and at that hour cometh an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked; and in that day will I send mine angels to pluck out the wicked and cast them into unquenchable fire.
So when the Lord is referring to healing a dead man he is referring to the resurrection. But not only that, we gain another bit of crucial information regarding this event (Joseph Smith’s resurrection) in regard to last day timelines and prophecies. And that is found in verse 52 and 53. The Lord says here that this is the reason why the apostles preached the resurrection of the dead, for the resurrection of the dead (or more specifically the resurrection of a specific person) is “the thing that ye must look for” in the last days and this is obviously not talking about Jesus because he has been resurrected for almost 2000 years. The Lord then in the year 1831 says that these things are close at hand, speaking “after the manner of the Lord”, which means it might be awhile for those in 1831 to see it. An important detail that will unlock a lot more scriptures for an understanding at this time is to understand some synonyms to healing or resurrection.
1 Nephi 13:37
“And if [you] endure unto the end [you] shall be lifted up at the last day and saved.”
James 4:10
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up.”
In D&C 5:32-35 the Lord speaking to Joseph Smith said, “And now, because I foresee the lying in wait to destroy thee, yea, I foresee that if my servant Martin Harris humbleth not himself and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall into transgression; And there are many that lie in wait to destroy thee from off the face of the earth; and for this cause, that thy days may be prolonged, I have given unto thee these commandments. Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee. And if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments, thou shalt be lifted up…”
Not only do we learn here that “to lift up” or “be lifted up” is synonymous with being resurrected or the resurrection, we have the Lord specifically promising Joseph that despite men laying in wait to destroy him (marring) that he will be lifted up. Now that we have this understanding of lifting up, we now have a key to understand what the Lord was referring to when he says “I will lift up my standard/ensign.” It is a reference to THE event that we, as Saints, are “to look for,” the resurrection of Joseph Smith, him being raised up to stand as an ensign. But will members be aware of Joseph Smith’s return?
3 Nephi 20:43
43 Behold, [Joseph Smith] shall deal prudently…
Synonyms for prudently include quietly or discreetly, or as Isaiah put it:
Isaiah 42:1-4
1 Behold [Joseph Smith], whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon [Joseph Smith]: [Joseph Smith] shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 [Joseph Smith] shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall [Joseph Smith] not break, and the smoking flax shall [Joseph Smith] not quench: [Joseph Smith] shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 [Joseph Smith] shall not fail nor be discouraged, till [Joseph Smith has] set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for [celestial] law.
So Joseph Smith might be working quietly behind the scenes for awhile before he makes his appearance to the general membership of the church. But we do know what the effects are of his return. Before I get into those effects of his return, I want to take a moment to tie together why Joseph Smith will not be discouraged after he returns versus before.
Isaiah 49:1
1 And again: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, all ye that are broken off and are driven out because of the wickedness of the pastors of my people; yea, all ye that are broken off, that are scattered abroad, who are of my people, O house of Israel. Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye people from far; the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Who is this servant speaking here whom the Lord knew and sanctified before he was born? Even going as far as to name him? “I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me” (Isaiah 45:5). The footnote takes you to Joseph Smith History 1:17,33,49 which are all cases where Joseph Smith was called by name. We also learn in the Book of Mormon that Joseph that was sold into Egypt prophesied saying, “A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins. And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father” (2 Nephi 3:6,15). So this servant is Joseph Smith. But in case you are still not convinced, Joseph Smith himself says that this is him,
Isaiah 49:2 reads,
2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
Joseph Smith identified himself as this prophet when he said, “‘I am like a huge, rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force against religious bigotry, priestcraft, lawyer-craft, doctor-craft, lying editors, suborned judges and jurors, and the authority of perjured executives, backed by mobs, blasphemers, licentious and corrupt men and women—all hell knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty, who will give me dominion over all and every one of them, when their refuge of lies shall fail, and their hiding place shall be destroyed, while these smooth-polished stones with which I come in contact become marred.’ (TPJS, p. 304.)
So Joseph clearly identifies himself as this servant. What do we learn next about this servant?
Isaiah 49:4-5
4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
5 And now, saith the Lord—that formed me from the womb that I should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him—though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.
Taking the manual and replacing every reference to Old Israel (history lesson) with Joseph Smith specifically will make it read as follows:
(17-6) Isaiah 49:4–12. Did the Lord Forget [Joseph Smith], His Chosen [Prophet]?
The Restoration was a long time in coming. During the years of [restoration, Joseph Smith] undoubtedly felt lonely and forsaken by the Lord. Isaiah 49:4–12 shows that loneliness. Verse 4 describes the attitude of [Joseph Smith] somewhat discouraged, yet not completely so: “I have spent my strength … in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord” (Isaiah 49:4).
Nephi spoke of the [Latter-Day Saints] in their cast-off condition as being “a hiss and a byword and … hated among all nations” (1 Nephi 19:14). Isaiah 49:7 describes that condition: men despise and abhor the Lord’s covenant people. But [the church] still has hope: “Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I [Joseph Smith] be glorious in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 5). [Joseph Smith] will yet be raised and restored and stand as “a light to the Gentiles” and as a beacon of “salvation unto the end of the earth” (v. 6). “In an acceptable time” God will hear [the righteous remnant in the church,] their cry and “give thee [“my servant,” in 1 Nephi 21:8] for a covenant of the people” (Isaiah 49:8). That began with the call of Joseph Smith, [but will not see its completeness until after Joseph Smith returns].”
At which point in time Joseph Smith will no longer be discouraged.
Now that we have identified that this is Joseph and why he experienced discouragement and why he won’t feel discouraged when he returns, let’s tackle what are the very first things Joseph does and the effects it will have on the church. In Isaiah 42, which we have already included, it states that we are waiting for this servant to come to restore celestial law (the law). This is the very first thing that Joseph is commanded to do. Celestial law contains in it, among other things, the law of consecration and the law of plural marriage. This implementation of celestial law will as Isaiah says, “tear the carcasses in half” ie. tear the stakes of Zion apart. People will have “even that which they have” taken from them as they say “we have enough” (2 Nephi 28). Isaiah described this as the rejection of the whole staff of bread, the whole stay of water (2 Nephi 13). A side note here is that President Nelson has explicitly and repeatedly tried to prepare us for this event; “The time is coming when those who do not obey the Lord will be separated from those who do (see Doctrine and Covenants 86:1–7)… Sadly, some who you thought were your friends will betray you. And some things will simply seem unfair…Do whatever it takes to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ by increasing your understanding of the doctrine taught in His restored Church and by relentlessly seeking truth. Anchored in pure doctrine, you will be able to step forward with faith and dogged persistence and cheerfully do all that lies in your power to fulfill the purposes of the Lord” (April 2020 Ensign address).
Some of the last two prophecies/dreams that Joseph Smith had are as follows:
In early February 1844, four months prior to his death, Joseph Smith had a dream, which he related to Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, and W. W. Phelps. He stated, “I was standing on a peninsula, in the midst of a vast body of water where there appeared to be a large harbor or pier built out for boats to come to. I was surrounded by my friends, and while looking at this harbor I saw a steamboat approaching the harbor. There were bridges on the pier for persons to cross, and there came up a wind and drove the steamboat under one of the bridges and upset it. I ran up to the boat, expecting the persons would all drown; and wishing to do something to assist them, I put my hand against the side of the boat, and with one surge I shoved it under the bridge and righted it up, and then told them to take care of themselves. But it was not long before I saw them starting out into the channel or main body of the water again. The storms were raging and the waters rough. I said to my friends that if they did not understand the signs of the times and the spirit of prophecy, they would be apt to be lost. It was but a few moments after when we saw the waves break over the boat, and she soon foundered and went down with all on board. The storm and waters were still very rough; yet I told my friends around me that I believed I could stem those waves and that storm, and swim in the waters better than the steamboat did; at any rate I was determined to try it. But my friends laughed at me, and told me I could not stand at all, but would be drowned. The waters looked clear and beautiful, though exceedingly rough; and I said I believed I could swim, and I would try it anyhow. They said I would drown. I said I would have a frolic in the water first, if I did; and I drove off in the raging waves. I had swam but a short distance when a towering wave overwhelmed me for a time; but I soon found myself on the top of it, and soon I met the second wave in the same way; and for a while I struggled hard to live in the midst of the storm and waves, and soon found I gained upon every wave, and skimmed the torrent better; and I soon had power to swim with my head out of water: so the waves did not break over me at all, and I found that I had swam a great distance; and in looking about, I saw my brother Samuel by my side. I asked him how he liked it. He said, “First rate,” and I thought so too. I was soon enabled to swim with my head and shoulders out of water, and I could swim as fast as any steamboat. In a little time it became calm, and I could rush through the water, and only go in to my loins, and soon I only went in to my knees, and finally could tread on the top of the water, and went almost with the speed of an arrow. I said to Samuel, See how swift I can go! I thought it was great sport and pleasure to travel with such speed, and I awoke” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:194–95).
Joseph Smith’s last dream occurred on June 26, 1844 while he was in the Carthage Jail, the last night of the Prophet’s life. He was killed the next day, June 27. The Prophet Joseph stated, “I was back in Kirtland, Ohio, and thought I would take a walk out by myself, and view my old farm, which I found grown up with weeds and brambles, and altogether bearing evidence of neglect and want of culture. I went into the barn, which I found without floor or doors, with the weather – boarding off, and was altogether in keeping with the farm. While I viewed the desolation around me, and was contemplating how it might be recovered from the curse upon it, there came rushing into the barn a company of furious men, who commenced to pick a quarrel with me. The leader of the party ordered me to leave the barn and farm, stating it was none of mine, and that I must give up all hope of ever possessing it. I told him the farm was given me by the Church, and although I had not had any use of it for some time back, still I had not sold it, and according to righteous principles it belonged to me or the Church. He then grew furious and began to rail upon me, and threaten me, and said it never did belong to me nor to the Church. I then told him that I did not think it worth contending about, that I had no desire to live upon it in its present state, and if he thought he had a better right I would not quarrel with him about it but leave; but my assurance that I would not trouble him at present did not seem to satisfy him, as he seemed determined to quarrel with me, and threatened me with destruction of my body. While he was thus engaged, pouring out his bitter words upon me, a rabble rushed in and nearly filled the barn, drew out their knives, and began to quarrel among themselves for the premises, and for a moment forgot me, at which time I took the opportunity to walk out of the barn about up to my ankles in mud. When I was a little distance from the barn, I heard them screeching and screaming in a very distressed manner, as it appeared they had engaged in a general fight with their knives. While they were thus engaged, the dream or vision ended” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:609–10).
Going back to the chronology of Jesus in 3 Nephi:
3 Nephi 20:41-42
41 And then shall a cry go forth: Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.
42 For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel shall be your rearward.
3 Nephi 21:11
11 Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause [Joseph Smith] to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto [Joseph Smith] power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant.
3 Nephi 20:45
45 So shall [Joseph Smith] sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at [Joseph Smith], for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
3 Nephi 21:9
9 For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them.
So Joseph Smith is resurrected, institutes celestial law, and he works the marvelous work and a wonder. But what is the marvelous work and a wonder? President Joseph Fielding Smith in Doctrines of Salvation answered that question, “when the lost tribes come…it will be a most wonderful sight and marvelous thing when they do come to Zion.” It is important to note that when that quote was given the church was already global and he used the word “when”, meaning it was yet a future event. Missionary global work is NOT the marvelous work and a wonder. It is imperative to understand these events for the Savior said, “for it shall deceive almost the very elect.”
Before jumping ahead let’s jump back and explain something else that is supposed to happen when Joseph Smith comes back. And that is the second half of the quote from Joseph above, the first half of the quote Joseph explains how the Lord is turning him into that polished arrow and he then changes focus and explains what will be the effect, the aftermath, once the Lord does shoot him off. He explains this by saying “[the Lord] will give me dominion over all and every one of them, when their refuge of lies shall fail, and their hiding place shall be destroyed, while these smooth-polished stones with which I come in contact [as the arrow] become marred.” So Joseph Smith in the quote was not only identifying himself as this servant, as this polished arrow, he was also identifying himself once again as Gazelam. Gazelam was used as a substitute name for Joseph Smith (to protect him) that appeared many times in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 78:9, 82:11, 104:26, 43,45,46). In 1981 all of the uses of Gazelam were replaced with Joseph Smith Jr. All except for the one used in Alma 37. The reason for this is that “the Gazelam” being discussed in Alma 37, which I will read, what he was to do Joseph Smith never did in his lifetime. So the church leaders did not want to explain or teach widespread of Joseph’s return. The reason for this is that the Church has been fighting the image that we worship Joseph Smith, not Jesus Christ, and if we start teaching openly “the resurrection of Joseph Smith” ignorant people (who wouldn’t take the time to listen) would jump to conclusions, label and besmirch. But the leaders of the church also wouldn’t want members to believe this was a false prophecy because it was never done, so they left it Gazelam in Alma 37 to leave it open. But not only do we know that Joseph is coming back, Joseph in the quote listed above, identified himself as Gazelam in the context of Alma 37 only after the shot. We know that “the shot” is after his resurrection so we know that he was never supposed to accomplish Alma 37 in his life.
Alma 37:21-26
21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters.
22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of darkness and made known unto us.
The Jaredites had a prophet Ether who revealed the dark acts of that society and it was eventually destroyed. The Nephites had a prophet Mormon who revealed the dark acts of their society and why it collapsed. Joseph Smith is Gazelam- he is the prophet who will come forth to a dying America and will reveal its secret, dark acts. But this pattern when a group of people become so wicked that the Lord is going to wipe them out, he always sends a prophet before it happens (Noah, Abraham, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jesus Christ with Old Jerusalem etc). You might not think that Joseph is to be this prophet, but you cannot deny (and it will become even more clear as this goes on) that Joseph thought himself to be that prophet.
Speaking of this, there is no better time to address that concern for when Joseph comes back the claim on Joseph’s keys and right to receive revelation for the church will be the primary contention and dispute among members of the church. What Joseph Smith is bringing back (celestial law) and what he is doing (whipping up the gentiles into a frenzy against the Latter-Day Saints) is what breaks apart the church, and the argument they will have against him is that they will not believe he has the right or the keys to speak for the church. And they will do as the Jews did with Jesus in olden times, accuse him of working for Beelzebub.
So let’s figure out who has the keys and who has the calling, or as the Lord said, “a man like Moses.”
D&C 103:11-16
11 But verily I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the lands of their inheritances, and shall build up the waste places of Zion.
12 For after much tribulation, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, cometh the blessing.
13 Behold, this is the blessing which I have promised after your tribulations, and the tribulations of your brethren—your redemption, and the redemption of your brethren, even their restoration to the land of Zion, to be established, no more to be thrown down.
14 Nevertheless, if they pollute their inheritances they shall be thrown down; for I will not spare them if they pollute their inheritances.
15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
Verse 11 is a reference to the calling of the ten tribes home (we will get to that after this), but the bulk of this is referencing much tribulation and a desire among the Saints to once again inherit Zion, with the Lord explaining once again that the redemption of Zion will come by no other means but by power (1 Nephi 22:10-11). And that he will at this time “raise up” (we should now be familiar with what this means) one who shall lead like Moses did.
The Doctrine and Covenants manual answers the question,
D&C 103:16. Who Is the Man Who Will Lead the Saints As Moses Led Israel?
Elder John A. Widtsoe wrote: “Yet, the meaning as set forth in the scriptures, is very simple. In modern revelation the President of the Church is frequently compared to Moses. Soon after the organization of the Church, the Lord said, ‘no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses’ (D. & C. 28:2) (D&C 107:91)” (Evidences and Reconciliations,1:197.)
So let us now break down a key quote from Joseph Smith, once again identifying himself:
“The Savior said when these tribulations should take place [Matthew 24, D&C 103:12-13, Rev. 7:14-15, etc], it should be committed to a man who should be a witness over the whole world: the keys of knowledge, power and revelations should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world. It has always been my province [responsibility]… Just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the keys of the Priesthood- just at that time I have the greatest right.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.364)
We have already discussed that when Joseph Smith is resurrected that a large portion of the church will not accept him or the teachings he brings with him. Joseph Smith says here at that moment, he is the man who holds the keys.
Continuing the quote, “All the testimony is that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys of the Priesthood to a witness over all people. Has the Gospel of the kingdom commenced in the last days? And will God take it from the man until He takes it him Himself?” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.364-65)
Some might suggest that the Lord took the keys from Joseph when Joseph died and therefore Joseph no longer holds the keys of this dispensation but rather the acting president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds the keys when Joseph comes back. However this is false.
D&C 110:11,16
11 After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.
16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.
D&C 90:3
3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come;
D&C 112:15
15 Exalt not yourselves; rebel not against my servant Joseph; for verily I say unto you, I am with him, and my hand shall be over him; and the keys which I have given unto him, and also to you, shall not be taken from him till I come.
Praise to the Man, Hymn 27
Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!
Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer.
Blessed to open the last dispensation,
Kings shall extol him, and nations revere.
Praise to his mem’ry, he died as a martyr;
Honored and blest be his ever great name!
Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins,
Plead unto heav’n while the earth lauds his fame.
Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.
Ever and ever the keys he will hold.
Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom,
Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old.
Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven;
Earth must atone for the blood of that man.
Wake up the world for the conflict of justice.
Millions shall know “Brother Joseph” again.
When will Joseph Smith be crowned among the prophets of old? When will the keys be taken from Joseph Smith, as Joseph explained, by Jesus Christ himself? The same event, Adam-ondi-ahman.
Continuing the quote: “I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ. John the Revelator saw an angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.365)
Joseph Smith has now identified himself as John’s “angel flying through the midst of heaven.”
Continuing with the quote, “The scripture is ready to be fulfilled…” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.365)
Joseph Smith has identified himself as this angel and then says this prophecy is ready to be fulfilled, meaning a future event. At this point in time, 1844, the Book of Mormon was already published (Moroni), and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints is already restored and missionary work had already commenced. Firstly, Joseph Smith did not believe that this angel was Moroni or any of the angels that appeared at Kirtland Temple because they appeared in the past and this event was to happen in the future. So when would this happen? Joseph explains as he continues,
“…when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, etc. are ready to be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.365)
One learns by carefully studying Isaiah, that the Lord doesn’t go on the offense until AFTER the events at Adam-ondi-ahman. So Joseph identifies the time period that this is to happen as the time period of the modern day Assyrian or the days of tribulation. The sickness sweeps the land, then the Assyrian (scourge) covers the earth. The Lord then raises up his ensign, who is Joseph Smith, who hisses forth and calls the ten tribes home. New Jerusalem is built as the Assyrian gets closer and closer to the New Jerusalem. The final meeting at Adam-ondi-ahman takes place (“the anointing”) at which time all the keys are handed back to the Savior, and the Lord then goes on the offense pouring out the things listed above upon the inhabitants of the earth.
Continuing the quote once again: “John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood, who should preach the everlasting Gospel to all nations. God had an angel- a special messenger- ordained and prepared for that purpose in the last days.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.365)
Once again, Joseph Smith is identifying himself as this angel.
Finishing the quote, the prophet says,“Woe, woe be to that man or set of men who lift up their hands against God and His witness in these last days: for they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones!” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.365)
Joseph Smith is paraphrasing 3 Nephi 21:11 which we have already gone over, “Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause [Joseph Smith] to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto [Joseph Smith] power that [Joseph Smith] shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant.” Who are the covenant people? The very elect, the very chosen ones.
So up to this point in time, we have Joseph identifying himself as the angel flying through the midst of heaven, Gazelam, “my Servant”, the ensign, the polished shaft arrow in the Lord’s quiver; whether or not you agree with this, once again, you can’t deny that Joseph thought that this was himself. There are only two other things that we need to positively identify as Joseph Smith to unlock your understanding of this when reading the scriptures. And that is, who is the rod and root of Jesse? Who could make the claim to have the “birthright blood”, the blood that would make him an heir to both the throne of David and that of Ephraim?
D&C 86:8-10
8 Therefore, thus saith the Lord unto you, with whom the priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers—
9 For ye are lawful heirs, according to the flesh, and have been hid from the world with Christ in God—
10 Therefore your life and the priesthood have remained, and must needs remain through you and your lineage until the restoration of all things spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the world began.
D&C 113:3-8
3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?
4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.
5 What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?
6 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.
7 Questions by Elias Higbee: What is meant by the command in Isaiah, 52d chapter, 1st verse, which saith: Put on thy strength, O Zion—and what people had Isaiah reference to?
8 He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who should hold the power of priesthood to bring again Zion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood, which she, Zion, has a right to by lineage; also to return to that power which she had lost.
The D&C manual answers:
D&C 113:3–6. Who Are the “Rod” and the “Root” Spoken of by Isaiah?
One might assume “that the ‘rod’ was Joseph Smith, believing that the Prophet, out of modesty, hesitated to name himself directly. None of us would question that Joseph was destined to become a great ‘servant in the hands of Christ’. Moreover, if we assume that he was the ‘rod’ or ‘servant’, observe how very well such an identification fits in with Moroni’s mission of explaining to the latter-day Prophet his part in Isaiah’s great vision of the future. As the ‘rod’ or ‘servant in the hands of Christ’, Joseph Smith fits naturally into Isaiah’s prophecy, and it is easy to understand why Moroni quoted and explained Isaiah 11 to him. [See JS—H 1:40.] “Despite this reasoning, we still have the uneasy feeling that better proof of Joseph Smith’s being the ‘rod’ should be available. I believe there is better proof and that it is found in Doctrine and Covenants 113:5–6….“In order to assess this explanation intelligently, let us turn to Isaiah 11:10: [quoted].“A closer translation of the original may be given here: “‘And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign [sign, signal] of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting place [refuge, residence] shall be glorious.’ “Quite obviously the ‘root of Jesse’ is a man, a descendant of Jesse and Joseph (as the Lord explains), who seems to have a great mission to perform in connection with gathering the remnant of Israel, as explained in Isaiah 11:11–16. [Most likely] the ‘rod’ of verse 1 and the ‘root of Jesse’ of verse 10 refer to the same man, Joseph Smith. If the ‘rod’ in D&C 113:4 is the ‘servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph,’ note that in verse 6 he seems to be more closely defined as a ‘descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.’ (Italics added.) Who better fits the description of the words in italics than Joseph Smith (see D&C 27:12–13; 86:8–11; 110:1–16; 115:18–19). He rightly holds the priesthood and its keys by lineage, and surely no one disputes the fact that the keys of the ‘gathering of my people’ were conferred on him by Moses in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836.” (Sperry, “The Problem of the ‘Rod’ and the ‘Root of Jesse’ in Isaiah11,” Improvement Era, Oct. 1966, pp. 869, 914–15.) In certain scriptures Christ is referred to as the “Root of David” (Revelation 5:5; 22:16). According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “This designation signifies that he who was the Son of David was also before David, was pre-eminent above him, and was the root or source from which the great king in Israel gained his kingdom and power” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 657;see also Matthew 22:44–45).The explanation of Isaiah 11:10 given in Doctrine and Covenants 113 implies that while Christ is the root of David, he is not the root of Jesse mentioned by Isaiah. There are two reasons for this conclusion. First, the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith in verse 2 identifies Christ as the stem of Jesse; he does not identify Christ as the root of Jesse. Second, verse 6 indicates that the root of Jesse is a servant of Christ to whom keys are given “in the last days” to gather Christ’s people.
Isaiah Chapter 11 footnote for “a rod” takes you to Joseph Smith History 1:40 which states that Moroni “quoted the 11th chapter of Isaiah, saying it was about to be fulfilled.”
The D&C Manual Clarifies
D&C 86:9. What Does It Mean to Be a “Lawful Heir According to the Flesh”?
This phrase means that one’s right to the priesthood is held by virtue of being of the house of Israel. Elder Theodore M. Burton explained: “One thing we often fail to realize is that our priesthood comes to us through the lineage of our fathers and mothers. The Lord explained it in these words: ‘Therefore, thus saith the Lord unto you, with whom the priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers. . . .’ (D&C 86:8.) “‘Oh,’ I can hear some of you say, ‘there must be something wrong with that statement, for I am the only member of my family who has joined the Church. How could I have received the priesthood from my parents?’ “In this scripture the Lord was not talking about your priesthood line of authority. He was talking about your inherited right to receive and use priesthood power. This readiness to listen and believe is an inherited gift which enabled you to recognize and accept the truth. Jesus explained this thought as he said: ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.’ (John 10:27.) “That spirit of acceptance is a manifestation of your inherited right to priesthood blessings. Such willingness to believe does not represent predestination, but it does represent foreordination. The Lord continues the revelation: ‘For ye are lawful heirs, according to the flesh, and have been hid from the world with Christ in God.’ (D&C 86:9.) “This means we receive a right to priesthood blessings from our blood ancestry. I hope you can understand that priesthood with its accompanying blessings is dependent to a great degree on family relationship.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1975, p.103; or Ensign, May 1975, p. 71.)
Some mistakenly assume or claim that one or both of these “the rod and root of Jesse” refer to John the Revelator. John the Revelator was the cousin of Jesus Christ- he was a pure-blooded Jew. Both of his parents were “as pure blooded of the tribe of Judah” as you can get. Right off the bat that eliminates John the Revelator by right of lineage. But more than that, this prophet is to receive his keys “in the last days”- John received his keys over 2000 years ago in a completely different dispensation. People make this mistake in assuming that John the Revelator is to be this prophet because in the Doctrine and Covenants John is identified as an Elias to restore Israel. The problem with this is that Moses, Elijah and every other angel that appeared in the Kirtland Temple were all Eliases for the gathering of Israel. Secondly, Joseph Smith in the quote we just had above, made it clear that all those angels that appeared pre-1844 were not this prophet. John the Revelator is an Elias and his work is with the lost 10 tribes. He is not the root. Joseph on the other hand, there is a multitude of quotes from early prophets of the church clearly identifying one of Joseph’s parents being from the tribe of Ephraim and the other from the tribe of Judah (Jesse). There is a quote referencing Joseph being “a pure blooded Ephraimite” but this is taken out of context and explained in the Journal of Discourses, 2:268:
“Although President Young identified Joseph Smith as a “pure Ephraimite” so far as the Prophet’s family or blood lines were concerned, Brigham Young and others have recognized that (1) Joseph Smith was from a Gentile nation and (2) some of Joseph Smith’s progenitors may have come from bloodlines other than that of Ephraim.”
So bottom line, the only modern-day prophet who can fit the bill for the rod and the root of Jesse (the right by lineage) is Joseph Smith.
Going way back to the chronology that Jesus laid out in 3 Nephi, after Joseph Smith is resurrected, after he is shot forth as the arrow, after he is raised up as the ensign, he will restore celestial law, he will reveal the secret acts of men (Alma 37), and then he will call the 10 tribes home. In this paper/video I won’t go into detail on the ten tribes or of their return, I will just simply say it is in the 10th Article of Faith and Jesus lays out chronologically what happens as they return and what happens after they return from 3 Nephi 21:12-25. Joseph Smith shall return, that is my testimony, but am I the only one with such a testimony? Am I the only one with such knowledge and teaching such? No. Not only did Jesus Christ know and openly teach it, not only did Joseph Smith know this doctrine and openly teach it, but so did the early leaders and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They longed for and “watered their pillow by night” wishing that they would see the day of their beloved prophet’s return. I would just ask before I go into these quotes, how many members of the church today, long for Joseph’s return? How many members of the church today even care if he comes back? Such members don’t grasp the magnitude of the man that was the Prophet Joseph Smith. Such people would woefully, ignorantly, shamefully, put modern prophets that followed Joseph Smith in the church on the same pedestal as Joseph Smith himself. There is a reason why every prophet from Brigham Young to today has said something along the lines of, “what am I going to say to Joseph Smith?” All great men in their own rights, but all know that besides the Savior of the world (who was obviously the greatest and the Savior) there is no one who has come close to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Parley P. Pratt, when he learned of Joseph Smith’s death: “I walked onward, weighed down as it were unto death. When I could endure it no longer, I cried out aloud, saying, ‘Oh, Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray Thee, show me what these things mean, and what I shall say to Thy people?’ “Suddenly the Spirit of God came upon me, and filled my heart with joy and gladness indescribable; and while the spirit of revelation glowed in my bosom with as visible a warmth and gladness as if it were fire, the Spirit said unto me, ‘Lift up your head and rejoice. For behold, it is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed.’” (Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1938, 1970), p. 333; emphasis added.)
Joseph Smith, to the Nauvoo Legion in his last address: “Those who are your friends are my friends, and I promise you when I come again, I will lead you forth, so that where I am you shall be with me.” (Autobiography of Wandle Mace, typescript, BYU Special Collections, pp. 131-132; emphasis added.)
Joseph Smith, to the Nauvoo Legion the final time: “‘Boys—he always called us ‘his boys’—don’t be sad, don’t be cast down, I will come back again.’ After a little hesitation he added, ‘as soon as I can.’ That expression, ‘as soon as I can,’ sank deep into my heart and confirmed my fears. I never expected to see him again alive. The sad expression upon his face as he looked upon us, ‘his boys,’ for the last time I shall never forget. I felt in my inmost soul that he was going to be butchered, and we should see him no more alive.” (Autobiography of Wandle Mace, typescript, BYU Special Collections, pp. 145-146; emphasis added.)
Brigham Young:
“Joseph Smith, Junior, will again be on this earth dictating plans . . . and he will never cease his operations, under the directions of the Son of God, until the last ones of the children of men are saved that can be, from Adam till now.” (Brigham Young, October 9, 1859, Journal of Discourses 7:289; emphasis added)
“There is an almighty work to perform in the spirit world. Joseph has not yet got through there. When he finishes his mission in the spirit world, he will be resurrected, but he is not yet done there. . . . When his spirit again quickens his body, he will ascend to heaven, present his resurrected body to the Father and the Son, receive his commission as a resurrected being, and visit his brethren on this earth, as did Jesus after His resurrection.” (Brigham Young, March 15, 1857, Journal of Discourses 4:285-286.)
“I will refer you to a discourse I delivered here last season upon the subject of the resurrection and the Millennium. . . . Joseph, Hyrum, Father Smith and many others will be there to dictate and preside. Joseph will stand at the head of this dispensation and hold the keys of it, for they are not taken from him; they never were in time; they never will be in eternity. I shall be there if I live or if I die.” (Brigham Young, April 8, 1853, Journal of Discourses 6:308.)
“I said to Brother Joseph, the spring before he was killed, ‘You are laying out work for twenty years.’ He replied, ‘You have as yet scarcely begun to work; but I will set you enough to last you during your lives, for I am going to rest.’ All I can do or ask now is to do the work, so that it will be right and acceptable to him when he comes here again.” (Brigham Young, October 7, 1857, Journal of Discourses 5:331; emphasis added.)
Heber C. Kimball:
“Do you suppose that if Brother Brigham were to die tomorrow, and if Joseph is resurrected, which he will be so soon as his mission is filled in the spirit world, that Joseph will permit Brother Brigham’s body to remain any longer in the grave than may be requisite? No, for he then will have need of the assistance of his faithful resurrected brethren, as he now has of faithful spirits.” (Heber C. Kimball, March 15, 1857, Journal of Discourses 4:294-295; emphasis added)
“I am pretty sure of one thing: we shall go to Jackson County, Missouri; that is, those who do right and honor their callings, doing what they have been told to do. You will be blessed, and you will see the day when Presidents [Brigham] Young, [Heber C.] Kimball, and [Daniel H.] Wells, and the Twelve Apostles will be in Jackson County, Missouri, laying out your inheritances. In the flesh? Of course. We should look well without being in the flesh! We shall be there in the flesh, and all our enemies cannot prevent it.
“Brother Wells, you may write that. You will be there, and Willard [Richards] will be there, and also Jedediah [M. Grant], and Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and David [W. Patten], and Parley [P. Pratt]; and the day will be when I will see those men in the general assembly of the Church of the First Born, in the great council of God in Jerusalem, too. Will we want you to be along? I heard Joseph say twice that Brother Brigham and I should be in that council in Jerusalem, when there should be a uniting of the two divisions of God’s government.” (Heber C. Kimball, April 7, 1861, Journal of Discourses 9:27)
Heber C. Kimball told the Saints in Nauvoo that “Joseph will be the first man who will rise from the dead, and then all men according to their proper order.” (History of the Church 7:340)
Brigham Young:
“If we ask who will stand at the head of the resurrection in this last dispensation, the answer is: Joseph Smith, Junior, the Prophet of God. He is the man who will be resurrected and receive the keys of the resurrection, and he will seal this authority upon others, and they will hunt up their friends and resurrect them when they shall have been officiated for, and bring them up.
“And we will have revelations to know our forefathers clear back to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples of God and officiate for them. Then man will be sealed to man until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene.” (Brigham Young, August 24, 1872, Journal of Discourses 15:138-139)
“Joseph Smith holds the keys of this last dispensation, and is now engaged behind the veil in the great work of the last days. . . . No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, Junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are. . . .
“He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation—the keys to rule in the spirit world; and he rules there triumphantly, for he gained full power and a glorious victory over the power of Satan while he was yet in the flesh, and was a martyr to his religion and to the name of Christ, which gives him a most perfect victory in the spirit world. He reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven.” (Brigham Young, October 9, 1859, Journal of Discourses 7:289)
“Will the Saints arise from the dead? Yes. Who will know it? But a few. When the resurrection commences, I say but few will know it; and allow me to inform you, when you have seen Joseph, and Hyrum, and Father Smith, and many others, risen from the dead, and you elders go abroad preaching, you will not tell the world of their resurrection, for they will not believe it.
“You may testify that Father Smith has arisen, that Joseph and Hyrum again possess their bodies; that they again live in the flesh, and they will laugh you to scorn, and persecute you to the death, if they have the power, for your testimony’s sake.
“Will the Saints rise from the dead before the world is converted? Yes. You may despair of ever seeing all creation converted to the Lord Jesus, or to the faith of the holy gospel. Will you see the resurrection? Yes, you will be in it, and enjoy it; you will be in the first resurrection. Will the world believe it, and know of it? They will not.” (Brigham Young, October 3, 1852, Millennial Star 16:594 and Deseret News, May 11, 1854)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
As noted during the series on the prophetic/history of the LDS restoration series, there is a past reader of the blog who leaned toward the LDS fundamentalist version of the gospel and church history. However he has informed me that he is concerned about the fruits he has experienced in his journey through LDS fundamentalism and is therefore reconsidering the historical narrative that I have presented over the years.
I am gratified that he is willing to revisit the historical/doctrinal issues and to consider the possibility that the gospel of Brigham Young is not congruent with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Fortunately, the Utah Mormons have attempted a course correction and since rejected many of the heresies that Brigham Young introduced into the church.
There continues to be debate as to how much involvement Joseph Smith may have had in some of the teachings that Brigham Young promoted. For the purposes of this post, we are only concerned with the legitimacy of the principle of LDS polygamy, not who the originator of it was.
I have written several articles on the topic of polygamy including the ones listed at the end of this post.
However there is a very significant nail in the coffin of the polygamy debate that I do not recall ever mentioning in a blog post so I thought I would do so at this time.
The story begins with the historical background behind Section 42 of the modern Doctrine and Covenants which is referred to as the “Law“.
Section 42 is actually a composite of several other earlier revelations.
“Church leaders first published the material considered the law as three chapters of the Book of Commandments (chapters 44, 46, and 47 ) with an additional revelation received in the middle by Joseph and Sidney which was included in Chapter 45. This material was later rearranged slightly, combining Chapters 44, and 47 to form what is now Section 42 of the LDS edition of the Doctrine and Covenants; Chapter 46 became what is now Section 43; and Chapter 45 has become Section. 44. (See Hearken Oh Ye People page 103 by Staker)
Few people realize this, some of the early revelations came as a result of questions that the elders were asking the Lord. Sadly, later editions of some of these revelations edited out the foundational questions of the elders which prompted the revelatory responses from the Lord. Knowing what the questions were gives greater clarity and historical background to the responses the Lord gave.
For instance, one of the questions asked in what became known as section 42 is-
“Shall the Church come to gether into one place or continue in seperate establishments?”
The following passages contained in section 42 were in answer to the above question from the elders-
Hearken oh ye Elders of my Church who have assembled yourselves together in my name even Jesus Christ the Son of the living God the Saveiour of the World in as much as they believe on my name & keep my Commandments again I say unto you hearken & hear & obey the Law which I shall give unto you for Verily I say as ye have assembled yourselves together according to <the> commandment wherewith I commanded you & are agreed as touching this one thing & have asked me <the Father> in my name even so ye shall receive
Behold verily I say unto you I give unto you this first commandment that [p. 62] ye shall go forth in my name every one of you excepting my servents Joseph & Sidney [Rigdon] & I give unto them a commandment that they shall go forth for a little Season & it shall be given by the power of my spirit when they shall retun return & ye shall go forth in the power of my spirit preaching my Gospel two by two in my name lifting up your voices as with the voice of a Trump declaring my word like unto Angels of God & ye shall go forth baptizing with water saying repent ye repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand & from this place ye shall go forth into the region westward & in as much as ye shall find my Deciples ye shall build up my Church in evry region until the time shall come when it shall be revealed unto you from on high & the city of the New Jerusalem shall be prepared that ye may be gethered in one that ye may be my people & I will be your God & again I say unto you that my servent Edward [Partridge] shall stand in the office wherewith I have appointed him & it shall come to pass that if he transgress another shall be appointed in his stead even so amen
As you can see, it is helpful to understand that the Lord was responding to questions from the Elders.
According to historian Mark Lyman Staker, another question-
“got right to the heart of the issue: asking,
‘[What is ] the Law regulating the Church in her present situation till the time o her gathering[?]
The answer was in the next two paragraphs (D&C 42 :11-69). The question contained the assumption that the law could change when the New Jerusalem was established and the gathering occurred; but an unpublished portion of the revelation clarified:
“These laws which ye have recd are sufficient for you both here + in the New Jerusalem”
Oh My Gosh!
There you have the answer to the polygamy question in one simple clarification from the Lord which was deleted out of the canonized version of the revelation!
One of the critical answers to one of the critical questions provided in the original revelations had to do with whether or not the law given in section 42, including the law of cleaving to just one wife, would eventually be replaced with a higher law in the future.
Just shortly after the Lord states in section 42 that “thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart & <shall> Cleave unto her & none else..” the Lord makes a clarifying declaration that cannot easily be misundersthood-
“These laws which ye have recd are sufficient for you both here + in the New Jerusalem” Josephsmithpapers)
Pretty clear cut don’t you think?
All of the laws given in Section 42, including the law of cleaving only to one wife, were laws that would be applicable to life in the New Jerusalem. There would not be a higher marital law than the law of monogamy that would eventually be revealed.
As if the above passage is not powerful enough, section 42 reveals that in 1831, the fulness of the gospel was on the earth and was contained in the Bible and the Book of Mormon
12 And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.
13 And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit.
14 And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.
If the fulness of the gospel was on the earth in 1831, how can it become even fuller by changing the law of marriage?
Have you ever tried to reconcile the heretical narrative in section 132 out of the Bible and the Book of Mormon?
It cannot be done.
So much for the theory that the law of monogamy was only a temporary lesser law that needed to eventually be upgraded to a higher law once the saints were to gather to the New Jerusalem.
The above passages reveal that Section 132 is a false revelation.
It is remarkable how the Lord allowed certain very significant parts of the prophetic text to be obscured so that abominations could occur in the church and yet, the evidence was preserved and is still recoverable for those of us who are seeking to connect all of the pieces of the puzzle.
Praise God
The Spirit of Whoredoms hath caused them to err
CELIBACY, the Doctrine of Marriage & the Shaker Connection
the Unrestrained Pondering and Pontifications of a Heretic”
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Lots of really astounding things are in the works by people who are supposedly sincerely concerned about us and want to protect us from this evil pandemic.
After-all, it is apparently scheduled to be a cyclical and seasonal and ever morphing scourge; one that will continue to cycle in waves upon humanity for the rest of eternity.
Clearly, if the horrifying vision being created and promoted by the mainstream media is accurate, life as we have known it will never be the same.
Thanks to citizen journalists, we know that while the media was hysterically hyping a drama that does not exist, most major hospitals were virtually empty.
But the hype, hysteria and assault on human rights continues. For instance, in a Forbes article on March 18th, Bill Gates is calling for a national tracking system for Coronavirus that will track everyone to make sure that each and every one of us are complying with future government mandated “lockdowns” and “quarantines”. Ref
A related article on tellihub reported:
On March 18, outspoken eugenicist Bill Gates participated in an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) event on Reddit entitled, “I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation AMA about COVID-19.” And during this event, Gates openly admitted to the world that the agenda moving forward is to vaccinate every person on the planet with coronavirus vaccines as well as track them with Mark of the Beast-type “digital certificates.”
Another article reports that Google and Microsoft have entered into an agreement to create an ap that will track everyone that has tested positive so that we can all stay away from each other. ref
Also concerned about each and everyone of us is Dr Mike Ryan, a health official at the World Health Organization who has warned that most of the transmission of the virus is now happening in the household rather than in society. Because of this he says that authorities may have to enter peoples homes and remove family members by force, who have tested positive for the virus.
It is becoming apparent that the most dangerous thing a person can do for their health and wellbeing is to agree to be tested for the virus. Doing so can result in being put on lists that will haunt you for the rest of your life and result in additional restrictions of your constitutional rights and civil liberties. But authorities are warning that without mass testing, the Coronavirus will keep spreading. Ref
I have previously documented the fact that healthcare officials have been mandated by the CDC and world health officials to fabricate and exaggerate the numbers of cases and deaths related to Coronavirus being reported.
This is accomplished in multiple ways.
One is to use a false test that does not even test specifically for the Covid-19 virus.
I have been challenged regarding this. Some people seem to think that the current testing does test specifically for the so-called Covid-19 strain of virus.
I disagree.
It is my understanding that the test basically
a) detects the toxicity level of genetic material to indicate the probable presence of viruses in it, without providing definitive proof that a virus is present or
b) tests genetic material that definitely has virus in it but the test is not capable of specifically identifying the Covid-19 strain.
Case in point, here is a statement made by someone who works in the medical field who seems to agree with what Icke said. He says that the test cannot identify Covid-19 specifically:
I work in the healthcare field. Here’s the problem, we are testing people for any strain of a Coronavirus. Not specifically for COVID-19. There are no reliable tests for a specific COVID-19 virus.
There are no reliable agencies or media outlets for reporting numbers of actual COVID-19 virus cases. This needs to be addressed first and foremost. Every action and reaction to COVID-19 is based on totally flawed data and we simply can not make accurate assessments.
This is why you’re hearing that most people with COVID-19 are showing nothing more than cold/flu like symptoms. That’s because most Coronavirus strains are nothing more than cold/flu like symptoms. The few actual novel Coronavirus cases do have some worse respiratory responses, but still have a very promising recovery rate, especially for those without prior issues.
The ‘gold standard’ in testing for COVID-19 is laboratory isolated/purified coronavirus particles free from any contaminants and particles that look like viruses but are not, that have been proven to be the cause of the syndrome known as COVID-19 and obtained by using proper viral isolation methods and controls (not the PCR that is currently being used or Serology /antibody tests which do not detect virus as such).
PCR basically takes a sample of your cells and amplifies any DNA to look for ‘viral sequences’, i.e. bits of non-human DNA that seem to match parts of a known viral genome.
The problem is the test is known not to work.
It uses ‘amplification’ which means taking a very very tiny amount of DNA and growing it exponentially until it can be analyzed. Obviously any minute contaminations in the sample will also be amplified leading to potentially gross errors of discovery.
Additionally, it’s only looking for partial viral sequences, not whole genomes, so identifying a single pathogen is next to impossible even if you ignore the other issues.
Here is another article making the same claim-
The New Coronavirus Outbreak, COVID-19, Sounds Menacing and Is
The Mickey Mouse test kits being sent out to hospitals, at best, tell analysts you have some viral DNA in your cells. Which most of us do, most of the time. It may tell you the viral sequence is related to a specific type of virus – say the huge family of coronavirus. But that’s all. The idea these kits can isolate a specific virus like COVID-19 is nonsense. REF
Another way of inflating statistics is by assuming that everyone that has not been tested has Coronavirus until they are proven not to have it.
Lastly, it is accomplished by leaving each person who tests positive on the list of infected patients.
A shocking recent revelation about this comes from an interview with an ICU nurse in Utah who has spilled the beans about what a joke the reporting protocol really is.
Here are some of the significant snippets from her remarks:
“We can’t disclose this technically to ANYONE.. or you are breaking FEDERAL LAW”…
all patients are “considered Covid until it is ruled out”..
“you basically treat the patient as if they have it until you find out that they don’t”..
“once they are ruled out, they don’t say, ‘oh never mind, scratch that number.. the number stays!”..
Imagine that. Even after they have medically determined that a patient is not infected, they still remain in the statistics of those who are infected. This really helps to inflate numbers and panic.
This interview provides a real eye opener from a healthcare insider who has spent 30 years as a nurse. She testifies of the insanity that is taking place in the healthcare industry with regard to how they are inflating the number of cases and deaths related to the Coronavirus.
She tells of an elderly person who is on hospice and within weeks of dying. Nevertheless, the healthcare professionals in their infinite wisdom tested the dying woman to see if she had the virus.
Why? Exclaims the nurse.
That person who was in the process of dying before the outbreak, became a coronavirus death statistic.
The testimony of the above ICU nurse is confirmed by multiple sources including this one
Financial Conflict of Interest
Several weeks ago I turned to Mrs Watcher and said that I suspected that hospitals were being incentivized to report Covid-19 cases and deaths.
Voila! We have just learned that thanks to the CARES Act we are incentivizing hospitals and providing a real conflict of interest- The White House says it will use 100 Billion to reimburse hospitals to treat uninsured Americans for coronavirus. The Act also increases Medicare reimbursement for Covid-19 patients by 20%
Bottomline, hospitals get more money if they classify a death as a coronavirus death.
Wall street Benefits from the Pandemic while Main Street Suffers
“On Main Street today, people are getting wiped out. Right now, rich CEOs are not, boards that have horrible governance are not. People are.”
— Chamath Palihapitiya
Appearing Thursday on CNBC’s “Fast Money Halftime Report” Palihapitiya said the U.S. shouldn’t be bailing out billionaires and hedge funds when it’s the people on Main Street who are the ones actually getting hurt.
by Ben-McClintock on Mar 24, 2020 in Communism, conspiracy, Constitution, Liberty Analysis, Tyranny
In the latest version of congressional stimulus bills that aim to alleviate suffering from the fake pandemic, a Federal Reserve mandatory digital currency has been introduced according to Ben-McClinock. What does this mean for our everyday lives?
Forbes article referenced https://bit.ly/3ah563V
St Louis Fed’s Bullard pitches universal daily COVID-19 to help restore economy’s heath
Clearly the web of personalities involved in the worlds biggest scam is wide and deep. We know that ultimately, the main person behind all of this is Scratch. We also know that Scratch has minions in the shadows and that those behind these secret orders are seldom identified as the primary perpetrators.
There is an interesting presentation by John Martin about Dr. Tedros Adhanom. Adhanom is the Director General of the World Health Organization, one the most prolific players on the world stage, in putting the entire world one lockdown.
This information can be found on crowdsourcethetruth
There is now a petition that 752,457 people have signed calling for the resignation of Tedros Adhanom
No Accountability for People like Dr. Fauchi
and Government Leaders that have Overreacted
It is now becoming apparent that the overreaction to this crisis by healthcare professionals and government leaders could ultimately result in the total loss of civil liberties, the collapse of the global economy and possibly the total collapse of civilization as we know it.
Admittedly, we are getting mixed messages from different directions. President Trump has indicated that he is anxious to restart the economy as soon after April as possible yet other world leaders are talking about taking 18 months to do so.
We now know that the initial justification for this gross overreaction was based an a few selected “models” that projected ginormous casualties from the so-called epidemic.
Although many models had been created by various organizations, the models with the most sensational and catastrophic projections are the ones that were chosen to be used by leading officials.
This begs two questions.
First, are these officials in healthcare, government and media who have worked in concert to do the fearmongering and implement draconian laws and mandates to bring us to where we are today treasonous conspirators with an agenda, or just incompetent idiots?
Secondly, will any of these a#%holes ever be held accountable for their massive overreaction?
The first question will be addressed at a later time.
Regarding the second question, Fox News recently interviewed the infamous Dr. Anthony Fauci and asked him about the erroneous models that he and others used to base their recommendations and protocols on.
Fox News Interviewer: I’d like to start with the question of these models which are now getting a lot of pushback in terms of
their reliability when the numbers have
swung you know 33 percent in just a
couple of days what do you say to Andy
McCarthy who wrote that piece?
[ The interviewer was referring to an article written about the erroneous models. The article is titled “COVID-19 Projection Models Are Proving to be Unreliable” ]
Response from Dr Anthony Fauchi
” Well I mean there’s a certain validity to it, I have been and still am and will always be somewhat reserved and skeptical about models because models are only as good as the assumptions that you put into the model and those assumptions that start off when you don’t have very much data at all or the data that you have is uncertain that you put these assumptions in and you get these wide ranges of calculations of what might happen
you know a hundred thousand to two hundred and forty thousand deaths but then as you start to accumulate data, data that’s real data, are likely being influenced heavily by the mitigation programs that you put into physical separations that when real data comes in then data in my mind always trump’s any model and you have to modify the model and the assumptions as you get data in so I have no problem with people who are critical of modeling because modeling is inherently an imperfect science so I don’t really have any quibbling with that and you just got to make sure as you collect real data you rely more on the data than you do on a model ”
Seriously?
That’s it?
Fauci casually and unapologetically notes that you cannot trust models and that he has always been and always will be skeptical of models because they are based on false assumptions from insufficient data and they represent imperfect science!!!
Hmm.
There is no concern or apology for the fact that he and his comrades were able to trust and use those erroneous models to cause government leaders to make humongous mistakes that have brought us to the brink of disaster.
Further, the governments that have acted so irresponsibly continue to downplay the significance of the false models and they continue to move in the draconian direction as if all of the erroneous models were valid.
This is nothing less than insanity!
Here is an excellent piece done by Ingraham about what this event is teaching us about so-called experts
Fauci and Trump and their associates should be apologetically hiding under a rock right now for what they have done and what they continue to do.
Regarding the responses of some, it brings to mind the parable of the kings new clothes.
Regarding the responses of others, it brings to mind the New Testament passage wherein God warned that in the end times he would send strong delusion upon those that believe not the truth.
“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
I am certainly not trying to put all of the blame on to Dr. Fauci or President Trump. It is still not clear if they are treasonous conspirators or just incompetent idiots. China, the WHO, the CDC and all of the organizations that the secret cult runs are all involved in varying degrees.
There is a VERY SERIOUS ILLNESS that is NOT a Virus
While the general problem that we are facing regarding the pandemic is extremely sensationalize and mischaracterized and supported by inflated statistics, and does not justify shutting down the economy, there is a very dangerous and real sickness at the root of this hidden in all of the smoke and mirrors that we have been witnessing.
It appears as if up to 95% of the so-called Covid-19 cases are either miscategorized or simply non-critical sicknesses exhibiting flu-like effects. However, there are a very small total number of cases that are extremely deadly.
The shocking reality is that this deadly disease that caused the initial panic is not even a virus!
Thanks to a heroic ER doctor, it is now coming to light that the deadly disease is an oxygen-blood problem not an oxygen-respiratory– problem.
Why does it matter?
Because the current protocol of putting people in critical condition on ventilators is the wrong protocol and it is killing the patients.
The average mortality rate of people put on ventilators is between 40-50%, however, the average mortality rate of those classified as Covid-19 cases that are put on ventilators is 80%!
The remarkable doctors that have realized this are beginning to change the protocol and starting to simply provide oxygen masks instead of ventilators.
In fact, a small study took five critically ill patients and placed them in hyperbaric oxygen chambers and all of them recovered quite quickly. It appears as if ventilators would have made their situation worse and possibly killed them.
Listen Closely to the two videos involving Cameron Kyle-Sidell, MD, an emergency room and critical care doctor at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. He is the hero that went public first. Others are now following.
The first interview was his warning to the world of what he had discovered about the misdiagnosed disease, after he had been relieved of his duties by the hospital administration.
“this condition is nothing I have ever seen before”
“our therapies are not working”
“Some are questioning whether this is a lung disease causing blood problems or a blood disease causing lungs problems.”
“People are dying of a disease that we don’t understand”
“even young people are dying of a disease that does not make sense to us”.
“this is a new disease that will require new therapies”
The second video was an interview with him by John Whyte, MD at WebMD
For the those that don’t want to watch the video, here is a synopsis:
April 7, 2020 — As doctors treat more patients who are severely ill from COVID-19, they’re noticing differences in how their lungs are damaged.
Some patients coming to the hospital have very low oxygen levels in their blood, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it from talking to them. They don’t seem starved of oxygen. They may be a little confused. But they aren’t struggling to breathe.
When doctors take pictures of their lungs — either with a CT scanner or an X-ray machine — those also look fairly healthy. The lungs may have a few areas of cloudiness and crazing, indicating spots of damage from their infection, but most of the lung is black, indicating that it is filled with air.
One doctor treating COVID-19 patients in New York says it was like altitude sickness. It was “as if tens of thousands of my fellow New Yorkers are stuck on a plane at 30,000 feet and the cabin pressure is slowly being let out. These patients are slowly being starved of oxygen,” said Cameron Kyle-Sidell, MD, an emergency room and critical care doctor at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn who has been posting about his experience on social media.
“A whole bunch of these patients really have low oxygen, but their lungs don’t look all that bad,” says Todd Bull, MD, director for the Center of Lungs and Breathing at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, in Aurora.
Doctors in Italy have noticed the same thing. And in some cases, that might mean patients need to be treated a little differently to ensure the best outcome.
In an editorial in the journal Intensive Care Medicine, Luciano Gattinoni, MD, a guest professor of anesthesia and intensive care at the University of Gottingen in Germany, and one of the world’s experts in mechanical ventilation, says more than half the patients he and his colleagues have treated in Northern Italy have had this unusual symptom. They seem to be able to breathe just fine, but their oxygen is very low.
According to Gattinoni, about 30% of COVID-19 patients who come to the hospital have more classic symptoms of acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. Their lungs are cloudy on imaging scans, and they’re stiff and inflamed, showing that they aren’t working well. The patients also have low levels of oxygen in their blood, and they are struggling to breathe. They look like patients with severe pneumonia caused by a virus. This is the type of lung trouble doctors are more used to seeing with respiratory diseases like influenza and SARS.
Gattinoni says doctors need to pay attention to how COVID-19 has affected the lungs and breathing of each patient they’re treating before deciding on treatment. Patients with more classic ARDS-type COVID-19 often need mechanical ventilation right away, which forces air into the lungs to increase oxygen.
Patients with respiratory failure who can still breathe OK, but have still have very low oxygen, may improve on oxygen alone, or on oxygen delivered through a lower pressure setting on a ventilator.
Gattinoni thinks the trouble for these patients may not be swelling and stiffening of their lung tissue, which is what happens when an infection causes pneumonia. Instead, he thinks the problem may lie in the intricate web of blood vessels in the lungs.
Normally, when lungs become damaged, the vessels that carry blood through the lungs so it can be re-oxygenated constrict, or close down, so blood can be shunted away from the area that’s damaged to an area that’s still working properly. This protects the body from a drop in oxygen.
Gattinoni thinks some COVID-19 patients can’t do this anymore. So blood is still flowing to damaged parts of the lungs. People still feel like they’re taking good breaths, but their blood oxygen is dropping all the same.
This problem with the blood vessels is similar to what happens in a condition called high-altitude pulmonary edema, or HAPE, says Bull.
HAPE patients recover when you bring them down from a high altitude and give them oxygen. They are sometimes also placed on ventilators and treated with medicines including diuretics to remove fluid that’s flooded their lungs. More research is needed to know if any of those strategies may help COVID-19 patients. Steroids, in particular, have not been shown to help with ARDS and may make it worse.
“Is it possible that there’s a problem with how the blood vessels regulate blood flow? That is, I guess, a possibility, which would be different than what we usually see in ARDS,” Bull says.
“This is just a hypothesis at this point. It has to be proven,” he says.
It’s also important to note that patients with relatively normal-looking lungs can progress to ARDS as the virus attacks their lung tissue, Gattinoni says.
He says these patients with more normal-looking lungs, but low blood oxygen, may also be especially vulnerable to ventilator-associated lung injury, where pressure from the air that’s being forced into the lungs damages the thin air sacs that exchange oxygen with the blood.
In normal breathing, our lungs expand because of negative pressure. A large thin muscle at the bottom of the lungs, called the diaphragm, pulls down and our lungs expand to fill the increased space. But ventilators work by forcing air into the lungs, which is positive pressure, like what happens when you blow up a balloon. These machines can help people whose lungs have become too weak to work, but they can also cause damage because they force the lung to work in a way it wasn’t designed to.
“When those pressures get too high, you can cause trauma to those little air sacs. Those are very fragile,” says Michael Mohning, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist at National Jewish Health in Denver.
Gattinoni says putting a patient like this on a ventilator under too high a pressure may cause lung damage that ultimately looks like ARDS.
So he cautions that doctors need to be aware of the COVID-19 patients’ symptoms and need to use the ventilator carefully and sparingly. Ref Also Is Protocol-Driven COVID-19 Ventilation Doing More Harm Than Good?
As you can see, there small pockets of people that really are getting a life-threatening sickness, however, it appears that the description of the disease and protocol being provided by the WHO is wrong and resulting in disastrous results.
*5*-*G*
It is remarkable that even though this mysterious illness is NOT a virus and even though it is a NEW MYSTERIOUS DISEASE THAT RESULTS IN OXYGEN PROBLEMS. People refuse to believe that it could be caused by the implementation of **5** **G** radiation.
The following video shows why some experts are asking governments to slow down the proliferation of this technology pending further investigation:
Here is a warning from Dr. Gabriel Cousens –
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To read the remainder of the article click here.
Another Industry Insider Has Contacted Me
As you know, a scientist who is a long-time reader of this blog contacted me the other day to share his perspective on some of these issues.
As it turns out, he is in a field that directly relates to this topic. He is “personally part of an effort .. to develop antibody therapies (not vaccines) for what is called ‘passive antibody transfer’ or ‘passive immunization'”.
He has actually written a paper on the topic that will be published in the near future.
(Personally I am rooting for his research because I think that method of creating treatments is far more safer and effective than some other methods of creating man-made vaccines. Sadly, the current situation is making blood and plasma supplies very low)
If you did not see his first three comments that I kept updating the last post with, you should consult the last post as it has been updated with his comments. Be sure to refresh.
He actually contacted me a fourth and fifth time and I feel that some of his observations and personal opinions and the shared opinions of his fellow scientists are so profound and revealing that I want to provide them in this post instead of using them to update the last post.
To give you a little backstory on his initial comment below, I had asked him somethings about investing in a certain company that has secured an exclusive contract with the US government. His opening comments related to my question.
Here is what he had to say-
In all seriousness, I suspect the stock remains low because the big investors who watch the plasma industry have some concerns about the strength of the plasma supply.
We rely on folks coming into the donor centers to give plasma, and if people are afraid to come out, or more nefariously, are locked down, then they will not give plasma.
Apparently the stock dropped when we started seeing stay-at-home orders, and not even an announcement like today was strong enough to pull the big investors in immediately.
I bet they bide their time a little to see how viable to plasma supply is, then start to come back when they see some of these restrictions lifted………..if they get lifted !
If you were in Hawaii and maybe even Florida, you’d be thrown in jail for a year for violating a quarantine order. Martial law, my friend, martial law.
Believe me, there are some of us in this field, and some of these guys are really smart and high level, that don’t understand the response here. We feel that Fauci is caught between a rock and hard place, and he made some mistakes early on that put him there.
Because, from what I know of him, he’s a pretty reasonable guy. But in his ‘infinite wisdom’, which a lot of so-called scientists have, he mistakenly inflated outcomes. Perhaps he was persuaded by early projections (like you said with the guy at Imperial College) and is trying to limit the government’s liability, or maybe he is someone’s pawn. Either way, I don’t think he is intentionally complicit, but he certainly has been made a tool by somebody. If he were to go back on his stance, then the media would crucify him.
Incredible.
My friend and many of his fellow scientists are baffled at the overreaction by top level medical and political figures. It simply does not make sense what they have done and how they have overreacted to the mysterious sickness.
They speculate that after making the wrong projections and encouraging the government to overreact to the situation, they are now caught between a rock and a hard spot because they need to limit the governments liability (and frankly their own) for this overreaction.
My friend continued-
One major problem here is that the media puts out this false message that if we just do what people tell us, we can stop the spread of the virus. They only tell anecdotes, not holistic or high-level views.
If any one dies, then the system has failed or is flawed. Bullshit. We will not stop this, it is here, has probably been here for longer than we realize, and pretty much everybody will get it in the end. Much like the flu. Cannot stop it. No need to stop it. People will die, and honestly, in my opinion, people should die.
That’s what humans do, we die. Unless you are translated. Why are we so afraid of death? We spend so much damn money and effort trying to extend life, even when that life is low quality, that we forget that we were meant to die. I say, bring COVID-19 on so that the majority of us, and the population as a whole, can develop immunity.
People will not die to any real extent that is problematic. We should do reasonable things to slow the hospitalization rate of susceptible persons so that we don’t overwhelm the medical system in specific locales, but it seems that the media is attempting to turn neighbor against neighbor by ‘shaming’ people who disagree with the militant countermeasures.
Like I said, they live in a fantasy world where nobody is supposed to die. This is so incredibly frustrating to watch.
Interestingly, the High Wire just interviewed mathematician Knut M. Wittkowski PHD who has spend decades studying pandemics.
He agrees with my scientist friend.
And he said that if the administration would have simply done nothing, the pandemic would be over by now, ( I believe with with fewer causalities).
He believes that the efforts to slow the pandemic down have backfired on us.
To see this interview and nearly 2 ½ hours of other pertinent information click on this link
So where does this leave us?
Are we to be fearful?
No.
God repeatedly commands us to “fear not”
We are to walk in faith doing the best that we can and trusting in God. Beyond that, we just let the chips fall where they may.
How does the song go?
“And should we die before our journey’s through, Happy day! All is well!”
All of this is a sign of the times indicating that the appointed time of the return of God’s servants is near.
In the next post we shall observe numerous things that coincide with this event, possibly indicating that our deliverance is nigh.
Keep Watching
Recent articles
A ‘Liberty’ Rebellion in Idaho Threatens to Undermine Coronavirus Orders
Preparing for a “Hinge Point” Moment in Time.
The Vision of Gail Smith – and the Dilemma of the Remnant Movement
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
A few days ago I got a comment from someone responding to my post about Trump tweeting that we should not allow the cure to be worse than the disease.
She referenced a vision of Gail Smith:
Trump tweet 23 March 2020
Interpreted as
The 15 days from 1st Utah quake 18 March 2020 that made Moroni drop trumpet to 2 April 2020 next big quake 15 days latter as Interpreted in Gail Smith Vision.?
She appears to be providing an inspired declaration (speculation) that the first earthquake in Gail’s vision of many years ago just took place on March 18th.
It appears as she feels the dropping of the trumpet is some kind of sign that this is the specific earthquake was the first in the two part sequence mentioned in Gails vision.
Further, she points out that 15 days later the second great earthquake will take place on April 2nd, if in fact Gail’s vision is correct and if in fact the first earthquake in the vision is the one that took place on March 18th.
I don’t have a speculation to offer as to whether we will have a major earthquake in Utah on April 2nd.
Obviously, it won’t take long to see if her interpretation of the prophecy comes to pass.
I must admit that the dropping of the trumpet by Moroni seems somewhat providential.
After all, according to the revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth, the “sound of a trump” is used both literally and figuratively in scripture to represent and identify the exact time when God’s earthly servants and heavenly angels will declare a multitude of things.
Included in the sounding of trumps narratives in scripture is the time when God’s servants will return to declare the gospel message, cry repentance, give the voice of judgment and mercy, declare the truth of the revelations and commandments given to Joseph Smith, and deliver the VOICE OF WARING.
Yet we have a dilemma.
The men who own the statute of Moroni and the temple it sits one, and are responsible to take the Book of Mormon to the world and claim to be God’s authorized servants, do not deliver the voice of warning in power the way that the scriptures detail that they should.
Because of this, they seem to have dropped the ball in their supposed claim of being God’s authorized watchmen on the wall. In other words, the implication is that the trumpet that represents the sounding of the gospel and the voice of warning has been dropped.
Was the dropping of the trumpet by Moroni a message to us from God or just a random event?
I don’t know.
There are countless interpretations that could be superimposed upon the dropping of the trumpet.
Isaiah looked at our day and the modern church and exclaimed that:
“His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”
The time when the final voice of warning goes forth to the entire world for the last time is clearly delineated in the following passages in section 1:
4 And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
5 And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.
6 Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth.
7 Wherefore, fear and tremble, O ye people, for what I the Lord have decreed in them shall be fulfilled.
8 And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious;
9 Yea, verily, to seal them up unto the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure—
10 Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.
11 Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear:
12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;
13 And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth.
14 And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;
As you can see, when the final voice of warning is declared it will be done with POWER.
So much POWER that nobody can stop them.
No Godless political regime will be able to stop the voice of warning and prevent them in any way from delivering their message of warning and gathering God’s people
Ruthless communist dictatorships will not stop them.
Not even the mandates from so-called democratic government officials and healthcare professionals enforced by law enforcement and the military.
However it is possible that when the servants first return, they will not go forth in power at the beginning of their final ministry. It could start out slowly before the fulness of power is manifest as a test, to see if people will believe their claims and the scripture they bring forth.
By the way, if Satan and his minions knew in advance when the true servants of the Lord were about to make their appearance, don’t you think they would engineer some kind of pretext for taking away civil liberties and limiting gatherings and having public meetings?
Back in the days of Joseph Smith, public gatherings were instrumental in getting the word out quickly. In our times the Internet and other technologies enable the word to spread much quicker, however, all of those technologies could be shut down overnight.
It is interesting however that the D&C implies that when the marvelous work begins, the message may go forth discreetly from neighbor to neighbor:
“let your preaching be the warning voice, every man to his neighbor,..” and “and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.”
The last voice of warning by the true servants of the Lord will ultimately sober people up and get their attention. It will cause people to fear and tremble.
The true servants will be sealing up both the righteous and the wicked when they go forth. That is not being done by the current missionaries or the current leadership of the church who claim apostolic authority.
But enough about Moroni dropping his trump. Read into that anything you will or even just consider it to be a coincidence that it happened during this time of great fear of a plague.
Let us turn our attention to the significance of the prophecies and visions given by Gail Smith and other similar self proclaimed visionaries.
I have previously blogged about the so-called remnant movement that follows the teachings and claims and visions of the following self proclaimed luminaries:
1- The writings of Avraham Gileadi
2- Podcasts, talks and writings of Mike Stroud
3- Selected writings and talks of Ezra Taft Benson
4- The Book titled “Visions of Glory” by John Pontius
5- The dreams, visions and writings by Sarah Menet
6- The dreams, visions and writings of Julie Rowe
7- The dreams, visions, writings and lectures of Mechelle (Shelle) McDermott
8- A collection of hundreds of other visions which have been collected and published by Roger K. Young.
I suppose I could have included Gail Smith in the above listing when I wrote the article because I consider Gail Smith’s revelatory spirit to be classed among the same spirit as the people listed above.
However, Gail is in a sub-category of her own because she is no longer a member of the church and is no longer using her revelatory mantle to tell people to put their faith in the arm of flesh and follow the leaders of the church. Nevertheless, I see the same problem with her visions as I see with the visions of Sarah Menet, Julie Rowe and Mechelle McDermott.
What is the problem I see with their visions of earthquakes, famine, pestilence, disease and wars?
The problem I see is that none of their visions incorporate or interrelate with or even acknowledge the coming restoration and the return of God’s servants as spoken of in scripture. All of them assume that the last restoration and marvelous work began about 200 years ago. None of their visions of destruction inform us that we are all in apostasy and need to prepare ourselves to repent.
Let me ask you a question.
Which is more important and essential to being spiritually prepared for the events of the last days, the knowledge that great temporal calamities and tribulations are coming, or the knowledge that we need to repent and prepare ourselves to received the fulness of the gospel and priesthood when God’s servants return?
The answer should be obvious.
Anyone can claim to have had a vision of coming tribulations and they will probably be right since those things have already been declared in scripture.
This is why it really has very little significance to me as to whether or not there will be an earthquake on April 2nd. That knowledge does not prepare people for the most important end times event that is about to take place.
After the commenter her comment about the Gail Smith prophecy, she later returned and made the following comments:
“I read Gail Smith Vision in 2001when i left the church.
It now fits the Spring early morning Quake March timeframe of 2020 Economic Collapse on 8 March. Gregory Mannarino youtube confirmed collapse with 2 video on 9th March
8th March Economic Collapse to 18 March Quake Utah is 10 days. 18 March to 2 April Quake is 15 day period.
Take Care. And God Bless The Latter Day Saints. May God bring you through the Storm in safety
Gails Smiths Vision Website Ref Nofearpreps
“Within 10 days of the economic collapse we have the first earthquake affecting Utah which takes place early in the morning, about 4 or 5 am.”
“The second earthquake affecting Utah takes place about 15 days after the first and also takes place in the early morning around 4 or 5 am. This earthquake is like the world has never seen and affects a much larger area than just Utah.”
What exactly is someone expected to do with the above information? How does it help them to repent and prepare themselves spiritually for what is about to take place?
From a temporal perspective, are Utahn’s supposed to flee from Utah on April 1st to avoid destruction? Are they supposed to seek cover under the kitchen table at 4 AM on April 2nd ?
Is that the significance of the vision?
Why would the Lord warn of impending doom if no instructions are given?
From a spiritual preparation perspective, Gail has apparently left the church (or been excommunicated from it) so her message does not really direct people to follow the brethren nor does it give any spiritual guidance as to what to do.
In the case of any fulfillment of prophetic visions and dreams of Sarah, Julie, and Mechelle, their advice is to follow the prophet of the LDS church because they seem to be oblivious to the fact that we are all in apostasy and that the Marvelous Work has not started yet and that when it does, the true servants of God will return to the vineyard to cry repentance and gather the elect.
So here is the $64 question, should a person gain credibility as truly having the spirit of prophecy and truly being a servant of the Lord if in fact they have a prophetic vision that comes to pass, even if it only causes confusion and distress, or worse, causes people to put their faith in the arm of flesh and false prophets rather than the true servants?
I don’t think so.
Scripture informs us that there will be people who give prophecies that will be fulfilled even though they are not true servants of the Lord. Hence the sobering reminder in JST Matthew 7:
“And many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name; and in thy name cast out devils; and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I say, Ye never knew me; depart from me ye that work iniquity.”
PS I want to thank the commenter for referring to Gregory Mannarino.
I really enjoy his commentary on the economy and think he is quite informed about it. He obviously knows something since he liquidated his stocks just before the recent 30% drop in the stock market.
The following YouTube of his contains some really good information about the economy.
BTW his very last bit of advice during the last few minutes of the youtube contains the most important advice that he gives and it is not financial advice.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
In January of 1847, just a few years after the succession crisis, Brigham Young and his associates crafted a revelation that gave his followers directions on how to migrate west.
It was a somewhat eclectic revelation employing good old fashion common sense and morality, mingled with Old Testament lingo, referring to the saints as the “Camp of Israel“.
That phrase is used about six times in the Old Testament. It was used in Exodus when God’s people were Journeying from Egypt to the promised land.
Interestingly, the saints of the restoration were doing just the opposite. They were leaving the promised land and going into the wilderness of Utah.
The revelation began by claiming to be-
“The word and will of the Lord concerning the Comp of Israel in their Journeyings to the West”
One of the themes of the revelation had to do with being honest and fair with each other and returning borrowed things that did not belong to you.
One proclamation that had particular significance to those involved in the secret polygamy brotherhood was “covet not that which is thy brothers..”. A few of them had already learned hard lessons in Nauvoo regarding that little temptation.
At times the revelation read as if it was a group petition or agreement being offered up to the Lord-
“And this shall be our covenant, that we will walk in the ordinances of the Lord..”
At other times the text sounded as if the Lord himself was speaking directly to the people.
“I am the Lord your God, even the God of you fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. I am he who led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.”
Even though the majority of the revelation was directed at common sense directives about the migratioin, it takes on a prophetic tone in parts in which the following proclamations and assurances were given
“Go thy way and do as I have told you, and fear not thine enemies; for they shall not have power to stop my work.
Zion shall be redeemed in mine own due time..
..My people must be tried in all things, (compare with D&C 101:4-5) that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom..
..For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite, and to the condemnation of the ungodly.
Thy brethren have rejected you and your testimony, even the nation that has driven you out;
And now cometh the day of their calamity, even the days of sorrow, like a woman that is taken in travail; and their sorrow shall be great unless they speedily repent, yea, very speedily.
For they killed the prophets, and them that were sent unto them; and they have shed innocent blood, which crieth from the ground against them.
According to the revelation, the saints were going to temporarily go to “a land of peace“. With the context already given in revelation, the saints would only be in this land of peace until it was time for Zion to be redeemed. Following that, the saints would return from the wilderness of Utah to the Land of Zion which had been designated as the land where the gathering would take place by the Lord.
For the next 30 years Brigham Young would continually remind the saints that they would eventually return to Missouri to build up the land of Zion from which they had fled.
Sometime between the death of Brigham Young and the present, the “land of peace” in the Salt Lake Valley that the saints had fled to from Zion, mystically became Zion and future generations of Mormons would grow up thinking that the Wasatch front was Zion.
With this reversal, new converts of the church were indoctrinated to believe that the that they were actually gathering to the land of Zion in Utah. Eventually the concept of needing to gather to any particular place in the world was expunged from church doctrine. The new belief among many Mormons was that any stake of Zion anywhere in the world was Zion and that there was no need to gather in the future. Zion had now mystically become any place where a group of saints were.
One of the reasons that Brigham Young allowed the building of the Salt Lake Temple to take so long is because he did not really expect or necessarily want it to be completed before the saints returned to Missouri. The building of the temple simply provided a worthy cause for people to focus on in the meantime.
The revelation that Brigham produced in Winter Quarters no doubt encouraged the saints and undoubtedly led them to believe that the revelatory mantle that Joseph Smith had enjoyed had now fallen on Brigham, similar to how the mantled of Elijah had been transferred to Elisha.
Interestingly, Brigham Young would never canonize another thus sayeth the Lord revelation that came through him for the remainder of his life.
Nonetheless, this article will contend that Brigham Young, with the help and support of some of his brethren, including Orson Pratt, was instrumental in canonizing an astounding number of revelatory messages just before he died.
Whether or not Brigham and his brethren fully understood the full significance of the revelatory insertions or whether they did so unwittingly through the providence of God, I will leave up to the reader to determine.
The year was 1876 and the latest version of the Doctrine and Covenants was to be published. The changes that had been made were done by Orson Pratt under the direction of President Young.
Again, it is not clear who all the players were that were involved and what their agendas were.
I also want to make it clear that some of the “revlelations” that were inserted, are of questionable credibilty and they were obviously included with the intent to do replace some of the true doctrines of the restoration with heretical one.
Nevertheless, the purpose of this post is to focus on the truly revelatory insertions.
Again, although Brigham Young did not have any revelations to insert that he had personally received, he did commission Orson Pratt to canonize 26 revelations that would be new entries to the Doctrine and Covenants.
Oddly enough, virtually all of these revelations and/or historical events or teachings of Joseph Smith which were being repurposed as “revelations”, had emerged during Josephs life. They all involved Joseph Smith and all could have been included in the Doctrine and Covenants by Joseph Smith had he wanted to include them.
I don’t point that out to suggest that the content wasn’t worthy of canonization, I believe overwhelmingly that most of it probably was, although there was no “thus sayeth the Lord” commandment to canonize these revelations.
I mention these things to alert the reader to the fact that certain truly revelatory things pertaining to church history that were to be hidden during Joseph’s 15 year public ministry, were now ordained to be brought to light and added to the official canon of scripture for future generations to deconstruct.
I am going to suggest that Joseph Smith intentionally did not canonize certain revelations even though he possibly expected them to be canonized in the future. I speculate that he did this because certain things were to remain hidden, probably at the bequest of God.
Many of revelations added to the Doctrine and Covenants under the direction of Brigham Young, had been published in Joseph Smith’s history Among them were: 87, 108, 111, 114, 115, 117, 118, 120, 125, 126, and 132 [D&C 87; D&C 108; D&C 111; D&C 114; D&C 115; D&C 117–118; D&C 120; D&C 125–126; D&C 132].
Sections 116, 129, 130, and 131 [D&C 116; D&C 129–131] were inspired statements by Joseph Smith.
Section 85, 121, and 123 [D&C 85; D&C 121–123] are extracts of letters he had written to people. .
Sections 2 and 13 [D&C 2; D&C 13] contain significant historical events.
Sections 77 and 113 [D&C 77; D&C 113] include interpretations of scripture by Joseph Smith;
Section 109 [D&C 109] was the dedication prayer for the Kirtland Temple and section 110 [D&C 110] recorded the visit of the heavenly beings who appeared in the temple 3 April 1836; section 136 [D&C 136] is the revelation we just covered produced by Brigham Young at Winter Quarters. .
(see https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1984/12/the-story-of-the-doctrine-and-covenants?lang=eng )
Was Brigham Young Inspired?
Few believers in the restoration have been more critical of Brigham Young’s revelatory abilities than me.
I have always given Brigham high marks for being a great organizer and a great BSer. I think he had a strong enough personality to accomplish his many colonizing achievements.
However, I have always maintained that he did not have the same revelatory relationship with God that Joseph Smith had enjoyed during the Kirtland years.
In this post I am going to suggest that embedded in the 26 revelations canonized under the direction of Brigham Young just prior to his death was a sequence of revelations that has greatly helped to unlock the true history of Mormonism to those of us that have been parsing through church history.
Because of this, the revelatory contribution of Brigham Young is difficult to marginalize.
I must admit that if Brigham Young had not canonized several of these revelations, it would have been virtually impossible to use modern revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants as a prophetic template from which to create the true historical narrative of the restoration movement.
Section 110
Let’s begin with Section 110 as one of the most significant contributions.
This is one of the most profound events that took place during Joseph Smith’s ministry. We have already addressed this amazing event countless times so I will not beat a dead horse.
Suffice it to say, that this remarkable visitation of Christ and three angels to Joseph and Oliver in the Kirtland Temple is a historical event that baffles many people simply because Joseph, Oliver, and the scribe the wrote down the event, never shared publicly revealed what had taken place.
They had kept it a secret.
One that would come to light after the death of all three people.
I simply want to point out that it was according to the providence of God that this historical event which Joseph Smith quietly entered into the historical record, came to the attention of Brigham Young and his brethren years after it actually happened.
They first published it in 1853 in the Deseret News and finally canonized it in 1876.
Did Brigham Young and his brethren actually understand the significance of what the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham really was?
Did they actually understand what the keys of the gathering that were delivered by Moses alluded to?
Did they understand why Elijah appeared and declared that the prophecy about himself given by Malachi had fully been fulfilled?
Did Brigham and his associates know about the secret teaching of Joseph Smith’s that John the Baptist of the New Testament was Elijah the Tishbite of the Old Testament?
If you are not familiar with this secret doctrine that Joseph Smith revealed in the Inspired Version of the bible, please review the following article:
https://onewhoiswatching.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/the-secret-return-of-elijah-the-tishbite-f4.pdf
And view the info graphic below showing that the changes in the Inspired Version [prove that John the Baptist is Elijah and therefore, Elijah did in fact reveal the priesthood by hand in May of 1829:
The grand secret that John the Baptist was Elijah the Prophet is requisite in understanding what really took place during Joseph’s ministry from a prophetic fulfillment perspective.
At first blush, one might suppose that Brigham Young and Orson Pratt were clueless and that they were just randomly adding revelations to be canonized.
And yet, as we analyze the list of revelations that Young canonized, it is remarkable to realize that several of them are crucial pieces of the puzzle in understanding what actually took place during Joseph’s ministry.
Section 110 is not the only game changing revelation to be added by Brigham Young in 1876..
Section 109
For example, note that the revelation known today as section 109 which contains the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple.
This revelatory petition to the Lord from the saints was ultimately answered by God within one week, by sending Christ, Moses, Elias and Elijah as documented in section 110..
Section 109 and section 110 are inseparably connected to each other. It is difficult to comprehend the significance of each of them without the other.
Is it a coincidence that Brigham Young just happened to canonize section 109 at the same time that he canonized section 110?
I don’t think so.
But the story does not end there.
It gets better.
Section 13
Are you aware that the restoration of the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist that we have in section 13 was also canonized for the first time in 1876, along with sections 109 and 110?
Coincidence?
I don’t think so.
The truly puzzling thing is, why didn’t Joseph Smith include section 13 in the Book of Commandments or the original Doctrine and Covenants??
Why did it take Brigham Young to bring about the canonization of section 13 into the Doctrine and Covenants?
For many years scholars have been befuddled at the declaration of Elijah the Prophet in section 110 because modern revelation had revealed that Elijah would reveal the priesthood by hand.
And yet, in the section 110 narrative it fails to indicate that Elijah restored the priesthood by hand. It only has Elijah making a declaration alluding to the fact that the revealing of priesthood by hand and the related prophecy of Malachi had already taken place.
Thanks to Brigham Young, the cryptic answer to this dilemma is provided in canonized revelation by virtue of the fact that section 13 was canonized along with sections 109 and 110.
But wait, the details of Brigham Young’s canonical insertions in providing keys to this great puzzle do not stop there.
Section 2
Not hardly.
It was essential to remind people that Elijah had to reveal the priesthood by hand so what did Brigham Young do?
He took the following snippet from the words of Moroni taken from Joseph Smith History’s description of Moroni’s visit and made them into a canonized revelation. It is Section 2 of the Doctine and Covenants:
1 Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
2 And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.
3 If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
You have got to be kidding me.
Why?
What motivated the canonization of that passage?
Consider this, there is really no apparent reason to the casual reader, as to why Brigham Young would only canonize that small snippet from the declarations of Moroni. Take a look at the whole prophetic snippet. Notice the snippet that became section 2 highlighted in yellow:
36 After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:
37 For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
40 In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,” but soon would come.
41 He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here.
In all fairness, the prophecy of Malachi that is provided above in yellow highlight is not more prophetically significant than the 11th chapter of Isaiah, or the 3rd chapter of Acts or the 2nd chapter of Joel. Yet Brigham Young only canonized into section 2 the snippet about the priesthood being revealed by hand!
He didn’t even provide the entire narrative about the prophecy of Malachi, he only took the part that provides clarification about the Elijah revealing the priesthood by hand!
Why?
Does it not look like a targeted message is being sent here?
Brigham Young was cryptically canonizing a sequence of prophetic events and declarations that exposes a great secret that had been hidden for decades.
One would assume that the snippet from Moroni which originated in September of 1823 would have been placed next to section 110 since they both showcased verbiage relating to the prophecy in Malachi about Elijah but no.
This was to be the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants wherein the revelations would be placed in chronological order according to date, (with the exception of sections 1 and 133 which had been declared the preface and the appendix by revelation.)
Do you see a prophetic and historical pattern emerging here?
It is interesting how the declaration about Elijah by Moroni takes place about seven years before John the Baptist reveals the priesthood by hand.
About seven years after that, Elijah comes to the temple to declare the fulfillment of something that had already taken place:
Unbe-freakin-lievable!
Was Brigham Young completely oblivious to the fact that the revelations that he was canonizing were going to provide the necessary documentation for exposing the true history of the church?
Or did he know the secret?
Was he leaving bread crumbs to mark the way for those who are watching to discover this great mystery?
And there are other critically important keys to understanding the secret history of Mormonism but most of them are interconnected to this three part fulfillment of prophecy that has been hidden in plain site in church history for four generations.
I believe the inclusion of these events into the canon of modern scripture represents that last great cryptic message from Brigham Young to generations of the saints who would follow later.
Section 113
And the story about the prophetic 1876 revision of the Doctrine and Covenants does not end there.
Brigham also canonized other teachings of Joseph Smith into canonized scripture in 1876. One of them was section 85 which speaks prophetically of the one mighty and strong coming forth at a future time to set in order the house of God.
Another one is Section 113. In it, Joseph interprets parts of Isaiah 52 and reveals that the latter day saints are the ones that had initially been given priesthood power but then stumbled and lost it.
Yet the time would come when they would return to the power they had lost.
He revealed that the saints would become a fallen and cursed and scattered people among the gentiles but would eventually return to the Lord.
God will finally speak to us again from heaven!
7 Questions by Elias Higbee: What is meant by the command in Isaiah, 52d chapter, 1st verse, which saith: Put on thy strength, O Zion—and what people had Isaiah reference to?
8 He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who should hold the power of priesthood to bring again Zion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood, which she, Zion, has a right to by lineage; also to return to that power which she had lost.
9 What are we to understand by Zion loosing herself from the bands of her neck; 2d verse?
10 We are to understand that the scattered remnants are exhorted to return to the Lord from whence they have fallen; which if they do, the promise of the Lord is that he will speak to them, or give them revelation. See the 6th, 7th, and 8th verses. The bands of her neck are the curses of God upon her, or the remnants of Israel in their scattered condition among the Gentiles.
A big shout out to Brother Brig! I don’t know if he actually knew what he was doing and was good at keeping a secret, or whether God was simply inspiring him to do something he did not comprehend.
I don’t know if brother Brigham was winking at God while having all those revelations added to the D&C or if God was simply winking at future generations while using Brigham Young as a puppet.
But I feel very grateful for the information either way.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Fellow Earth Travelers.
I will be out of town for an extended period of time and will not be blogging unless something extremely important comes up.
So this is the last time you will be hearing from me for a while.
Since I am of the belief that the condemned church was eventually rejected as a church with their dead, there has not been much reason for me to continually monitor and scrutinize how closely they follow the commandments of God in running the modern church.
Nevertheless, there are those that feel that the church is just under condemnation and on probation and that if the members and leaders repent, they can self correct and get right with God. Others realize that church has been rejected but still has an obligation to follow the protocol in scriptures since they are claiming to be the true church.
For those two groups of people, it is of paramount importance to continually monitor the church to see if they are conforming to the protocol of church governance as set forth in the scriptures.
Recently a friend of mine informed me that he had refused to sustain Elder Nelson as the President of the Church because the leaders of the church violated numerous requirements as set forth by the Lord.
He actually contacted his Stake President in advance to let him know that he was going to oppose the ordination. As a courtesy, he provided him with a rather detailed listing of violations.
I found his research quite remarkable and I think you will as well.
Enjoy.
To the XXXXX Stake Presidency and the XXXXXXX Ward Bishopric,
I am writing you to inform you that tomorrow during the XXXXX Ward conference, I will be opposing the ordination of Russell Nelson to the office of president of the church. You are likely used to holding these votes without opposition and might not notice a lone hand raised in the large congregation. I don’t want to make a scene, nor draw attention to myself, when I do this. I want you to be aware of this so that you can be watching for it and make note of it, and avoid saying something like “the voting has been unanimous” when it has not.
Rather than waiting until after the vote to find out why I oppose it, I’ll take the time now to explain my opposition to you. It’s based on the scriptures.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 20 was presented to the church in 1830 as the “Articles and Covenants of the Church”. As you are aware, it contains the rules on how things are to be done in the Church of Christ. Verse 65 says:
No person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church;
There is no exception clause to this commandment. No person is excluded, and no office is excluded. Every person, every office, must have a vote of the church BEFORE ordination.
The scriptures also declare the importance of common consent. Again, there are no exclusions.
D&C 26:2 And all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith, for all things you shall receive by faith. Amen.
D&C 28:12 For, behold, these things have not been appointed unto him, neither shall anything be appointed unto any of this church contrary to the church covenants.
13 For all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith.
Russell Nelson was set apart to the office of president on January 14, 2018. This was done in secret and the church was not notified of this action until January 16, 2018. It was impossible for the church to give its consent to this ordination. Russell Nelson was ordained to the office of president without the vote of this church, without common consent, and it was done contrary to the church covenants. This ordination was not done in order.
Doctrine and Covenants 20:67 goes on to clarify requirements for filling the office of president:
Every president of the high priesthood (or presiding elder), bishop, high councilor, and high priest, is to be ordained by the direction of a high council or general conference.
Russell Nelson was not ordained to the office of president by direction of a general conference – one has not been held since the death of President Monson.
Lest you claim that the Quorum of the Twelve is the high council that can approve this action, I refer you to D&C 124. In verses 127-130 the Lord names the members of the Twelve. Then in verses 131-132, the Lord names twelve different men to the high council. According to the Lord Himself, the high council and the Twelve are two different groups with different authority. Because the high council no longer exists in the church, the only group, according to God’s holy writ, with authority to call a new president is the general conference.
Now you could tell me I’m being nitpicky. Or that modern prophets trump the scriptures. Or that those rules don’t apply anymore. But that isn’t what the Lord has said. In D&C 43:
5 And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments;
6 And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me.
7 For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall receive through him whom I have appointed.
The Lord told us how the president is to be ordained in D&C 20. And He has commanded us to not receive the teaching of anyone who has not followed that process. Russell Nelson did not follow the Lord’s process. His ordination to that office is illegitimate.
In Section 43 the Lord continues:
8 And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given.
9 And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me—
The Lord commands us to act upon the points of his law when we act in and direct his church, and we are to bind ourselves to this law. Ignoring his laws on succession is a violation of his commandments. Russell Nelson might be the right person for the job, but he did not obey the Lord’s commandments on how to get that job.
I ask you, have you ever ordained or set apart someone without a vote of the church? I’ve never seen it. And if you did, you would have to hold a vote and then re-do the setting apart or ordination. Just like an improperly performed baptism, you cannot fix it after the fact. It must be redone according to God’s law. Russell Nelson has not acknowledged his violation of the law of God, nor has he indicated he will submit to it.
In Section 42, the Lord unequivocally declares the importance of obeying His law for the church:
59 Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church;
60 And he that doeth according to these things shall be saved, and he that doeth them not shall be damned if he so continue.
A few other words of our Lord and Savior on the laws of His church:
D&C 42:13 And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit.
D&C 58:23 Behold, the laws which ye have received from my hand are the laws of the church, and in this light ye shall hold them forth. Behold, here is wisdom.
D&C 51:2 For it must needs be that they be organized according to my laws; if otherwise, they will be cut off.
For those of you who don’t know, I stopped attending church about eight months ago after seeing how much of the scriptures are ignored in so many areas. It would have been easy for me to stay away from church this weekend. That was my intention. But the Spirit has made it clear that I must stand as a witness to this lawlessness. The word of the Lord has been violated and the Lord requires a witness to bear testimony of it. I don’t want to do it, but I will submit to the will of my God.
I encourage you to study these scriptures and ask the Lord yourselves. We will all stand accountable before God one day for the decisions we make this weekend.
2 Nephi 4:34
O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.
I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
There are only two sides to this argument. One says we can ignore the law of God because we have men we can trust to do the right thing. The other says we must only trust in God and His law and no man is above it.
I have chosen to put my trust in God and in His commandments.
XXXXX XXXXXXXXX
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Ok, now for the post you have all been waiting for!
Well, maybe not so much.
I realize that there are many readers waiting with baited breath to see the second part of the post I did regarding the connection between Mauricio Berger and Mark Hofmann, however, I have decided to suspend that for the time being.
Why?
Because I did not realize at the time that I got that information that the researchers working on it were getting ready to publish their findings and it did not seem appropriate of me to steal their thunder or to provide only part of the research they had done.
I suspect they will be publishing their complete research very shortly. When it is available I will probably provide a link to it for my readers.
I have decided to wait until they publish their findings before I share any further observations on the topic.
So, instead of sharing that information at this time, I am going to continue my series on some of the most popular posts I have done in the past.
This seems appropriate to me because there are some new subscribers to this blog that are probably overwhelmed by the more that 500 blog posts I have written and they are not quite sure how to prioritize the reading material.
The main page of this blog provides a suggested chronology of what to read, however, for those that want to cheat a little and get to some of the really fascinating stuff, the eight posts being spotlighted today might be of interest.
I need to stress that none of the information in this blog should be read until you understand what the doctrine of Christ is and what the fullness of the Gospel is.
Also, you should not be reading this blog until you have first read, re-read, and memorized the four standard works. That would be the Inspired Version of the Bible, Book of Mormon, Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants, (Including the Lectures on Faith).
After you have committed those four cannons of scripture to memory, there are some great speculations on this blog that might enhance your gospel study experience.
If you have not committed those four canons of scripture to memory, what the h#*l are you doing reading the words of a heretic on this blog? Go back to your room and continue studying God holy and infallible word!
Here is the eighth Oldie but Goodie from the past-
At the end of my last post I provided a very brief, bullet point summation of significant events and revelatory declarations that documented the relationship that God had with his saints in the latter days.
It was not meant to be exhaustive, however it has since occurred to me that there are a few other significant items that should be included which I have now done.
From time to time I may add to this list as I remember old discoveries or find new ones that merit inclusion to the list. (If you have some suggestions please submit them)
By the way, I am still waiting to hear from any LDS scholars and apologists to show me problems with the following documentation or my interpretation thereof.
Please don’t be shy.
Listing of Significant Historical Miles Stones
Although the above summary is not conclusive, it provides the major details of how the latter day apostasy had taken place prior to, and resulting in, the act of taking the name of Christ out of the Church in 1834.
Following that, revelation from God began to dry up however God continued to labor with the saints.
Eventually God informs the saints that darkness covered the earth and all flesh had become corrupt, even those who had been previously been sanctified. (Atonement Statute)
Finally, after relocating to Nauvoo, Joseph Smith made the following observation:
“We have been chastened by the hand of God heretofore for not obeying His commands… we have treated lightly His commands, AND DEPARTED FROM HIS ORDINANCES, and the Lord has chastened us sore, and we have felt His arm and kissed the rod…“ (History of the Church, 5:65; from “The Government of God,” an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, p. 857; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical.)
The last major revelation detailing the apostate condition of the saints and warning them that they were on probation, subject to their repentance and reform is now known as section 124.
The Lord gives the following five ominous warnings in section 124
1- The Fulness of the Priesthood (Gospel) had been lost and the temple must be built so that it could be restored again (124:28,34,55 section 113 explains that it will be restored to the earth at a later time)
2- If Saints were not obedient they would be moved out of Nauvoo (124:45-46)
3- They were practicing abominations before the Lord that place curses upon their heads (124:48)
4- Anything more or less than what is contained in The Book of Mormon and the 1835 D&C cometh of Evil (124:119-120)
5- If the Temple was not finished in the sufficient time, the Church would be rejected with their dead (124:31-32)
This may all seem rather bleak but let me assure you it isn’t. The good news is that there are countless references in scripture to the fact that in the end times the Father will work a Marvelous Work and gather out the elect of God to Zion and he will redeem his people.
Praise God Almighty!
Previous Oldies but Goodies
Essential Oldiers but Goodies Part Six: The Law of Adoption and the Sealing Principles
See Also COMMANDMENTS-DOCTRINE-COVENANTS Part One
COMMANDMENTS-DOCTRINE-COVENANTS Part Two
“Seven Seals and a Paradisaical Millennium” Part Four
A Mystical Look at the LDS Restoration Movement Part Three
Be Ye Therefore Perfect.. right now Part Two
The Succession Crisis Part One
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Because of sickness and the holiday season, I have taken somewhat of a break from blogging in general and more specifically regarding this series on the claims of Mauricio Berger.
That is not to say that I have not been engaged in this fascinating story of deception.
To me, the bizarre storyline coming from Brazil reads like a comedy of doctrinal and prophecy related errors
This narrative begins by informing us that the location for the beginning of the last great work, has now been relocated from the promised covenant land of America, to a foreign land because God cannot find one righteous Gentile to work with.
The claim is that-
“There is no leader among latter day Israel with a pure heart”
Since when does God require a pure heart when calling someone to his work?
Never mind the fact that historically, God almost always picks sinners to do his work.
Noah was a wine-bibber. Moses sinned before the Lord and was prevented from crossing over the Jordan river. Jonah ran and hid after being called to his missionary assignment. Peter denied knowing Christ three times. Paul was going a round persecuting Christians and consenting to their executions.
Why didn’t God find more righteous people to do his work?
Probably because there weren’t any “righteous” people to choose from.
God deals with the human condition and eventually makes new creatures out of sinful men. That is the miraculous message of his mystical gospel.
Joseph Smith, by his own admission, was contemplating selling the golden plates for his own personal gain with the desire to pull his destitute family out of their dire circumstances.
Mauricio is Righteous?
Luckily, the righteous Mauricio Berger is here to save the day since there are no righteous gentiles. We don’t know a lot about Mauricio, however the scant storyline that has emerged does reveal the following things:
Hmm.
That seems to be a standard of righteousness that we degenerate gentiles can realistically seek to, during this time of hidden darkness.
I don’t fault Mauricio for being human. I simply question the claim that he is righteous and has a pure heart.
God has Called Another People
One of the many claims made by these folks is that God has raised up another people to do his work since there are no righteous gentiles.
I suspect that claim is derived from a passage in Section 100 of the D&C given in October of 1833 wherein the Lord says:
“For I will raise up unto myself a pure people what will serve me in righteousness”
Some people have used that passage in the past to suggest that the wicked Gentile saints of the restoration failed to establish Zion and therefore God would bring in another, more humble and righteous tribal demographic to finish what those saints began.
However a contextual reading of the entire revelation shows a very different meaning of what was being said.
Just before making that pronouncement, the Lord had said,
“and now I give unto you a word concerning Zion. Zion shall be redeemed, although she is chastened for a little season”.
The term Zion in the above declaration was referring to the “people” of Zion not the “land” of Zion.
It was the people attempting to establish Zion that were being chastened for a season, not the land.
As you can see, the gentile saints were not being cast aside for another people, they were simply going to be chastised for a little season prior to their redemption as a Zion people.
The very next revelation given in December of 1833 provides greater clarity and assurance that God was allowing affliction to come upon the saints for a season because of their transgressions. Yet the promise was that ultimately, He would own them as His people:
1 Verily I say unto you, concerning your brethren who have been afflicted, and persecuted, and cast out from the land of their inheritance—
2 I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgressions;
3 Yet I will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.
4 Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.
9 Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.
Assurance was given that the gentile saints of the restoration were not being cast off:
9 Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.
These declarations by the Lord are very significant because Joseph F. Smith believes that the LDS restoration under Joseph Smith Jr. was a complete failure, requiring a new servant and a new work to take place. This is apparently one of the many issues that he and Bob Moore disagree with each other on.
According to some accounts that I have been made aware of, Joseph F. Smith believes that Joseph Smith and his associates totally failed and will not be given the opportunity to resume their prophetic commissions.
However Section 101 makes it clear that those that attempted to establish Zion would yet be gathered and redeemed in the third watch when the Lords work proceeds to come forth. Those saints who were scattered from the land of Zion will yet be gathered and after being gathered in the third watch, will not be moved out of their place. Section 101 continues:
17 Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.
18 They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion—
19 And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled.
Those prophetic pronouncements above are consistent with the prophecies in the Book of Daniel that reveal that the kingdom of God that would be established in the latter days, through the instrumentality of the prophet Joseph Smith-
“shall not be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people” (Dan 2:44)
Clearly, the keys of the kingdom of God that the Lord restored to the earth during Joseph Smith’s ministry were used to establish the kingdom of God on earth.
That kingdom is the same kingdom that the Book of Daniel prophesies of.
It is the same kingdom that will roll forth and fill the whole earth during the final restoration in the third watch.
The prophetic prayer documented in section 65 speaks of the return of the kingdom that Joseph Smith established nearly 200 years ago.
1 Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one sent down from on high, who is mighty and powerful, whose going forth is unto the ends of the earth, yea, whose voice is unto men—Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
2 The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.
3 Yea, a voice crying—Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom.
4 Pray unto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works among the people.
5 Call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth.
6 Wherefore, may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that thou, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so on earth, that thine enemies may be subdued; for thine is the honor, power and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
As you can see, the above prayer is speaking about the future rolling forth of the kingdom that Daniel saw and it is verifying that the keys to that kingdom had already been committed to men on the earth during Joseph Smith’s ministry.
The fact that the kingdom that Daniel saw was established during Joseph’s ministry is is verified once again in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple.
72 Remember all thy church, O Lord, with all their families, and all their immediate connections, with all their sick and afflicted ones, with all the poor and meek of the earth; that the kingdom, which thou hast set up without hands, may become a great mountain and fill the whole earth;
73 That thy church may come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners;
74 And be adorned as a bride for that day when thou shalt unveil the heavens, and cause the mountains to flow down at thy presence, and the valleys to be exalted, the rough places made smooth; that thy glory may fill the earth;
After acknowledging that the kingdom Daniel speaks of that is “set up without hands” had already been set up during Joseph’s ministry, we are informed that it would be a future event when it would BECOME a great mountain and fill the whole earth. Indeed, the Lord’s true church must once again “come forth out of the wilderness of darkness” even after being restore during Joseph’s last ministry.
Other reveleations, including Section 90 verify that those keys were to remain with Joseph Smith in this world and in the world to come. According to that revelation, when God proceeds to bring forth his word again, Joseph will once again bring forth the word and Sidney will take the word to the nations of the earth.
9 That through [Joseph Smith’s] administration [Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams] they may receive the word, and through their administration the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the Gentiles first, and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews.
10 And then cometh the day when the arm of the Lord shall be revealed in power in convincing the nations, the heathen nations, the house of Joseph, of the gospel of their salvation.
11 For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ.
According to the inspired prayer in Section 65, the Lord will send forth his mighty and powerful servant to prepare the way of the Lord when the final work begins.
In the inspired prayer, we are admonished to
“Call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it”
Of course those passages mean very little to Mauricio, Joseph or Bob as they seem to be oblivious to the literal fulfillment of the prophesies in the D&C.
More on that later.
Contacted by an Insider
Shortly after doing my last blog post on this series, I was contacted by an insider that lives in Missouri and is privy to much of what is going on regarding the claims of Mauricio Berger. This informant has provided me with some very interesting background information pertaining to Mauricio, Joseph F. Smith, and Bob Moore.
This informant has requested anonymity for reasons I am not at liberty to expose. Further, they have limited what I can share on this blog.
Their reasons for wanting to remain anonymous are justified in my opinion so I will just bite my tongue regarding who they are and some of the information that I have in my possession. However, some of the information can be shared and it sheds important light on the motivation of these people.
One of the things that this informant shared with me is the fact that ever since Joseph F. Smith was a very small child, he has been taught by his parents that he has a very important role to play in the final events of the end times.
As a result of this indoctrination, Elder Smith has spent much of his adult life jumping around between the various RLDS congregations and factions looking for people that would listen to him and accept him as a credible end times servant.
Because of this obsessive quest, a great hardship has been experienced by his wife and family who have been forced to move over 40 times and have struggled financially.
I don’t necessarily find that information problematic. Some might find it admirable that Elder Smith is so passionate about his perceived calling from the Lord.
This information simply provides context and possibly shines a light on motivation, be they good or misled.
There is much more information that provides insight as to why Joseph and bob are so invested in Mauricio’s story. I suspect that much more information will eventually come forth.
If the information from my informant is true, it doesn’t really prove anything conclusively, however it may provide context as to why Bob and Joseph F. Smith could so easily be deceived by a foreign congregation that is willing to hold him up as a light unto the world.
Again, I have additional information from the informant. Some of it will be discussed later, some I cannot divulge.
I Have Communicated Directly with Bob Moore
In addition to the information I have been given by the informant in Missouri, I also felt impressed to contact Bob Moore and invite him to personally respond to some of my concerns and criticisms which he graciously agreed to do.
He and I have had an interesting discussion thus far.
To his credit, he is willing to openly engage directly with his critics.
This was his response when I invited him to dialogue with me and respond to my criticisms:
Now that is refreshing!
I take my hat off to him for having the courage and integrity and transparency to respond to my criticisms.
It is not easy to respond to skeptics who are challenging something that you believe to be sacred and true and holding your feet to the fire with the scriptures.
I am reminded of the public invitation I extended to Denver Snuffer to engage with me in a public dialogue back when he began his deception. Sadly, he refused the invitation and simply chose to mock me and belittle the fact that I chose to blog anonymously. This was his response to my upcoming rebuttal-
I received two emails notifying me there is a man, woman, child, or committee who is now getting ready to do a “rebuttal” to Passing the Heavenly Gift. It can be found at: https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/an-evening-in-boise-with-denver-snuffer-part-one/
Normally I would just dismiss someone who lacks the courage to stand up for what they write by identifying themselves…
http://denversnuffer.com/2013/09/a-contemplated-rebuttal/
Interestingly, his movement now allows his disciples to respond anonymously in their Snufferite forums, blogs and website and even publishes revelations on the Internet from anonymous Snufferite revelators LOL.
Sharing Our Correspondence
I have asked Bob Moore if I could provide the exact transcript of our dialogue on this blog which I think would be interesting and informative to my readers. It has been a few weeks and he has not yet responded to that request. Since he has not expressly asked me not to, I will take the liberty of providing a few direct quotes. Since he has thus far declined to give me express permission, I will not provide the exact transcript in full, unless I hear from him and get permission.
Why Do You Deny Revelation?
One of the things I asked Bob Moore is why he did not believe the unconditional prophecies would come to pass that are contained in the revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth. Here is my question to him:
Bob-
We are informed in scripture that God has all time, past, present and future continually before his eyes and therefore he has seen what we consider to be the FUTURE. We are also informed that he cannot and does not lie.
Hence, when God makes an unconditional promise and prophecy about a future event, it will come true.
Because of these beliefs about the nature and character of God, and the fact that never has to “guess” or “predict” the future because he has a perfect knowledge of what is going to happen in the future, I believe everything he says about the future.
Do you?
As I am sure you are aware, God has declared unconditionally multiple times in the revelations, that Joseph Smith Jr. and his brethren will be the ones to return and seal up the wicked, establish Zion, and finish his work regarding the bringing forth of the sealed portion.
Please see the following post for no less than sixteen revelatory declarations that Joseph Smith Jr. will return to complete his ministry
Sixteen Prophetic Evidences
So my first question for you is, why don’t you take the scriptures literally? Why don’t you believe the unconditional promises that God has given to us about Joseph Smith holding the keys of the priesthood in life and in death and in his promised return to complete his calling? If God’s word in the Doctrine and Covenants is true, Mauricio’s story cannot be true.
Bob’s initial reply was very disappointing to me because he says his beliefs are scientifically based rather than religiously based. Here is what he said:
I believe, as you do, that God knows all things and reveals them to men’s understanding. Often people misinterpret His revelations, but when the are fulfilled, people see how precisely He did what he said.
While I have always believed that fundamental concept, I now view it from a scientific perspective, rather than a religious one. My degree is in Math and Chemistry, but I try to keep abreast of advances in physics as well.
I suppose that the best way to describe my view is that I tend to embrace the multiverse concept that this world is a hologram of the spiritual world, which spiritual world lies outside time and from which our universe burst forth as it expanded outward from that big bang.
It comes from the implications of this sole verse found in Joseph’s New Translation: “And there appeared a great sign in heaven, in the likeness of things on the earth” (Rev 12:1).
Thus time is confined to the expansion of space as occupied by this universe. Its events are seeable from any point outside it that does not exist in some time reference.
God certain exists outside time. He can see and hold all things. And in His love and mercy foretells what is in our future that people might believe in Him and His Son.
Strangely enough, after providing the mental gymnastics above about the multiverse and holographic spiritual world and big bang, etc., as to why the prophecies about Joseph Smith returning will not necessarily literally come to pass exactly as stated, he did acknowledge a belief that Joseph Smith Jr. has a future role :
I believe that Joseph Smith, Jr. has a future role in the culmination of God’s latter-day work. While I am aware of some of the sources you mention, my primary reason is an experience that Alexander had. I am attaching a copy below in case you do not know about it.
Alexander Smith had a prophetic dream in which he was visited by his father Joseph and his uncle Hyrum. Here is what Joseph and Hyrum said to Alexander:
“We are going away. We will be gone for a season, but we will return again”
I guess I need to change my paper from “Sixteen Prophetic Evidences” to “Seventeen Prophetic Evidences“.
The Three Witnesses
For those that do believe in the literal fulfillment of the unconditional promises in the D&C, it is interesting to note that the three witnesses that were identified during Joseph Smith’s first ministry to testify of the gold plates and the Book of Mormon were promised that they would return to the earth to play a profound role in the Marvelous Work:
And by your hands I will work a marvelous work among the children of men, unto the convincing of many of their sins, that they may come unto repentance, and that they may come unto the kingdom of my Father D&C 1:44
Those familiar with and who believe the revelations, realize that the “Marvelous Work” did not begin during Joseph’s last ministry. The “great work” was yet future (see D&C 35:7 as just one of many contextual evidences) The marvelous work does not begin until the final restoration in the third watch.
Joseph F. Smith Becomes the Poster Child of a new Movement
The picture below shows Mauricio Berger sitting next to Joseph F. Smith during Joseph and Bob’s visit to Brazil. Little did Joseph F. Smith realize that he was going to become the poster child for a seasoned deception that had failed to pick up any traction for over 10 years.
This picture was placed on facebook and used to generate publicity for Mauricio’s claims.
It was hoped that the historic visit and endorsement of Elder Joseph F. Smith would provide much needed credibility to the claims of Mauricio Berger and help to jumpstart the conversion of new believers in Brazil to Mauricio’s new religious movement.
Shortly after Seventy Bob Moore and Elder Joseph F. Smith left Brazil, Mauricio invited about 40 members of the local LDS Stake to a meeting to learn more about the visit of Moroni, the upcoming translation of the sealed book, and the endorsement of Joseph Smith Jr.’s purest priesthood descendent.
Foiled by the Evil Mormons!
Unfortunately, for Mauricio, the local leaders of the LDS stake learned about the meeting and quickly scheduled several very important meetings of their own on the same night.
Additionally, they put out a blood chilling warning to the members of their stake that any members of the church that attended the meeting would be excommunicated from God’s true church.
At least, that is what I am told by Seventy Bob Moore..
Needless to say, the meeting had a very poor turn out and Mauricio’s latest attempt to gain traction was foiled.
You may be wondering why Mauricio was targeting Mormons to share his angel experience with instead of Protestants and Catholics.
After all, he had had very little connection with Mormonism prior to this time, right?
Wrong!
To adequately address that curiosity we need to back up and review the testimonies of Seventy Moore and Elder Smith, who initially assured everyone multiple times that Mauricio had not previously been a member of the LDS church. According to what they stated or at least strongly implied, Mauricio had never been a Mormon.
During the Q&A the audience was assured by Smith and Moore that Mauricio’s movement was completely organic. It all started out with Mauricio innocently “looking for answers”.
My informant from Missouri begs to differ.
Here is a snippet from one of their emails to me:
I have talked to the individual who contacted me. He has been corresponding with the man who was with Mauricio in the beginning. Apparently, it is true that Mauricio was indeed a baptized, temple attending, member of the LDS church.
According to this man, Jader, who had not been a member long, Mauricio approached him and said he had gold plates. He asked Jader to go with him on Christmas day in 2008, to a hill to pray.
While they were praying these three men came to them. When they left Mauricio told him that they were Peter, James, and John. Some time after, Mauricio told Jader he should go to the Bishop and tell him about the plates and that he had seen the angel Moroni.
Jader refused and has ever since claimed that there was never an angel that he had seen. Shortly after this Mauricio was excommunicated. Jader is now in the Bishopric. So there you have it, Mauricio was a member of the church indeed.
I assumed that Seventy Bob Moore would be shocked when confronted with this information about Mauricio’s previous involvement in Mormonism.
To my surprise and disappointment, he was not.
He already knew that Mauricio had previously been a card carrying, temple going member of the LDS church who had been excommunicated for his bizarre claims about the angel and the plates.
This was extremely disappointing to me.
I do not know for sure when Bob became aware of Mauricio’s previous membership in the Mormon church, but it doesn’t appear as if he has publicly corrected the misinformation that he and Joseph F. Smith and Mauricio have perpetuated.
This was Bob’s response when I confronted him about Mauricio being an excommunicated Mormon:
I also admit that I was saddened to learn that Mauricio had withheld the fact that he had been a member in the LDS Church. I am circumspect in my personal and business dealings and believe that he should have been transparent when he contacted us. He was fearful, instead. I will not condemn him because I do not think that he was trying to be deceptive.
Mauricio testifies that he withdrew from the LDS church, but that they did not accept his resignation and subsequently tried and excommunicated him. Since I dislike the LDS hierarchy and have been rebuffed by it while working with Joseph F, I am inclined to accept his explanation.
Mauricio was not trying to be deceptive?
Hmm.
What was he trying to be?
Transparent?
During my correspondence with Seventy Moore, I asked him how in the world he and Joseph could invest the time and money to visit Mauricio without doing some serious due diligence and getting the facts strait about Mauricio’s involvement in Mormonism.
I asked him why he did not take the time to question local leaders of the Mormon Church to find out if they were familiar with Mauricio and his angel story.
I asked him why he and Joseph did not ask Mauricio five different times in five different ways if he had been a member of the Mormon Church.
I asked him how in the world he and Joseph could have been so naïve and trusting without searching out the facts.
It became obvious to me that Joseph and Bob had already accepted Mauricio’s story hook line and sinker BEFORE they ever got on the plane to visit him in Brazil. They wanted the story to be true so badly, that they had blinders on when they went to meet with Mauricio.
Here is one of his comments to me
When Joseph and I receive the initial communications from Mauricio, we asked the Lord if what he said about the experiences that we had were true. Each of us separately received confirmation that they were true. Because of those verifications, we did not look further
In my opinion, this is a text-book example of two people who did not want to be bothered with the facts because they wanted the story to be true.
There is a reason why Paul admonishes us to “prove all things, hold fast to that which is good“.
There is a reason why the Lord chastised Oliver Cowdery for asking a question before studying things out in his mind.
A Spirit of Deep Sleep
In 2nd Nephi 27 the Lord informs us how the marvelous work will go forth as God’s true servant proceeds, again, to bring forth more words from the mysterious book (plates)
One of the very important declarations that is made in that chapter is that because the saints of the restoration had previously transgressed, God covered the eyes of his seers and placed a “spirit of deep sleep” on the entire world, both Jew and Gentile.
That spirit of deep sleep stays on the world from the time the fullness was rejected, until the word begins to come forth again from God’s servant.
This is just one more of many evidences that I have provided to show that the heavens have been sealed and will continue to be sealed until God’s true servant begins bringing forth the word from the plates again.
This is why I have repeated warned against ALL of the delusionary people who are claiming to have pierced the veil of unbelief and conversed with God during this time when the spirit of deep sleep has been placed upon EVERYBODY, both Jew and Gentile.
1 But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles—yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations…
For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.
For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.
And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered.
As you can see, at the time when the book containing the words of those who have slumbered begins to come forth in the 3rd watch, EVERYONE, both Jew and Gentile will be in darkness and apostasy. The Lord will have put the spirit of deep sleep over them prior to the beginning of the Marvelous.
It is because of this spirit of deep sleep that so many people today are so gullible and so easily deceived by false prophets and false teachers.
“I WILL DELIVER THEM UP UNTO SATAN”
In one of the earliest revelations to come through Joseph Smith the Lord gave an ominous warning to the saints of the LDS restitution.
Here is what D&C 5:19 said before it was changed in 1835.
And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old.
And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I WILL DELIVER THEM UP UNTO SATAN, for he reigneth and hath power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them.
Many Old Testament prophets also prophesied that God would deliver his latter day saints over to Satan and given them delusions.
In Isaiah 66 the Lord prophesied that latter day Israel would delight in their abominations and therefore God would give them delusions:
Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
A similar prophetic observation was made by Paul when he prophesied about the falling away of the saints of the restored church in the latter days.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Those who take the scriptures lightly and reject the unconditional promises and prophecies in them have not received the love of the truth. Because of this they have been given strong delusion from God.
After the saints of the restoration rejected the fullness of the Gospel in 1834, God placed a “strong delusion” upon them. Every offshoot of Mormonism that chose to believe someone who clamed the authority to teach or prophesy were guilty of violating the law that was given in Section 43.
Regardless of whether it was the teachings of Brigham Young, James Strang, Joseph Smith the 3rd, or anyone else claiming to have received the mantle of authority from Joseph Smith Jr., those who followed these people, chose to receive a lie despite the following warning that had been given in Section 43:
3 And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
4 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead.
5 And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments;
6 And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me.
7 For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall receive through him whom I have appointed.
The only people documented to have come in through the gate and to have been appointed by the Lord through Joseph Smith, were either killed or rejected by the Saints, ie., Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon.
Have you accepted the teachings of anyone that did not get the commission from God directly through Joseph Smith?
Have you accepted the revelations or teachings of Brigham Young, James Strang, Joseph Smith the 3rd, Mauricio Berger or Denver Snuffer?
If you have, you have rejected the warning given in Section 43 and you have not been given the love of the truth and you have been cursed with delusion.
“If He Abide in Me”
According to Joseph F. Smith, Mauricio says that the Angel Moroni says that Joseph F. Smith is to be the priesthood leader of the Brazilian branch until he dies.
Period.
And yet, as great a prophet as Joseph Smith Jr. was, he was not given that same categorical leadership promise.
The Lord declared that Joseph Smith Jr. was only appointed to lead and teach and give commandments and revelations as long as he abides in the Lord!
3 And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
There are at least four separate times in the D&C when the Lord warns the saints that Joseph Smith Jr. was fallible and could possibly stumble and fall from his calling.
If that was true with Joseph Smith Jr., why is it not true with Joseph F. Smith?
Is Joseph F. Smith really infallible?
Perhaps it is because he is a puppet instead of a leader. You see, even though he has been pronounced to be the designated priesthood leader, he gets his marching orders from Moroni through Mauricio.
Who is really in charge of the Movement?
Is the tail wagging the dog?
They had Already Made up Their Minds
It appears to me as if Joseph and Bob wanted to believe Mauricio’s story so badly that they did not want to prove the story against the cold hard facts, or to use the prophecies in the scriptures as a template for discerning the truthfulness of the claims being made.
They didn’t want to do any serious research and then study things out in their minds before asking the Lord if Mauricio was telling them the truth.
In the 14 chapter of Ezekiel the Lord informs us that he does not take kindly to those that offer up poorly thought out prayers that contradict what God has already declared.
He warns that if the Elders of Israel approach his servant and ask him to petition the Lord with a bullshit question, God will allow his servant to give them a bullshit answer.
Modern day Mormonism is built upon many lies that emerge as a result of violating the law given in Section 43 and of receiving bullshit answers to bullshit questions.
That is exactly what happened regarding the fabricated revelation on polygamy now known as Section 132. It begins with a bullshit question that contradicts what the Lord had already revealed in the Book of Mormon.
Look at the foundational question upon which the revelation was received:
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines—
Where in the sam hill did that question come from?
The Lord had already revealed that David and Solomon WERE NOT JUSTIFIED in their practice of polygamy!!!!
15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son. Jacob 1:5
22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you.
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Jacob 2:22-24
Imagine how offensive to God it must be to have someone ask why David and Solomon were justified in practicing polygamy when God had already revealed through his latter day seer and the Book of Mormon that they were NOT justified in that practice!
The very act of asking that question was an act of blatantly rejecting the divinely inspired teachings of the Book of Mormon.
The Purest Priesthood
During the testimony of Joseph Smith the 3rd, he informs us that Mauricio was directed to him by Moroni because Joseph F. Smith has the purest priesthood, of all the living descendants of Joseph Smith Jr.:
One of the reasons why they requested me was because the angel [“Moroni”] told them that the Lord had preserved a portion of the priesthood from Joseph the Prophet, through Joseph III, and Alexander Hale Smith [his brother], and through my father, Arthur Smith, and to me. And this was the priesthood that the angel [“Moroni”] told him that was more (I can’t get the word) “pure.” I’ll put it that way.
Because of this pure priesthood, Joseph F. Smith was the one chosen to bestow priesthood authority and officiate in administering the saving ordinances when he visited the Brasilians.
Apparently, despite his brief training in Mormonism, Mauricio has not learned that the ordination of priesthood offices and the administration of the saving ordinances of the church requires PRIESTHOOD KEYS THAT ORDAIN MEN TO PRIESTHOOD OFFICES, NOT LINEAL PRIESTHOOD!
The pure patriarchal priesthood line of Joseph Smith Jr was clearly not adequate in bestowing priesthood and administering the saving ordinances of the gospel. If it had been, there would have been no need for the visitation from John the Baptist and the restoration of PRIESTHOOD KEYS as documented in Section 13.
1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
Even Joseph Smith Jr., who obviously had a more rich and pure line of lineal priesthood than his descendent Joseph F. Smith, had to have priesthood keys and a priesthood office bestowed upon him by an angel before he could begin ordaining other elders and baptizing people. This is priesthood 101.
It is understandable that this concept would be lost on Mauricio since he probably did not grow up in the church and probably had not been paying attention during priesthood meeting when he was a member, but how in the world did Joseph F. Smith and Bob Moore miss that one?
The Priesthood Keys Must be Returned by He Who Holds Them
As documented again and again on this blog, the saints of the restoration rejected the fullness of the gospel AFTER John the Baptist restored the priesthood. Eventually, those priesthood keys were taken from the earth.
In section 124 the Lord acknowledges that the fullness of the priesthood had been taken from the earth.
“..build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein. For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.
The Lord warned the saints that if they did not repent and FINISH the Lord’s house, they would be rejected as a church with their dead.
But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
It is an undeniable historical fact that the saints did not repent of their abominations and they did not finish the temple.
God promised that if the saints were faithful, they would not be moved out of their place in Nauvoo, the cornerstone of Zion.
And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them.
And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord.
For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practice before me, saith the Lord.
It is a historical fact that the saints were moved out of their place and they fled from Nauvoo after the martyrdom. Every splitter group that followed one of the false prophets and teachers were cursed with their own set of delusions.
The martyrdom of Joseph Smith, the possessor of the keys of the kingdom, and the rejection of the church with their dead, means that the priesthood keys that had been restored by Peter James and John would need to be restored to the earth again.
This would either require Joseph Smith Jr. to personally return, or angelic messengers would once again need to restore these keys to the earth.
Interestingly, the Lord wanted it placed in the public canonized record, that the keys that Joseph Smith held were the same keys of the kingdom of God that was coming forth for the last time.
Furthermore, those keys were to never be taken from Joseph in this world or in the world to come:
2 Therefore, thou art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you; which kingdom is coming forth for the last time.
3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come;
4 Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another, yea, even unto the church.
5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house. (D&C 90)
Clearly, the storyline coming out of Brazil is inconsistent with some very basic prophetic doctrine about the events of the last days that has long since been established.
None of the claims being made from this latest movement are consistent with scripture.
“We are laying down our differences”
It is very strange that Joseph F. Smith and Bob Moore openly admit that they disagree with each other on doctrine and are simply choosing to not argue with each other over their differing beliefs.
Yet they report from Mauricio that Joseph Smith the 3rd was the fulfillment of the following prophecy found in 2nd Nephi 3 about the confounding of all false doctrines and bringing everyone to a doctrinal unity of the faith:
11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.
The claim that Joseph Smith the 3rd had previously confounded all false doctrines, laid down contentions and established peace among the decendents of Joseph of Egypt is simply absurd.
First of all, the prophecy is stating that all of the descendants of Joseph of Egypt would be doctrinally unified, not just the paltry group of gentiles that joined the RLDS movement. This prophecy about the posterity of Joseph of Egypt coming into doctrinal unity would obviously include the seed of Lehi who never joined the RLDS sect and who are yet to be converted to the gospel en masse. Further, Joseph Smith the 3rd clearly did not bring the seed of Lehi to the knowledge of the Lord’s covenants!
To suggest that Joseph Smith the 3rd had globally united all of the believing descendants of Joseph of Egypt shows a remarkable delusion.
The icing on the cake is that the doctrinal unity of the faith among the RLDS did not last very long before the sect completely rejected the historicity of the Book of Mormon and the divine mission of Joseph Smith Jr.
Further, the two gentiles chosen to be witnesses of this new work cannot even agree with each other about doctrine!
Mauricio is Getting Ready to Translate the Sealed Portion?
Of all of the wild claims made from this new movement, perhaps the most ginormous slip up is the claim that Mauricio is getting ready to translate portions of the “sealed portion“.
Here are some direct quotes made by the leaders of this movement:
The Book of Mormon portion of the plates were on one side of the rings while the “sealed portion” was on the other side of the rings. After having made the distinction, it was represented that “A portion of the sealed portion will be translated.”
People who believe this testimony are invited to come together and the Lord will pour out his Spirit upon them. In the newsletter by Joseph Smith Ministries for November 2017, this statement is found: In the meantime, part of the sealed portion will be translated in Brazil. Those who gather in faith and unite around Joseph F. Smith’s testimony will be cleansed by the Spirit as they then learn to obey the celestial law. They will receive and publish part of the sealed portion. It will reveal all things to live in Zion, as well as be an ensign to gather the rest
The claim that Mauricio is getting ready to translate the sealed portion is the death nail to the claims of Mauricio Berger.
You see, anyone that is familiar with the prophecies pertaining to the sealed book in 2nd Nephi 27, realize that the contents of the sealed portion do not come forth until after the completion of the Marvelous Work. ( See 2nd Nephi 27:7-8,10-11, 21)
They do not play a part in converting anyone. They do not come forth until AFTER the Gentiles repent and the great work has been completed. (See my last post for documentation)
The Holy Ghost is Impressed with my Writings
When I was communicating with Bob Moore I got the following email from him:
Last night my attention was drawn to http://threewatches.blogspot.com.br/2011/01/and-again-this-gospel-of-kingdom-shall.html?m=1.
It is signed by someone who is watching. Is that you?
Thanks
Bob
This was my response:
Yes that is one of my blogs. Another one is onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com
The blog you asked about has not been active for years.
I have not posted on it for a long time.
I don’t even remember publishing the specific post that you provided the link for.
I have spent 30 years studying the history of the church through the eyes of prophecy and I have been blogging for nine years having written nearly 500 articles, and I continue to be on a learning curve. I am not responsible for anything I have written over three weeks ago! LOL
Hence, I noticed a few things in that article that I do not see the same way, although, conceptually, I still agree with the general narrative being offered.
The general point is that in the revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth, we are continually reminded that the Lord was laying the FOUNDATION of a FUTURE WORK.
In the modern LDS church it is erroneously taught that Joseph Smith began the Marvelous Work and a Wonder back in the 1830’s. This cannot be substantiated in scripture.
It is now about four generations after the LDS FOUNDATION WORK has been laid and the Marvelous Work is now finally about to come forth.
This was the reply of Bob Moore
Dear Watcher
Naturally I felt honored the that Holy Ghost would reveal to Mauricio that much of my blog post was inspired. However, it seemed odd to me that Mauricio was using Google to mistranslate the meaning of my words instead of Mauricio’s gift as a Seer and the use of the Interpreters that he was holding at the time he was reading my blog post.
It was further perplexing to me that Mauricio completely misunderstood what I was saying. My post was actually proving that the sealed portion does not come forth until after more of the unsealed words come forth from those Nephites who have slept in the dust.
This was my response
Bob
That is unusual timing.
As a critical thinker, I would point out to you that prior to my series on Mauricio, I was not getting any views on my blog from Brazil. However, very shortly after the first installment, I began getting as many as 8 to 30 views from Brazil per day.
I realize that those views could be coming from english speaking people in the local LDS ward in Brazil, but I find that unlikely that they would be alerted to an obscure blog like mine so quickly after your involvement.
When I saw those views coming from Brazil I remarked to one of my readers that I suspected that Mauricio and his handlers must understand english better than they are representing, and that they are probably reading what critics are saying so that they can modify their storyline…
Forgive me for being such a skeptic but please understand that I have been studying this topic for a very long time and I see countless problems in the storyline that Mauricio has presented to you.
I think it is wrong to ask people to nourish their desire to believe before they adhere to the counsel of Paul who told us to PROVE all things, and hold fast to that which is good.
The very first thing we need to do is view the claims of Mauricio through the eyes of scripture and the unconditional prophecies about this matter contained therein under the influence of the Holy Ghost.
My main concern right now is……
I wonder if you would permit me to dialogue with you on several of these issues rather than just provide a listing of concerns. In fact there is a prophecy in the book of Mormon I would like to do a little online study with you on if you would be willing.
I really love you and Joseph because you share the same zeal and passion for the redemption of Zion that I do. I believe your heart is pure and that your intentions are good. However I believe the claims of Mauricio are problematic. I think there is still time for you two to….
I need to run and join my wife right now, but would like to discuss this further with you..
Although Mauricio had sent Bob Moore a link to my post thinking that it proved that “..the sealed portion would come in two parts”. Mauricio completely misunderstood what I was saying. My post was pointing out that there needed to be more unsealed words brought forth of those who have slept BEFORE the revelation containing the vision of the Brother of Jared in the sealed portion would come forth!
My post was actually proving that Mauricio’s claims are false!
The sealed portion of the plates reveals everything from the beginning of the world to the end thereof.
People will not be allowed to read the words of that sealed vision until after the last great test and until they first repent!
Here is another snippet from my response to Bob
As far as I am concerned, Mauricio’s claim that he is getting ready to translate the sealed portion provides the final nail in the coffin for his claims. It is game, set, and match. The game is over for Mauricio. His religious movement is a scam.
Prophetic Interpretive Keys to Understanding the Events About to Take Place
Notwithstanding the fact that Mauricio has either been deceived by a false messenger or has fabricated his story and the plates, his deception continues to be much more believable and credible than than the Denver Snuffer narrative.
Why?
Because Mauricio’s narrative is built around the foundational prophetic event that begins the final work of the Lord and the Marvelous Work and a Wonder.
It has to do with the unlearned servant bringing forth more words from the seed of Lehi who sleep in the dust.
Somehow, Snuffer and countless others who have claimed to be the end times servant of the Lord are oblivious to the fact that the final work begins with the continuation of the words from the record of the Nephites and other ancient records.
Snuffers bizarre storyline and claims are completely out of sync with the prophecies relating to the final restoration in the 3rd Watch.
Creating an End Times Template of the Event
I am so grateful that the claims of Mauricio Berger have been brought to my attention because they caused me to once again visit the end times prophecies about the servant of the Lord that proceeds to bring forth more of God’s word.
During my most recent studies thing have begun to jump out at me that previously remained hidden.
Praise God!
In an upcoming video, I am going to discuss the following observations and associated scriptural evidences regarding the final restoration that incorporates what Isaiah and other prophets refer to as the Marvelous Work.
I realize that the interpretation of prophecy I am going to provide will create huge indigestion in a lot of people because it will challenge the prevailing paradigm.
We have been taught to view the end time prophecies about the marvelous work through a very dark and skewed lens. We view these prophecies based on the false traditions of our fathers. We assume that many of these prophetic events have already taken place when in fact they are still future events!
The Lord has poured out upon us a spirit of deep sleep. We live during the time when people think they are enlightened even though we live in a time of hidden darkness.
It is time for the darkness to disperse and for the light to begin to shine forth to prepare the way for God’s work.
We need to begin to prepare our hearts and minds for the return of the true servant of God and the words from the Nephite record he will continue to bring forth.
We should all disregard everything we have ever been taught about these prophecies and petition the Lord to allow us to read his prophetic words with new eyes.
I am sharing my own personal interpretations below. Nobody should blindly believe my interpretations. I simply provide them to stimulate thought. Everyone needs to study God’s word for themselves and obtain their own understanding from the Holy Spirit :
Observations About the Last Work
1- The final work begins with God’s servant proceeding (continuing) from where he left off to bring forth the word of God from the record of the Nephites. He shall return with the keys of the evangelical priesthood. The scriptures testify of this. Joseph Smith’s patriarchal blessings reveal that he will once again obtain the record of the Nephites and return with the priesthood keys:
The records of past ages and generations, and the histories of ancient days shall he bring forth: even the record of the Nephites shall he again obtain, with all those hid up by Mormon, and others who were righteous, and many others, till he is overwhelmed with knowledge.
No precious thing shall slumber from his possession, for he shall be covered with the most choice of all ages, till his soul shall be satisfied and his heart shall say, Enough, Enough! In his hands shall the Urim and Thummim remain and the holy ministry, and the keys of the evangelical priesthood..
2- The heavens have been sealed from the time the restoration saints rejected the fulness, until the Lord’s servant returns to complete his commission.
3- The heavens have been sealed because the saints of the LDS restoration rejected the fulness of the Gospel and their descendants and converts have believed the lie that the fullness remains on the earth. Because of this transgression God covered the eyes of the seers and placed a the spirit of deep sleep upon all people, both Jew and Gentile. This is the state of darkness we are currently in and will be in when the servant returns and the word begins to come forth again as the final work of restoration resumes.
4- All four of the following end times prophecies speak of the WORD coming forth from the unlearned servant of the Lord IN THE FUTURE. 2nd Nephi 27 does not mention the visit of Martin Harris to Charles Anton.
– The Unlearned Servant and the Words of those that have Slumbered 2nd Nephi 27
– Christ’s Message to the Nephites and the Marred Servant bring forth the Words of those that slumber in the dust to the Gentiles 3rd Nephi
-Joseph the Choice Seer and the Words from the Book … 2nd Nephi 3
-The future Administrations of Joseph and Sidney bringing forth the Word D&C 90
5- The Unlearned Servant Prophecy found in 2nd Nephi 27 reveals that there will be at least three more prophetic chronological segments of the word coming forth that take place in the future BEFORE the sealed portion is translated. None of them have reference to the first ministry of Joseph Smith
6- All four of the prophecies and supporting evidences reveal that the servant of the Lord that brings forth the word is Joseph Smith Jr. and he is the same servant from beginning to end of the prophetic narratives. Nobody is called to finish Joseph’s work.
7- During Joseph’s past ministry he brought forth the words of those that have slumbered that were primarily addressed to the seed of Lehi. In Joseph’s next ministry, he will bring forth the words of those that have slumbered that are primarily addressed to the Gentiles!
8- During Joseph’s future ministry, the seed of Lehi will be restored to the knowledge of their fathers, His covenants with them, and to their lands of inheritance.
9- When the Gentiles of the restoration got their first “blessing” of receiving the fullness, it was BEFORE the Gentile nation had finished scattering God’s people of the seed of Lehi. We are informed that the Gentiles will once again repent and get that blessing again AFTER the gentiles have scattered the Lord’s people
10 “out of weakness he shall be made strong”. During Joseph Smith’s first ministry the Lord referred to him and his associates as the “weak things of the earth”. Joseph was promised that eventually the weak would be made strong. Even mighty and strong. It is apparent from history that Joseph Smith was never made mighty and strong during his first commission. 2nd Nephi 27 reveals that Joseph will begin his second commission as a “weak thing” and will eventually be made strong during his second work.
11- It appears as if last great work does not begin with the return of Gods servants to redeem Zion as detailed in the parable of the redemption of Zion which is documented in Section 101 & 103. That takes place after the unlearned servant brings forth more the unsealed words from the record of the Nephites.
12- Our generation is one of the most learned generations that has ever lived.
The new president of the LDS church will be one of the most highly educated men to ever lead it. We are going to have a very similar test as the generation living during the ministry of Joseph Smith Jr. The Lord’s unlearned servant will begin bringing forth the words of a book. We will not be allowed to see the plates. We will only have the words he brings forth and we will be required to accept or reject the truthfulness of the words he brings forth.
Do you feel prepared for this test?
Those who have treasured up God’s word and who will accept the true authority and ordinances offered, and who will take the Holy Spirit as their guide, will not be deceived.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
You Heard About it First From the Watcher.. LOL
I first published a blog titled “Did the Marvelous Work Begin on April 6th 2007?” informing my readers about this event on October 31st.
On November 1st I published a follow up post on the topic because of the amount of interest the first blog gendered. In it I invited my readership to share their feelings and opinions about the testimonies of Elder Smith and Seventy Moore, promising to publish them on a future post.
On November 4th I published a post titled “Weighed in the Balance: The Claims of Mauricio” In it I briefly summarized some of the views of the leaders of the movement and catalogued the comments that had been sent in from my readers up to that point in time.
In this post, I am providing virtually all of the comments made by all of the respondents.
I typically get about a 10% response from readers when I ask for feedback on something. This exercise was not different. Out of about 200 subscribers, I have 22 respondents.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond.
In the final post of this series I will share my own opinion About the claims of Mauricio Berger with scriptures to support it.
Hopefully this will be an Exercise in Sobriety
One of the things that all of the commenters have in common is belief in LDS restoration movement and the coming forth of his Marvelous Work. We have all been anxiously waiting and watching for the events of the Lord’s coming as we have been admonished to do in scripture.
While it is a good thing to be waiting and watching, as the scriptures admonish us to be, the yearning inside for an anxiously anticipated event to happen can sometimes affect our judgment. That is something we need to be cautious about.
Another thing to be cautious about is if we have an expectation of how we think things will play out that is set in stone, we may be overly critical of a work that the Lord is overseeing. Just because we are familiar with the prophecies, does not mean that we understand them fully.
Realizing that most of the responders have been studying and pondering the scriptures and the history of the church for many years and have an above average understanding of the Marvelous Work that they have been anticipating, it should by sobering to all of us to see that there is no consensus as to whether these claims are true or not.
The vast majority of the responders, regardless of whether they have represented themselves as skeptics or believers, are still pondering and searching and have not reached a final decision on this matter.
I believe there is much we can all learn from this exercise.
Keeping My Ear to the Ground
You may have wondered how in the world I found out about a somewhat obscure meeting held in Independence MO within just hours of it being held.
Particularly when I was not even familiar with the RLDS faction that it took place among.
I have some dear friends that live in Missouri who have been patiently watching and waiting for the Marvelous Work to began nearly as long as we have. They somehow heard about the meeting and attended the evening session wherein the testimony of Seventy Bob Moore was given.
The wife of this couple is the one that contacted me by email. She is listed as respondent #1 in the listing of opinions that I will be providing in this post.
Interestingly, even though she initially seemed somewhat excited and hopeful, after pondering things over through the lens of modern revelation, she has since rejected the viability of Mauricio’s claims. Nevertheless, to my surprise, the larger portion of respondents from my blog readers seem to be embracing the claims as being true.
The Testimony is Going Viral
Prior to Elder Smith giving this testimony, the average number of views on the video channel of the Zarahemla Branch fluctuated between 30 and 60, with about 60 official followers. Nearly two weeks later, there have been over about 8,000 views!
Even though news of the testimony is going viral, acceptance of it among the differing factions of the RLDS branches seems to be struggling to gain any serious traction thus far from what I can gather. This is not surprising given the enmity that has existed because of differing interpretations on doctrine.
Besides, familiarity breads contempt.
I would guess that the percentage of believers among my readers is significantly higher than the percentage of believers among the RLDS factions in Missouri.
An Attempt to Not Prejudice You
By the time I got through listening to the testimonies of Elder Joseph Smith and Seventy Bob Moore, I had formulated a very strong opinion about the prophetic viability of the narrative they shared.
I began preparing a post to inform my readers about this most interesting and timely current event and share my opinion about the claims being made. However, that little voice inside my head told me to hold back my opinion and allow my readers to listen to the testimonies, evaluate them, and openly share their opinions BEFORE I present my conclusions.
This is what I have tried to do, even though my views should be obvious to my long time readers.
The Results are In
“Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.” Isaiah 41:21
“Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord.” D&C 78:8
As promised, I am now going to share the results of the survey I took regarding what I am going to call, for lack of a better term “The Claims of Mauricio Berger“.
This is going to be a long post because I am sharing the feedback of 22 people.
Although some of their remarks are short and to the point, some of their comments are long, involving multiple email exchanges.
Some of the emails will not make total sense because they are referencing some of my email responses to them which I do not want to post, for purposes of trying to save my own opinions and reasoning for the final post.
Realizing that some of my readers are not invested in this event enough to labor through all of the comments, I am going to first provide a chart that places the opinions of each respondent in one of three categories.
In the chart below I have assigned a number to each commenter to provide anonymity and to show the order in which the comments came in.
In the chart, the M and F refer to the gender of the commenter.
The asterisk represents those who seemed to change their opinion or fluctuate widely in their opinion.
The word “Correspondence” identifies those that have personally made contact with Elder Smith, or Seventy Moore, or one of the leaders of the Zarahemla Branch. I suspect that some of my commenters have offered financial assistance while others that speak the language have offered to go to Brazil as interpreters.
It would not surprise me at all if one or two of my readers were to become one of the additional six witnesses that are to be called to visit Brazil and meet Mauricio and see the plates.
Obviously, the “not sure but hopeful” category covers a very broad spectrum.
At one end of the spectrum are those that mostly believe but are still processing the information and waiting for additional information and confirmation before they fully commit as a believer.
At the other end of the spectrum there are those that are very skeptical but cannot bring themselves to completely deny it.
I want to apologize in advance for any mistakes and misrepresentation I may have made in cataloguing your comments.
I have tried to remove all names to provide anonymity and have taken the liberty of editing some of the emails when sensitive information was involved.
Group Decision Making
I am providing this feedback from respondents because I think it is informative and might be helpful to those who are trying to sort all of this out.
Some of the responders shared opinions that seemed to be based solely on “feelings” they got when they shared their testimonies, others backed up their opinions with scripture.
Years ago, Mrs Watcher shared an experience that she had trying to discern the truthfulness of something without studying it out first in God’s holy word. The experience was quite frightening and sobering. If you have not read her story, I would encourage you to do so.
“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart”
As you can see from the chart above, a clear consensus has not been reached nor would it make any difference if one had been made. The ability to discern the Lord’s work should never be left up to others. We must all stand or fall on our own ability top receive personal revelation. Discerning the truth for an individual has never been a democratic process
Democracy is not how revelation works.
I took a course on “group decision making” during the short time I was in college and it was fascinating to see the dynamic and associated challenges of trying to reach a group consensus. Just ask the Snufferites who are experiencing the frustrating challenge of making group decisions.
During the LDS restoration, the process ordained by God was for the Lord to give council and instructions through his designated prophet. Once the revelation was received and made public, the primary purpose of the vote of common consent, in my opinion, was-
1) to provide a checks and balances method of identifying a false revelation, and
2) to bind the saints and make them accountable once they raised their hands in support of the revelation and any counsel and instructions contained therein.
The Sincerity and honesty of Elder Smith
and Seventy Moore has not been Challenged
It is interesting that most of the respondents believe that Smith and Moore are sincere and honest people who truly believe what they are saying. It is generally believed that the trip did take place, Mauricio does exist, and the artifacts in question were seen and held.
Respondant #1
Just a quick note to share a link with you guys.
av.zarahemlabranch.org/w/josephbrazil
This is a link to two meetings held at the Zarahemla Branch Church in Independence, MO Sunday October, 29, 2017.
We were notified of the evening meeting late in the afternoon and made the trip to Independence to hear the details of a report of Joseph Smith, a descendant of Joseph Smith, Jr. and Bob Moore, of their recent trip to Brazil.
A report that entails a visit from the angel Moroni, the Gold Plates, the Interpreters and the sword of Laban.
Thought you would find this an interesting listen. We haven’t listened to the morning meeting yet but it is in our plans when Steven finishes the cold frames in the Greenhouse as it will be very cold tonight.
We love you guys and pray that God is watching over you and your family while you are watching and waiting for the Third Watch Marvelous Work!
Your fellow watchers & waiters
Follow up email
I have been giving a great deal of thought and made it a matter of prayer, about this new information that has been delivered by Joseph Smith & Bob Moore.. I applaud the humility & sincerity of Joseph Smith & brother Bob Moore in witnessing what they experienced in Brazil and what they have been instructed to do.
However, the Spirit has previously witnessed to me through the scriptures that Joseph Smith, Jr. holds the keys of the kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fullness of times.(D& C 27:13)
13 Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
And in D& C 90:2 (speaking to Joseph Smith, Jr.)
2 Therefore, thou art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you; which kingdom is coming forth for the last time. 3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come;
Also in JST Genesis 50: 7-33 The lord speaks of a choice seer, in the last days, that will be raised up who shall be like unto Moses. who will bring forth the word and then secondly to convince them of the word which shall have already gone forth among them..
vs. 30. And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth of my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days;
31 Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to a knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.
32 And out of weakness shall he be made strong, in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them, who are of the house of Israel, in the last days.
33 And that seer will I bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise I give unto you; for I will remember you from generation to generation; and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand shall bring my people unto salvation.
D& C 101: 43-61 Sets forth the parable of the vineyard, where in The Lord’s Servant is given specific instructions concerning the redemption of Zion.
43. And now, I will show unto you a parable, that you may know my will concerning the redemption of Zion.
44. A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said unto his servants: Go ye unto my vineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land….
55. And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants: Go and gather together the residue of my servants…5
6. And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; …
61 And this shall be my seal and blessing upon you…a faithful and wise steward in the midst of mine house, a ruler in my kingdom…and after many days all things were fulfilled.
In D& C 103: Joseph Smith, Jr. is identified by the Lord as the servant of the vineyard in the previous parable.
13…your redemption, and the redemption of your brethren, even their restoration to the land of Zion, to be established, no more to be thrown down…
14. Behold I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
16. Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
17. For ye are the children of Isarel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched out arm.
18. And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
21. Verily, verily I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun. is the man to whom I likened the servant to whom the Lord of the vineyard spake in the parable which I have given unto you.
In addition to these scriptures in D& C 29 (which was given to Joseph Smith, Jr. and six elders) They were given the charge to gather the elect.
7. and ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine, elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;
8 Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all thins against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked. ….
10. For the hour is nigh, and that which was spoken by mine apostles must be fulfilled; for as they spoke so shall it come to pass;
For some people this may all seem a mute point since Joseph Smith, Jr. was killed on June 27,1844. But, the spirit has witnessed to me that Joseph Smith, Jr. will be raised up to complete the work that God has given him to do.
He laid the foundation of the gospel, translated the Book of Mormon, brought forth many revelations from the Lord, identified where Zion would be built and revealed what would be required to establish Zion.
We read of angels coming to visit the earth to assist with the marvelous work in the last days. I believe that Joseph Smith, Jr. will be one of the chief among them. (See D& C 103:11-21)
11 But verily I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the lands of their inheritances, and shall build up the waste places of Zion.
12 For after much tribulation, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, cometh the blessing.
13 Behold, this is the blessing which I have promised after your tribulations, and the tribulations of your brethren—your redemption, and the redemption of your brethren, even their restoration to the land of Zion, to be established, no more to be thrown down.
14 Nevertheless, if they pollute their inheritances they shall be thrown down; for I will not spare them if they pollute their inheritances.
15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.
18 And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
19 Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers: Mine angel shall go up before you, but not my presence.
20 But I say unto you: Mine angels shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land.
21 Verily, verily I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., is the man to whom I likened the servant to whom the Lord of the vineyard spake in the parable which I have given unto you.
So, I am looking for the return of the early saints as well as the return of Joseph Smith, Jr. to be restored to their lands which were purchased in Jackson County Missouri. For Joseph to lead the redemption of Zion by Power and a stretched out arm.
My heart yearns for Zion, to be established in the heartland of America, in the state of Missouri, as God has instructed. I for one know that God did not make a mistake, he did not change his mind about Joseph Smith. And all that God has promised will be fulfilled concerning Joseph Smith, Jr. Even if that means raising him up from the grave!!!!
Therefore, I can not put my support behind Brother Joseph Smith, the descendant of Joseph Smith, Jr. in this work to bring forth the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, in Brazil.
I do agree wholeheartedly that we here in America have a great need to repent! That there are many humble people throughout the world who are seeking to do the will of the Lord.
All the true in heart will be gathered to Zion. But, I also feel that Satan is working over time to thwart the work of God. He is the great deceiver.
I wish that all of this information coming forth about the angel Moroni, the plates, the interpreters, and the sword of Laban were true.
So, much of it rings true because we are waiting for additional scripture to be revealed, and for the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon to be translated, and for the establishment of Zion.
But, in order to support this work I would have to deny what the Holy Spirit has witnessed to me, concerning the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. and the keys and work that has been given to him.
There is also the priesthood authority question that looms huge for me as well. According to D&C 124:28 the Lord makes it clear that the Saints had lost the fullness of the priesthood. (by 1841)
28 For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.
In order for the Priesthood to be restored the Saints were given the charge to build the Nauvoo Temple and the Nauvoo House, within the time given them. If they would do it, then their baptisms, washings & annointings would be acceptable to the Lord and they would not be moved out of their place.
29 For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead—
30 For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.
31 But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
32 But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
33 For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me;
34 For therein are the keys of the holy priesthood ordained, that you may receive honor and glory.
35 And after this time, your baptisms for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me, saith the Lord.
36 For it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.
37 And again, verily I say unto you, how shall your washings be acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you have built to my name?
38 For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was.
45 And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
According to my understanding of these scriptures and of history. They were moved out of their place, driven out of Nauvoo, because they failed to live the Law of Consecration, build the temple & the Nauvoo House.
The fulness of the Priesthood was not restored at that time and there has been no subsequent revelation of its restoration, . and the prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr. was taken out of their midst. As was the case with the children of Israel when they failed to come into the presence of God and become His people.
Moses was taken out of their midst, and they were left to wander in the wilderness until the unbelieving generation had all died off.
Moses appeared to Joseph and restored priesthood keys to him, as recorded in the D&C:11
11 After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.
So, I must continue to watch and wait for The Lord’s Servant of the Vineyard, for the one Like unto Moses, the bearer of the keys of the kingdom, whose right it is to redeem Zion!
May God grant us all the righteous desires of our hearts and may he cover us all with the mantle of Charity that His Spirit can work on our hearts and minds and bring us to a state of one heartedness and one mindedness. That we may all meet one day in Zion!
A humble, hopeful, follower of Christ!
Respondent #2 (Five Emails)
1st email
O my, Watcher, you received this on the day after the message was delivered? If so, that is astounding. Your watching is paying off!
I know of this group. Bob Moore is one I know because in the 1980’s my mother sent me dozens and maybe hundreds of teaching tapes about the restoration groups especially as we separated from the CoC.
Funny, but I’ve been investigating a possible move to the Independence Mo. area and to the Blue Springs city, where the Zarahemla Restoration branch is located.
I have listened to Joseph Smith’s presentation and am listening to the evening discussion now. This is stunning in the scope of the claim and the facts of seeing and handling the gold plates, the sealed portion, the interpreters and the sword of Laban.
But also, the representation that a portion of the sealed portion will be translated and sent to the Independence area for publication.
I had not heard anything about this, however I am aware of an effort to bring the restoration groups together under a leadership called the Pastors in Zion.
We must prayfully address these claims and I will be checking in with my local sources back there.
Thank you so very, very much for sharing this information.
2nd Email
Dear Watcher,
I have typed out a transcription of the email so we could refer to the specifics. Here is the best I could do. There are several ? in the text where I had difficulty making out the word.
I also interlineated the scriptures cited in the email.
Bro XXXX
======================
I have a lot to say, Mr. Smith, but as I do not know how to speak and write in English, I hear that the Google translator will transcribe a phrase, otherwise causing confusion, that can be read by you. So I’ll briefly summarize the facts so you can keep tract of what happened to us and what we want with you.
I do not understand all of your scriptures, your doctrines, but I will use the Bible and the text of your scriptures that appears in the site http://www.centerplace.org.
It all started April 6, 2007. It was the eve of Easter. I had climbed a hill alone to pray to God in the desire to get some answers to my questions. During the trip I was lost in the woods closed? until sunset and night came and the darkness of the trees was larger than an enclosed room and, without a flashlight, I could not move from that place. Fear, at that time, took over my senses, making me feel like a dark force was overwhleming me. When a light appeared through the tees pushing away the fear that surrounded me soon a character involved in that light called me by name and said not to be afraid. He identified himself as an angel of God with the name of Raphael. Which years later I could see, in one of his writings, that he visited Joseph Smith Jr.. [This is from LDS DC 110:21b, this is the LDS DC in Portuguese which is the only one they have.]
On this occassion, the angel Raphael made, with his hands, light to illuminate the whole forest so that I could reach the top of the hill where I received a visitation of another celestial being which I will not report here with this email but will leave for another occassion. [JS then said that later on he learned that this being was Moroni because at this time Moroni began to work with these people.]
The being who was waiting for me at the top of the mountain, then prescribed, more than once, the text of Isaiah1 two through nine, so that it was etched in my memory. [Following is the text referred to.]
1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters; they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
1:5 Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more; the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores; they have not been closed; neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
1:9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
He told me that he appeared to me because of my great faith and righteousness and that my prayer had touched the feelings of him who rules the whole universe. But he required me to return to that same place, no longer alone, but accompanied by three other men who would approach me for Bible study and that we should go back there once every year until ten years had passed. And so we did. Until we came to understand what God expects us to do.
Your [JS] contact was revealed to us in this last time which was January 21st of this year, 2017. We were told on this occassion that we went up the hill, that the Lord was moving his Hand to restore Zion to its place determined by him in a place chosen to be the New Jerusalem in Missouri. He said that the churches which bear his name had strayed from their covenants making the arm of flesh their strength. He showed us that the remnant quoted by him to me the first time, in the words of Isaiah 1:9, to be the branches of the restoration. However, he affirmed that even among the branches of the Restoration, there were certain divergencies of opinions and that they are not altogether one of heart and mind. Therefore the Lord looks with appreciation to you, Mr. SmithJ and to your congregation for he has seen your labor and the intent of your heart.
[JS said that he has worked for 21 years to bring the saints together beginning with the Waldo sermon wherein the Lord said that they had a window of opportunity to step through and to find common ground and to work together and begin to build up the Kingdom of God. For the most part the sermon went in one ear and out the other.]
But there is no way to get your people back together in one flock in your country. For there is much strife and repugnent? among latter day saints in regard to the other churches which in one have been divided into many. But God will do it from Brazil until it fills all Latin America, Central, finally to arrive again in the lands of the North where the people of the covenant is accounted as being a great multitude. Rev. 7:9 [quoted below]
7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
In relation of what the Lord requires of us with you is that a congregation directed by you here in Brazil be established and be in commune with other branches of the restoration because the Holy Spirit will operate by in our midst entering? increasing? in many chapels of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for there are many people in that denomination that the Lord intends to seep for himself as he did in the past when the Nephites preached to the Lamanites. Our work therefore is therefore is similar to that of Alma who preached among the wicked people of King Noah converting his member to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Lord allowed the powers of darkness to take over the regency of the greatest church of the saints of today but he intends to seek his own chiefs from this spot so that the prophecy of Ia 60:22 will come.
60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation; I the Lord will hasten it in my time.
What we initially desire is the baptism of your hands or an authority sent to us from you for this purpose and to obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost in order to fulfill our ministry fully as promised to us by the heavenly beings.
We are willing to separate our tithes from now on to achieve this goal which is not ours only, but of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We were told that you would be our leader as long as you lived. Amen
[End of email]
(3rd email)
Dear Watcher,
I found another video which was a week, or less, before the sermon of Joseph F. Smith. Here is the link:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/109178834
Bob Moore talks about the Brazil experience, but not in detail, choosing instead to say that Brother Smith is the primary witness and it was hoped that that testimony would be given within the coming week. (It was.)
Because I believe that this video may contain important information about the second invitation issue, I’m going to send the link now. However, I have uncovered prior efforts by Bob Moore and Joseph Smith relative to attempts to bring unity between some of the restoration break aways from the RLDS/CoC and the Temple lot faction. I’m going to cover that info in a different email.
(4th email)
Dear Watcher,
I have been out here in California since 1965 with relatively little face to face interaction with the saints struggling with the take over of the RLDS leadership and the changing of that body into the CoC which, I understand, has been accepted into the World Council of Churches.
Once thousands of saints fled the apostate RLDS/CoC, they tended to stay connected in their own groups and simply renamed their groups.
Along the way a number of local leaders tried to find a way to unify the restoration branches and they began the JCRB, Joint Conference of Restoration Branches.
As best I can tell, Bob Moore was working with several churches, a Bickertenite branch, an LDS congregation, and the Temple Lot church where Joseph F. Smith is a member. I believe that Bob Moore tried very hard to get the JCRB to accept Joseph as a voting member of the conference. This caused some dissent and I don’t really know if Joseph was ever accepted for voting.
Nonetheless, it is clear that Moore and Smith developed a working relationship despite coming from very different organizations.
Here is some info found on an internet report:
JCRB Seventy Bob Moore
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/39711977
In Retrospect, Where Have We Been
Bob Moore, around 45 minutes into his presentation, reveals that there are ties with three organizations, Church of Christ Temple Lot (Joseph F. Smith and some others), Bickertonites preaching in JCRB congregations, and that Richard Kohn is working with Utah LDS. Bob Moore is working with Joseph F. Smith with some Utah LDS and have a pending agreement to work in harmony with a congregation of LDS in a nearby area near Independence. He says,
“We intend to do that”.
Question to Bob “Where is the LDS congregation?”
Bob, “I can’t identify that, I get people in trouble.”
It is apparent that Bob Moore is a stronger personality and that Joseph defers to Moore.
What is becoming clearer is that we simply don’t know enough about the communications from Brazil to either Smith or Moore. In his sermon, Smith referred to several emails between the BG and himself.
We know that in the second video, the Q&A, Moore gave an introduction in which he described what the two of them knew before they went to Brazil.
But we have no record of the ongoing emails. Did the BG tell Smith/Moore that they had the artifacts before they went down there? Frankly, it sounded to me like they did not know that in advance. But no one asked exactly when did you first know that they claimed to have the BOM plates, Laban’s sword and the interpreters?
Anyway, I just wanted to pass this on.
5th Email
Dear Watcher,
My wife, who is licensed as a marriage and family counselor, but who is not a member of any of organization deriving from the original JS, Jr. Church of Jesus Christ, watched both the sermon testimony of Joseph Smith and the Q&A evening service.
She said that she actually felt sorry for Joseph because it was apparent that he has a good heart, but that he could be manipulated. Should any of his story turn out to be false, it will likely cause Joseph serious physical problems.
The narrative story, when pieced together, presents some questions/problems for which we do not have sufficient information to resolve.
1. Joseph’s testimony was that his first contact with the Brazilian Group came by way of an email from Mauricio. The email had to have been prepared subsequent to 1/21/17 because Mauricio’s email said that Joseph’s contact was given to them on that date. Presumably it was Moroni who gave the contact information to them. However, the email address was to a generic address, which was owned by Bob Moore.
Q: Did Joseph have an individual email address on or before 1/21/17?
Q: Who first received the email sent to the generic address?
Q: Was the email read by someone, other than Joseph, before it was delivered to him?
Q: Has the email from Mauricio been saved digitally or in printed form?
Q: Was the reading by Joseph, on Sunday morning, a direct quoting of the email received at the generic email address?
2, Also, concerning the ongoing emails between Smith, Moore and Mauricio. Smith referred to emails about ongoing questions from Mauricio.
Q: Are these communications being conducted by emails?
Q: Are these emails being collected and will they be made available for review?
Q: Are other forms of communication being used?
Q: Will all forms of communication be made available for review?
3. The smashing of the interpreters. This was described in some detail especially as to the fragments which were saved. Personally, if I had artifacts given to me by an angel, I would NEVER smash any part of the gift. One does not have to look through the interpreters if one fears the result. But to destroy? I think not.
4. The antipathy towards the LDS church was jarring, especially when the message of Joseph said how he has spent 21 years trying to build bridges and bring groups together. Related to this concern is the apparent belief that the RLDS (now restoration branches) is the “True” church with no seeming recognition that the entire original church was rejected and slipped into apostacy.
Reading JFS’s biography shows that his father left the RLDS in 1925 and joined up with the Temple Lot people. This is a significant date because it was in 1925 that the “Supreme Directional Control” doctrine of RLDS Pres. F. M. Smith, led to a major split off of RLDS membership.
5. Many awake saints believe that we are in end times events and that the Marvelous Work and a Wonder is something we are looking for at any moment. But we must be alert to watch for any of Satan’s deceptive practices. Having the BOM gold plates, interpreters and sword of Laban surface in Brazil, Porto Alegra, rather than the Promised Land raises a “red flag.” This development will create even more division among believers who are and will be advised to gather to Zion. Now, there will be questions about gathering to South America, Brazil. So, was Mauricio deceived? His comrades?
6. During the Q&A evening meeting, questions were asked about pictures of the artifacts. It was stated that Mauricio’s group took pictures of both Smith and Moore holding the Plates. Where are those pictures? If they were taken digitally, they are already “out there” and will likely surface at some point. Did Mauricio send emails with digital photos attached to Smith or Moore? If so, will they show the pictures?
7. Additional witnesses also bear on the bona fides of this experience. We are told that there are to be additional witnesses to be named by the Lord. Who is the prophet who is to receive those names? It seemed that it is Joseph F. Smith, although I do not recall him expressly saying he is the one. Should not witnesses also be selected from LDS, CoC as well as Restoration Branches? Looks like a bit of a nightmare to handle the selection process without a Prophet.
8. We are told that Mauricio’s group will handle the translation of the sealed portion, a least a part of it, but what happened to the promise to Oliver Cowdery that he would have a translator’s role in future revealing of hidden records?
9. Why the angel Raphael? Not mentioned in the Bible, but referred to in LDS DC 110:21b. But, what about Joseph Smith, Jr., to whom the keys of the Kingdom, which was coming forth for the last time, were given to him and “. . . shall never be taken from . . .” him in this world and “neither in the world to come; . . ..” LDS DC 90:2-3 Is JS,Jr. simply out of the loop?
10, What about the parable of the wheat and tares? The gathering of the wheat was to come by separating the tares and the wheat sheaves were to be gathered into the barns. Yet, this experience suggests that the Lord has given up on those in North America because they are hopeless. JFSmith read from Mauricio’s email:
“But there is no way to get your people back together in one flock in your country. For there is much strife and repugnent? among latter day saints in regard to the other churches which in one have been divided into many. But God will do it from Brazil until it fills all Latin America, Central, finally to arrive again in the lands of the North where the people of the covenant is accounted as being a great multitude. . . .”
Is this the way the Lord fulfills his parable? By simply abandoning the prior work? Is the Lord to ignore those who have awakened to their awful circumstances and are trying to understand what they are to do? Are we to understand that our efforts will not be needed until all of South and Central America is converted? This just does not seem right to me.
11. What about the promises made to the First Laborers in the Lord’s vineyard? They only laid the foundation and their work was cut short of finalization. Were they not promised that yet their voices would be raised in warning to the great and notable cities of North America? If so, has the Lord decided now to leave these brethern on the sidelines and give the fulfillment of their efforts to others? There is no prophetic announcement of this so far as I can see.
There are many other points that could be raised, but without a lot more information and some prophetic explanations, I’m just not buying this story yet. So far we have been essentially told, “Trust us, we are telling you the truth.” But I trusted the leadership of the RLDS who then later joined the World Council of Churches, declared the BOM not historical and authoritative, took the name of Jesus Christ out of the Church name, de-emphasized Joseph Smith, Jr., and adopted open communion, same sex marriage, and other non-scriptural doctrines. Trust is a necessary, but not sufficient, basis for belief.
If Brothers Smith and Moore were seeking our assent to the truth of their report, much more is needed. How do we know that they even went to Brazil? How do we know they met with Mauricio and others? Where are the pictures of their meeting with the Brazilian Group, the baptisms, and other interactions? Where are the pictures of the angelic donated artifacts? Where is Mauricio’s explanation of why he smashed the interpreters? Was he admonished by Moroni for having done so? Where is the prophet of God to declare what God is doing especially in the context of promises made in the D&C?
It would be marvelous and wonderful if the second invitation is being made and that the Lord’s hand is moving to both execute judgment upon the wicked and to extend salvation to the more righteous. But so far we have only Joseph F. Smith’s statement that he is the man who has declared this to us. There is much yet to be learned.
Respondent #3
Watcher,
Thanks for sharing those videos. If this is true, this is of supreme importance.
Kind of incredible, but not sure what to think. I always thought the restoration would happen here in America.
I’m studying 2 Ne. 3 to see how what he said Moroni said it should be interpreted works out or not.
Right now my mind is dark and can’t see it. I’m going to take another pass at it later.
One thing that did come to mind when Elder Joseph Smith was speaking of his priesthood being pure and handed down was D&C 86:10
10 Therefore your life and the priesthood have remained, and must needs remain through you and your lineage until the restoration of all things spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the world began.
Feel free to share your thoughts on the matter.
2nd Email
This is what I received from them:
XXXX,
As I am sure you can imagine, there are some pretty significant demands on Brother Bob and Joseph’s time and that will probably continue for the near term. Joseph lives about three hours from Independence so he is not readily available “in person” in our area (Independence, MO) and Bob is leaving Friday for a couple of week mission trip to Sri Lanka.
We have been visiting some about holding a larger gathering in Independence similar to the one you perhaps viewed on UStream so that the testimonies can be shared to a larger group as well as offering an opportunity for more dialogue and discussion and perhaps even some worship. Right now, we only have the idea but no plans. I could, however, imagine that we might do something in early December. We’ll have to wait until Bob returns to discuss further and make the plans. I will hang on to your note and let you know.
Additionally, I think it will be important to have an online vehicle of some sort where up-to-date information can be shared. It will be too much to keep so many informed just through eMail. We have the ability to do that, I just need to get it rolling and am going to start that dialogue with a few this evening.
Brad Gault
3rd Email
Watcher,
I’ve read 2 Ne. 3 and JST Gen 50 and listened to the part where Bob is teaching what Moroni says about Elder Joseph Smith today being the spokesman and of the loins of Joseph Smith, Jr.
I can’t see it. I have a stupor of thought just writing about it.
Here’s the hand written account of my research.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wcas1xxxtfdvidu/2%20Ne.%203.pdf?dl=0
I found some good gems while doing this research project.
Here’s one:
Bob Moore says that Moroni taught that 2 Ne. 3:11 speaks of Jospeh Smith III being the one referred to of convincing them of the word that had already gone forth with his contributions of the Inspired Version of the Bible and other commandments.
11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
Well in the Inspired Version of the Bible in Gen. 50:30 there’s an addition to that verse that changes things. I believe the addition is so significant that it can’t possibly be referring to JS3.
30 And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth of my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days;
What you’ll find interesting in the JST Gen 50 account of the promises given to Joseph in Egypt is the fact that “latter days” and “last days” are used a total of four times. Two times each.
It appears to me that the term latter days when it is used has reference to the 2nd Watch or LDS Restpration Movement while the term last days has reference to the 3rd Watch or last time prior to Christ’s second coming in glory.
So for me it’s a stretch to say that 2 Ne 3:11 has reference to JS3 during the latter days segment of this prophesy when the scripture in JST Gen 50:30 says it takes place during the last days.
That’s just one of many inconsistencies that I found in the message delivered when compared against the Holy Word of God.
Can’t wait to see what you and others have written.
4th email
Thanks. [responding to one of my email responses]
I wanted to believe, but I can’t deny the revealed revelations.
I don’t know how people are going to survive all the coming deceptions when they want to discount the current revelations.
Looking at just the BoM it’s hard to see the deception, but when looked at in harmony with all revealed word, aka JST.
Also, why did it take Moroni 10 years!! That’s where I got lost the first time.
Anyway, thanks for sharing.
5th Email
Watcher,
https://secondinvitation.org/2017/11/04/a-word-from-joseph/
This is a link to their blog. I find it interesting that his way of combating any of the negative press that’s out there about his trip to Brazil is for them to leave it alone and see if it dies on its own and, he makes no mention of any of the artifacts that he personally handled while on his trip. He only defends the fact that he went there to give baptize and ordain.
I find that very suspect. Why he would not defend his testimony.
Respondent #4
Email #1
Watcher: Well…My initial instinct is to believe Elder Joseph Smith http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/109371953.
I will ask the lord for a confirmation straight away. Too many signs have already been given for me to ignore it. I am certain our mutual friend and brother (XXX XXXXXXXX) knows him, and I would like XXXX to weigh in on the subject if he can.
Given your background, you probably have met him yourself. I trust you would not have shared the video with us unless you thought there is likely something there.
The order and manner of the roll up to Missouri sounds approximately right from teachers like XXXX XXXXXX and XXX XXXXXXXXXXX. The timing of dark things happening simultaneously in Washington sounds right. Even the Dream Mine sign of the wheat sounds right.
Having a descendant of Joseph Smith announce it sounds right to me. I dunno how much better timed this can be. God bless you in your work. Your friend, XXXXXX
Email #2
I sent an email to joseph[at]reorganizedChurch.org
Elder Joseph: I listened to your testimony tonight. I believe you. I love you and the Lord. I am here in Utah if you need anything. There are 100s upon 100s of us prepared by the Lord to assist you. Herah for Israel. XXXX XXXX, Friend of XXXX XXXXXXX.
Bob Moore sent the following to me (by mistake)
Joseph: I received this email from a person in Utah. I know XXX XXXXXX. He is involved in a group, many of whom are LDS members. They believe that they need to obey parts of the Law of Moses. XXXX invited me to join that group several years ago. I told him that I choose to live by faith in Jesus Christ instead of obedience to a dead law of works. I do not know if this person and the people to whom he refers are part of that group or not. Let me know how this contact works out. Bob
Note: I don’t think Bob Moore understands Eskdale
XXX called cautioning me to hold my fire and to not jump off a cliff without a parachute. He told me he would provide 2 parachutes to make sure. I had a good laugh.
Hello: I have just now had an interesting chat with XXXX XXXXXXX regarding Elder Joseph F Smith (former Hedrickite apostle). XXXX said he has a parachute for me and wants me not to jump just yet as he investigates on the ground. I sent an email the Elder Joseph F Smith and got a reply back from his spokesperson, Bob Moore.
This is a fascinating journey of discovery.
The sword of Laban. The interpreters. The sealed portion. It’s like a safari. For sure, my friend XXXX knows I have a tendency to jump first and ask questions later, so back to work and Babylon I go. BTW… My brother said I am like the “eye of mordor” ever looking and watching LOL, but I told him that honor goes to Watcher. To be frank, the more opposition I hear about Joseph F Smith, the more I like him. Love from XXXX
I called my like-minded friends. Only one (a mutual friend) was very interested. The rest are waiting.
XXXX called again to say a tornado of activity at Independence was sweeping through the Restoration Branches stating mostly only the young people have accepted the testimony of JFS.
Brother Bob: It looks like your forward to Elder Joseph went to my email instead. Please forward my original inquiry to Joseph F Smith again if you don’t mind. BTW… I happened to chat with XXXX while he traveled from Eskdale back to Independence today. He said you and Joseph have caused quite a stir at Independence, and I certainly hope so. I admire your courage to just say what you saw and not equivocate about it. Other than my noising your testimony around, I have not heard any other account of it from anyone else in Utah yet. I will keep my ear to the ground. God Bless you, XXXX XXXXXX
Note: This is a lot of fun, and I still want it to be true very much. When I heard the testimony, I considered it to be true. Some of your posts caution about asking folly questions to the Lord. Oliver Cowdery was warned to do more than just ask. I get it. I’m working on it. Thanks for sending the link.
Email #2
I replied to Bro Bob who sent me an apology for mis directing his forward to jsf.
I listened to your testimony tonight. I believe you. I love you and the Lord. I am here in Utah if you need anything. There are 100s upon 100s of us prepared by the Lord to assist you. Herah for Israel.
Friend of XXXX XXXXXXXXX.
Bob. Great, thank you so much! I know XXX and Fred Larsen and all the members of the House of Aaron at Eskdale utah, but I grew up LDS. No. I am not a member of the group spoken of but I have great love and admiration for them. Not for their great understanding of the Book of Mormon, but for a joyful reason given me from the Spirit.
When I write of 100s upon 100s prepared, I am referencing a loose movement of LDS members being groomed to live in small communities of believers with the Lord only as shepard. I am a member of 6 such families which are meeting regularly. We have our differences as I hear you do. We pattern ourselves after the Kirtland school of the prophets.
We are learning the refinement process of ascension to be in God’s presence. We are as Levites (my understanding) and will eventually become the sacifice before the Lord ourselves as found in Malachi.
It’s all about restoring the House of Israel in my opinion. I have told XXXX in the past; the Lord must have loved all you all first because he scattered you first.
I believe your message of unity because it makes sense. I sense you have gone through hell and back with what I am just now learning are “Restoration Branches.”
We dont have a scatter problem in LDS world. We have a a glue problem that wont let any idea in but our own. My sense is you and Joseph are opposites that way. There is much to learn for all of us who think we have it figured out and that’s why i am hopeful in what you are doing.
Show quoted text
Brother Bob:
It looks like your forward to Elder Joseph went to my email instead. Please forward my original inquiry to Joseph F Smith again if you don’t mind.
BTW… I happened to chat with XXX while he traveled from Eskdale back to Independence today. He said you and Joseph have caused quite a stir at Independence, and I certainly hope so. I admire your courage to just say what you saw and not equivocate about it. Other than my noising your testimony around, I have not heard any other account of it from anyone else in Utah yet. I will keep my ear to the ground.
God Bless you,
Email #3
Correct. Some of the rumors around the “Restoration Branches” is the “large sum of money” charge. Mauricio has NOT asked for money that I know about and neither has JFS. To produce a 60# set of plates would have taken $1,400,000 cash. Recently tungsten has been used to fake gold bars, which if applied here, is only $1,200 to to build a fake that would heft like gold and may be the origin of the schmutzy black grime??? LOL. More difficult would be filling 68 leaves with strange characters without any apparent origin.
Email #4
Watcher:
Tungsten comes in foil which means it is flexible: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Tungsten-foil-can-be-made-as_60569394424.html?spm=a2700.7724857.main07.30.4e0da080rGqdW1&s=p
And, of course, tungsten can be plated with gold: http://www.tungstenaffinity.com/Gold-Plated-Tungsten-Rings-s/306.htm
Unfortunately, seeing gold plates is not enough in this age to prove anything. It makes me sad.
Email #5
Correct. Some of the rumors around the “Restoration Branches” is the “large sum of money” charge. Mauricio has NOT asked for money that I know about and neither has JFS. To produce a 60# set of plates would have taken $1,400,000 cash. Recently tungsten has been used to fake gold bars, which if applied here, is only $1,200 to to build a fake that would heft like gold and may be the origin of the schmutzy black grime??? LOL. More difficult would be filling 68 leaves with strange characters without any apparent origin.
Email #6
Spanish chemists discovered the metal tungsten in the 1700s. Does that mean the Nephites could have been shown it? Maybe. But…Still bugging me is the baptisms by fire and the loving people. Deceivers don’t get those experiences. Can Joseph F Smith discern a deceiver?
Email #7
All that said…. Please put me down as a believer in what has been shared so far from the 2 videos. I only know one other person in my circles who agrees with me. All other oppose me. What a wonderful time to live!
Email #8
Watcher: Thanks for your post this morning. Your summary of positions wasn’t well understood by me, but you must be some kind of savant in ways. I hope you are not offended.
BTW… It was instructive for me to read the Book of Ether again today. I’m sure you have already done so.
FYI Below with a newsy greeting from the ZB pastor
Hi XXXX
Brother Bob left Friday for a mission trip to Sri Lanka. (It was planned before he and Joseph went to Brazil.) He won’t return until Nov 18 but I expect that when he does that we’ll organize something here in the area in a larger venue so that more can attend.
We have quickly tossed together a web site to keep all up-to-date as these events unfold:
http://www.secondinvitation.org
When we get something scheduled, we’ll post a notice there.
We absolutely welcome inquires and interest from the LDS community.
Brad
Email #9
Dear Brad G.:
I have heard there isn’t much affinity between the Utah Church and Josephites especially from older members. I can easily pick up on the rancor regarding the “apostate” member of the Brazil group who joined the LDS and became a problem for Mauricio. In Utah we are so dang full of ourselves we hardly notice anyone else at present, so I can understand.
As a child we gossiped about RLDS and we spoke of some day returning on foot to Missouri, but as the years have passed, more and more temples have been built without a clear reason. As details of church history emerged since the 1980s (i.e. follies of polygamy and witholding priesthood from blacks) there were and are a few on the Left who are becoming atheists; those few on the Right have doubled down on Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and Lectures on Faith.
We (conservative seekers) mostly are looking to ascend into Christ’s presence as promised by Joseph and we cast off the remnants of not-for-this-telestial-world doctrines that Brigham probably got from Joseph but never understood them well. The whole nexus of polygamy and our temple rites came from Brother Brigham’s memory. The law of adoption itself was a tumble of misunderstandings and has resulted in our temple ordinances.
When Brigham saw Joseph in a dream (1847), the most important question he had was regarding what to do with adoption. It was a mess with priesthood holders in Nauvoo striving to get the biggest spiritual family they could by being “sealed” to one another with the highest priesthood holder at the top of a pyramid. Joseph didn’t answer him directly but told Brigham to have us live by the Holy Ghost and we would be directed right.
We kept up our nutty behavior, but it has all evolved and devolved down to the mostly sanitized versions observed today. Sadly, somewhere along the trail, Second Comforter principles were obscured and forgotten even though the Doctrine of Christ is clearly taught in the Book of Mormon (2nd Nephi). I don’t see anyone in Missouri yet teaching it, but it will be again in my opinion. Both sides of the rockies kept part of the restoration in their own way, and it’s still alive! Moreover I know over 100 priesthood men in my circles who have studied in a School patterned after Kirtland. There are many more than 100.
It reminds me of the promises in Malachi about refining the priesthood of Levi and an offering being made before New Jerusalem. That offering is probably latter-day men and women repenting and purifying themselves and the priesthood for a restoration of God’s house. Our centrally controlled leadership do not like us studying and talking about it, and thus many have been disciplined including me (my temple recommend was cancelled).
I still go to church, but it’s like God has swept my mind clean of all traditions. Left are the doctrines given us by Joseph mostly before Kirtland. Therefore we have faith in one yet to come Mighty And Strong. We believe Adam-ondi-ahman was an event many of us saw in vision having taken place 23 Sept 2017. Therefore the story coming out of Brazil is perfectly timed and independently offset as another witness of its veracity.
We are all descendants of Joseph’s work. Does Joseph F Smith ever talk about including us in the mountains and across the world?
Brad’s response
Would very much agree that we need to be watchful. The Joseph Smith Ministries site was built quite a number of years ago. Brother Bob Moore built it and maintains it for Joseph. He publishes a monthly newsletter and you find the archive of those on the site. It was an outgrowth of powerful testimony that Joseph has that he had a calling to try to help unite the Restoration and its many portions. I linked the site because we are getting questions about who Joseph is and the site does give some background on him.
Brad
Email # 10
Watcher:
The man behind the curtain seems to be the JCRB http://conferenceofbranches.org/. At least that is the suspicion of several (more than my initial contact). JCRB is a faction from a fraction as they say. Fred Larsen was hugely dissed by them at one time and the Zarahemla Branch was at the center; or so it seemed.
Bob Moore got his Seventy title from the JCRB which now has apostles and they seem to be angling toward getting a prophet. Will that goal now be derailed by JFS or will it be supported by him. That is the hanging chad question at Independence.
What I still like is the veracity of both JFS and Bob Moore. JFS kept saying “this is not about starting another church.” Seventy Moore kept saying “Joseph is the Lord’s spokesman.” If Seventy Moore has designs to conscript the hapless JFS it won’t work if this all is of God. If Bob is just another articulate apostle Paul, we have a winner. Maybe the JCRB and Remnant Church will unite to support JFS. That would be a good thing if it’s as true as I want it to be.
Email 11
Bob Moore has approved this message from him for circulation
XXXX
All of us who believe the latter-day message are also bound by the denominational traditions that separate us. Everyone of those denominations failed at one point, so it makes little sense to defend any of them.
There is nothing to lose if one has already lost the favor of God. There is everything to gain if a person loses the things of the world and gains God’s favor. The titles of men and their accolades have no comparison to the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit.
Whenever the Spirit of God moves in power, it prepares people beforehand to receive it. I am glad that there is a group that the Lord prepared in Utah. I expect that there are others elsewhere.
Later this moth I will talk to Joseph about the wisdom of coming to Utah to meet the group of whom you speak. I will also let you know the next time Joseph speaks publicly.
I want to elaborate on uniting the people without organizing them. I mean by that statement that Joseph is not planning on creating a church organization that people join. Everyone comes from the background that they are currently in. The unifying ingredient is the testimony that the sealed portion is about to come forth and the Lord must have a unified people in the Land of Zion to received and publish its translation as well as build the Temple.
The spokesman for the translator is Joseph F. Smith. He is the person to guide those who believe and seek unification. That may mean that he receives revelation from God on necessary items to help that unification happen. We are promised that the Lord will pour His righteousness on the believers who come together. This is the real miracle, that when the Lord pours His righteousness on us, He will make us one. The differences that keep us apart will evaporate and we will happily do what the Lord wills.
At some point organization must come, but it will be after the believers are unified. If the Lord spoke through Joseph and revealed how to organize before there is unity, many people would refuse to come together. Unity must proceed the revelation.
We cannot build the temple without organization. I am a home builder. You cannot have a bunch of people from different trades show up all at once and expect them to build something that stands. There must be key people in charge and functioning.
When that organizing comes, Joseph will be the spokesman, but it will come through the means and consistent with the fashion that the Lord has already established. No one will doubt it, but rejoice in how consistent and true to His word our Lord is.
May the Lord bless you and those with whom you associate as you better prepare for the glorious days ahead. I look forward to our continued communications and especially the time that we meet.
Bob
Email #12
Watcher:
The Independence rumor mill is working overtime at the center place of Zion. I got the following text this afternoon: “will it make any difference to you if the seekers in Brazil are former LDS members … or … if Mauricio also contacted someone else in January? Developing!!”
Additional Misc emails
Some of the buzz out of Independence tonight is: 1) Why would the circle of unity extend to only a few “Restoration Branches,” 2) Why would Temple Lot Hedrikites be included at all, 3) why would there be bashing of others (including the ‘apostate’ LDS), 4) why was Joseph and Bob broad-sided without advance awareness of what he was getting into, 5) why doesn’t Mauricio accept the D&C, 6) why was sword even there… on and on.
My group of friends, 9:1, have concluded Joe and Bob (and Mauricio) were all duped by an angel of light (Raphael, Moroni, 3 Nephites) masquerading to embarrass the LDS Church. Everyone’s ox is gored.
My final question back to my friends was: Can an angel of light produce physical gold plates?, smashed interpreters?, loving people?
I plan to wait for more evidence. It looks to me like all the “Restoration” is in need of unity and charity in a big way. If it’s real, the Lord will help us get over ourselves. It has to happen sooner or later anyway. In order for a masquerade to be perpetrated, the drama will need to continue for quite some time. Our Brethren won’t get wind of it for a while if the past is an indicator of how they will react.
Thanks for sharing it on your blog in the first place,
Respondent #5
Pretty amazing stuff happening.
Those poor people. [referring to the Q & A Session]
I like how all they could ask the witnesses was about the plates, their shape, feel, dimension etc.
None of them asked them important doctrinal questions.
Another evidence of the times. I wonder if Denver is going to jump on this train? That would be an interesting twist.
2nd email
I felt something dangerously close to the Spirit of God as I watched Elder Joseph Smith’s testimony. I now feel that this is the work of Satan and not man. The individuals in Brazil are speaking with a messenger from the other side, but it is not an angel from heaven.
If they were speaking with Moroni– once a year the last ten years!– they would have a much better idea what’s going on.
I almost bought that Elder Joseph Smith held a priesthood which was “pure” enough to baptize the group in Brazil. I was disappointed that he did not confer the gift of the Holy Ghost at the waterside, as the Lord has recommended (D&C 52:10) and that they never got on their knees for the blessing of the sacrament.
Still, these incongruities were small, especially if this is a prepatory work like Sidney Rigdon pre-1830.
The dealbreaker was that Elder Joseph Smith ordained the soon-to-be prophets to the Melchizedek priesthood.
This was proof that they are not speaking with Moroni. Moroni would have, of course, told them that they must sacrifice all things and enter into the law of consecration before being ordained to the high priesthood.
But even so, just because Elder Joseph Smith lacks the gift of discernment, it doesn’t mean that the golden plates haven’t been delivered to someone. Until a translation comes forward, I feel we must remain open to the possibility it is of God.
3rd Email
I wanted to see what a Snufferite thought of Brazil, so I sent the video links to XXXX XXXXXX
Here’s his response:
No, I hadn’t heard of this. I listened to one of the testimonies. Very interesting.
My current inclination is that this is a hoax, though I admit I don’t know much about it. Certain parts of the story don’t hold up to examination, in my opinion. I do believe the gentlemen are telling the truth, and that they saw what they said they saw. But I’m not sure the plates, sword, and interpreters are genuine. Too many inconsistencies and questionable details.
But time will tell, won’t it?
Respondent # 6
Elder Smith and Seventy Moore’s sincerity cannot be questioned.
They both obviously believe in what they are sharing.
They both swear that they saw and handled the plates, sword, and interpreters.
I have no reason to question their claims based on their sincerity.
I even reached out to them via their website to offer my services as they plan to return to Brazil a second time (I speak Portuguese).
If it is true that Moroni has given the plates to Mauricio in Brazil then that is a sad commentary that the Lord couldn’t find even one worthy servant in the U.S. to continue with the Restoration where he left off.
According to Elder Smith and Seventy Moore we will soon have the translation of the sealed portion to study and contemplate.
That will be one additional piece of evidence for the rest of the world, in addition to their own first-hand witness.
Respondent #7
Hi Watcher,
Here’s my two cents worth on the reports from Elder Joseph Smith and Seventy Bob Moore of the Zarahemla Branch and their report of activity in Brazil:
1. Even though I’ve never heard of them before, they seem humble, sincere, credible and believable.
2. Their story and the story of those in Brazil seem to fit at least some scriptural patterns (outside the established religious mainstream, small humble group, fire in bosom, angelic visitations)
3. At the moment, I’m inclined to believe them. So far, so good – let’s proceed to the next step
4. There don’t seem to be any big red flags which scream out STOP
Respondent #8
Bogus. The spirit feels like a lead thump. Not the voice or the Spirit of the God I follow.
Gold plates can appear…”demon assisted” magic abounds. It’s not about the witnesses or the objects, it’s about the message https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J_UvpPc6rfg&feature=share
Respondent #9
Hello Watcher,
It has been a long time since I have reached out to you. I have still been here following your post and I am still watching and waiting patiently for the servants to return and the Lord to reveal his hand once again on the earth.
Okay this could turn into a long email but I am determined to make it short so wish me luck on that. My initial impression of the events happening with the Zarahemla Branch and the community down in Brazil is that these people are extremely sincere and without a doubt good people.
There were several things that Elder Joseph Smith and Seventy Bob Moore said that I found extremely interesting because in someways they connected to some of the things you have talked about in a few of your post.
Here are my two big concerns about what they are saying and how they are saying it.
First of all were are the servants and second of all were is the power?
As I was listening to them talk about how Elder Joseph is the Moses spoken of in the Book of Mormon and Seventy Bob Moore is the Spokesman that did not sit well with me at all.
I believe the scriptures are clear on who those two individuals are and even if we have that part wrong my next question would be were is your power and authority.
I did not sense anything different from these two men other than what you typically get from other spiritual leaders on this earth.
I do not say that to belittle them in anyway but I am absolutely convinced that when the Lord extends his hand a second time that it will not be done or started by normal men.
The problem we keep running into with all of these different groups that claim they have found the truth or that the Lord is speaking to them is that they are all trying to save themselves by changing slowly over time.
They are all claiming that if they can just live their life in such a way that they Lord will eventually reveal to them the next step and his work will continue forward.
There seems to be a feeling that they will somehow be able to morph into what the Lord needs them to be. I get the same sense with this group as well.
One more point I wanted to add and I believe that only people who are extremely familiar with your post and blog would feel this way.
I absolutely could care less about if there was actual gold plates or not. I was more interested in what they were saying and if it lined up with the scriptures. I believe we live in a world were deception comes in all forms and fashion and if someone is going to be persuaded by physical objects alone then they are in a world of trouble. With that being said I absolutely loved how he described the plates (pretty cool)!
Anyways I could be totally wrong and I will definitely continue to keep my eyes, ears, and heart open the best way I can but so far I feel the need to be cautious with this one. I look forward to getting your official thoughts soon as well.
Respondent # 10
Hi, Watcher,
Here are my thoughts on the new development regarding the marvelous work.
To start with, I have been researching Book of Mormon chapters involved with “commence the work”. Here is my list: 1 Nephi 14, 2 Nephi 2, 2 Nephi 30, 3 Nephi 21 up to verse 21, 3 Nephi 21 after verse 21, Mormon 3, and Ether 4.
I divided the 3 Nephi chapter because there was a chapter division in the original Book of Mormon at that place. The word “commence” ties all these sections together, so each part reveals a portion of what we are looking for in the fulfillment of prophecy “at that day”.
The first thing that caught my attention is how accurately the time we live in is being described, not just in general, but in the specific events playing out on the news.
Since the signs in the heavens (blood moons, solar eclipse, and Rev 12 star alignment) we have seen tempests, floods, fires, earthquakes, bloodshed, plague, and I think the famine is soon to come. There are wars and rumors of wars, but more significantly, hidden things of darkness are being made known. (Hollywood scandals, JFK assassination papers released, people not believing the LV shooting false narrative, Clinton corruption investigations, etc.) This tells me this is the season to be watching, so we are not caught unaware as the warnings and invitations are extended to anyone who will repent.
If we are correct about the time, a couple other things to be watching for are sealed books coming to light (2 Ne 29-30) and the work of the servant/seer (2 Nephi 3)
I realize that most people in the LDS church think these things came to pass in the days of Joseph Smith jr. However, for all the good it has done us, the work is still to be done.
We have copies of the Book of Mormon, but its message is still sealed for most people, and many members of the church have testimonies of neither the book nor the seer.
I found it extremely interesting that the video covered an interpretation of some 2 Nephi 3 verses that I had been pondering the day before. The is an extremely hard chapter to parse because the names and pronouns are nearly impossible to keep track of.
Admittedly, I know nothing about Joseph Smith III whom the speakers said is the seer in that chapter, but I would disagree strongly on that point because it doesn’t fit the history.
Verse 14 says: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded… That has to be Joseph Smith, whose name is spoken both good and evil of. (I don’t think that difference kills the relevance of the angel’s teachings because it could simply be a misunderstanding based on translation problems)
I was interested to hear the modern Joseph Smith say he was identified as the spokesman from that chapter. That will be tested as he begins to speak and we have some fruit to test.
The thing that really caught my attention about the presentation was based on my reading of what needs to happen, based on the 3 Nephi 20-21 verses.
“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. As many were astonished at thee — his visage was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men — so shall he sprinkle [JST- gather] many nations.” (3 Ne 20:43-45)
And
“But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although they shall be marred because of them. Yet will I heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe my words — which am Jesus Christ — which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, it shall be done even as Moses said: they shall be cut off from among my people which are of the covenant.” (3 Nephi 21:10-11)
According to how I read these passages, Joseph Smith Jr. is the servant who is marred. The descriptions of him since the early days of the restoration have been sufficient to keep most people from taking a good look at the work he brought forth, even the Book of Mormon.
We used to call people who spread those rumors anti-mormon, but now the church is at the head of the pack in spreading the “facts” about the prophet to their own members, who might be the only ones who care enough to be offended anymore by it.
I felt very strongly that part of the work of the Father will be to confound those who deny the work by rejecting the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph. In the days to come, we will see a reversal of opinion, the servant will be healed.
The Book of Mormon is the means by which the Father will do his work. Those who accept it and its message will be numbered among the covenant, and those who reject it will be cut off. In order for this to happen, there needs to be something that happens.
When I heard the presentation, I thought — This might be that thing. Do I know it? Not yet, I am waiting to see what will be said and printed in the months to come, but it could be the missing piece of the puzzle I have been looking at recently.
The other thing that was said in the videos that caught my attention was about gathering and unity. It makes sense to me that part of the work will involve healing breaches, such as between members of various restoration branches, and even between native American tribes. That seems right to me.
It also makes sense of the passage which says,
“Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice; and with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye. Then will the Father gather them together again and give unto them Jerusalem for the land of their inheritance.”
Those are my thoughts. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have not yet found anything that is contrary to my understanding of the scriptures, but there has not been much shared yet.
It was fun to hear about the objects (plates and sword), but as someone mentioned, those are simply signs. What really matters is whether we are seeing prophecy fulfilled. Right now I am inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt and continue to watch as things progress.
Respondent #11
Wow, those videos are interesting. How incredible it would be if it was true. I think if we were to have the traslation of some of the sealed portion, it would be helpful. When you read Snuffer’s translation, it’s so obvious that it is not real.
I thought of the scripture the last shall be first and then first shall be last when considering that maybe the church started out in North America, and will be revealed anew in South America.
When looking at the http://www.centerplace.org I see they have some things like the version of the first vision of Joseph Smith seeing 2 beings. So, it seems to me they have some incorrectness. I wish someone who spoke Portuguese could go to Brazil and really find out what they believe. So fascinating they were told not to join the L.D.S. church. Also that the L.D.S. church had sent a spy and they were trying to get the gold plates. I would believe this.
I don’t see why anyone would do this for a hoax.
Respondent #12
1st Email
He immediately contacted the Zarahemla branch through their website and offered his assistance. below is some of the correspondence
Thank you for your help. I received a phone call from Joseph, and had a wonderful visit with him about scripture and prophecy. He spent 12 years in Idaho a short distance from my ranch in the timber industry… Toward the end of our conversation he suggested that I talk to Bob Moore and also suggested that I make contact with him through you.
2nd Email
Watcher, thought I would let you know that I received a phone call from Joseph Smith and visited with him for 30 minutes this morning.
I watched your video links yesterday, including the previous Sunday’s video of Bob Moore’s preface sermon from Amos and the Old Testament and intimations of Sundays further information…
This morning I emailed through contact info on their website.Brad Gault the Zarahemla branch pastor responded and forwarded my questions and inquiries to Joseph. I then received a call within a couple of hours…
3rd Email
Joseph Smith returned my call inquiry Tuesday October 31,10 AM. I forwarded the emails so it would preface this response. The beginning of my conversation with Joseph Smith I tried to intimate that I am a student of the Scriptures and worthy of his time and actual consideration of my request.
The first question” Is Mariceo’s email available?” He then quizzed me about my knowledge of the great lengths that were taken to procure the plates through stratagem or force from his great grandfather.
He then rehearsed a similar dissertation as he did in his congregational video how Mariceo’s home was ransacked and the LDS implication.
Joseph said Any message to Mariceo could be given to him to forward.
This seemed a little strange to me since they mentioned families and names in the Sunday meetings of virtually all who were baptized. Seems to me and email address would not jeopardize their security anymore than their first names to an entire congregation and world, rather than to an earnest inquirer… at least in my mind.
I told Joseph that I thought to learn directly from the first witness was very important and I was willing to go with my interpreter and friend to Brazil to overcome the language barrier with scriptural understanding and familiarity to make sure all of Moroni’s information was disseminated correctly to the people rather than rely on Google or a young girl who’s been educated in English by television…
My mind went immediately to the story, as I recall the Colesville saints and section 27 revelation sending Joseph to them before going to the Ohio, because they had great faith and they were practicing their understanding of the law according to Acts 2 and he needed to help clarify the finer points to a sincere group before the official revelation of the law was given.
This happening in December 1830 and the law being given after they went to the Ohio in the first part of February… and them being sent to Thompson and the amalgamation of two different mindsets. The train-wreck didn’t last a couple weeks and they were sent on to Zion…
Joseph and Bob lead us to believe this people is similar to the Colesville Saints. Section 68 shows me that a people ready for Zion have isolated themselves from the blood, sins and iniquities of the world and that there children can be baptized at age 8 because they have not been influenced by Babylon.That they have been taught to read through the Scriptures and the requirements of “reception of the word” (2 Nephi 31)and baptism in section 20 can be accomplished at eight years old, unlike anyone exposed to Babylon outside of a stake of Zion that would require fruit meet for repentance, thus an older age of accountability and repentance from the blood and sins of the exposure to the world and it’s condemnation.
Mariceo refused they reported, to learn English so the dissemination of this information to the world came through a child educated by the god of this worlds filth promoter, television and Google translate which I won’t even go into???
Joseph quizzed me about whether I studied the Joseph Smith translation. I then talked to him about section 43 and the deception promised if all of Joseph’s words from God including the Joseph Smith translation were not used to ready ourselves for the second coming.
Also the deception of the 10 virgins in section 45 and again the three ways we can be deceived in section 46 and included the deception in section 50 and 52. I did this without sections because restorationist’s use a different version of the Doctrine and Covenants.
He didn’t really respond and didn’t seem to be familiar with the many deception warnings and indicated that according to Scripture that their fractions were the only ones that had been taken back to Zion for inheritance.
I asked Joseph how familiar he was with the 1833 book of Commandments and the February completion of the Joseph Smith translation,the printing press,the 14 issues of the Star.
I was going to mention chapter 4. “turned over to the buffetings of Satan”and the reasons for the destruction of the printing press. He interrupted me and went on a dissertation that Joseph had a copy and that the story of the printing press and the book of commandments being picked up by the children out of the street was completely false.
I ask him about whether he was familiar with the John Whitmer History and Ebenezer Robinson’s history. He said he had heard of them.I went into Ebenezer Robinson and the edition of the Book of Mormon, he didn’t respond like he knew what Robinson testified.
I went on to a different subject and asked him about false prophets in our day according to Jeremiah 23 and Isaiah, Matthew 23 and headed toward Matthew 24:5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. He interrupted and ask if I was familiar with Jeremiah 18? I told him I had it ,what part? He had me read the beginning verses and said that “this is what is happening in Brazil now…So he made it again another vessel,…”
He seemed very familiar with his talking points but not so much about anything I mentioned.
I asked Joseph about his life. He shared about his dad being a Temple lot Church apostle and himself being ordained an elder in the church in 1953, Eventually becoming disenfranchised because they were not interested in the restoration of Zion and building the temple.
I ask him about the break up of the RLDS and Community of Christ and restoration RLDS fractions in 1984 and if it was caused by the leadership being educated in other religious colleges and coming back indoctrinated and thinking protestant believes would be more popular?
He said “that and…” he went into his famous speech to the 1100. He was told by God to give a message( i’m not sure if he said or if I just assumed )to the Temple lot Church he had left,and the RLDS Restorationists he had joined.
He rehearsed similar to the morning meeting Sunday.The mandate from God was to repent, put down their differences and establish Zion. He said “They rejected and would not do it “
I’m going to have to watch the video again to see if he in his brief mention of his sermon that building the temple was included at that time.
The reason I mention this is the old mandate in his message from God to deliver is very similar to the message from the angel now. I’m not sure if this is Multiple witnesses over years or it is a continued desire and reason for him leaving the Temple lot church and then receiving a message from the Lord and now bolstered by the story of an angel on his original complaint???
He asked me what part of Idaho I was from. I told him, he then related how he spent 12 years working as a feller for the mill at Horseshoe bend Idaho, not far from where we farm.
Joseph then told me he had an appointment and that I should speak to Bob more about questions I had. He intimated that Bob was more familiar with some than he.
I ask him how to get a hold of Bob and he said through the pastor.
Joseph seems sincere and very believable.
Just a few scriptures that come to mind, and the Restoration Church. My understanding of sewing new cloth on an old garment or new wine into old bottles doesn’t seem possible that the Lord would use an existing corrupt church,not to say he will not worn them. I know they don’t think they are corrupt ,he quoted the Doctrine and Covenants about their fractions being return to the land of their inheritance.
Christ shows Moroni and he informs us in Mormon 8 also Nephi in 2 Nephi 28 all churches in the last days will be corrupt… “and your churches ,yea, even every one, have become polluted…”
Will the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon be printed by a corrupt church???
I could go on and on but my final assessment is that I have not received from the Lord a confirmation.Until that happens I will await their promise of the sealed portion being translated by Mariceo and delivered to them at the Restorationist Church for printing and dissemination. I then will test it with what I have received through The Holy Word of god.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; The flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
D&C 18:3 … behold, I give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written;
D&C 43:2 For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church, through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations from my hand.
3. And this ye shall know assuredly-that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
4. But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead.
5. And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or Commandments;
6. And this I give unto you that you May not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me.
This covers most of the conversation with Joseph. If I can make time I will give my opinion on the meetings and the concerns like the scriptural description of the sword of Laban, and their description and condition of the sword presented, also the interpreters being broken by Mariceo??? And other questions.
4th Email
Watcher, I wanted you to know that Elder Joseph F Smith called me this morning November 7, at 7:50. He said he called to inform me of a website, second invitation.org.
This call was not solicited nor have I had any contact with him since his first call. Bob Moore emailed me last week and said he would get back in touch and call me for a discussion after his two week trip abroad.
I did take the opportunity to quiz Joseph. 25 minutes
Why was he chosen? Why are these Brazilians given the opportunity to establish Zion?
I asked if our iniquities are the reason for the offering of Zion to another people.
I am somewhat taken back with the call out of the blue…seems so strange, but I’m not sure that he wasn’t just calling from a recall number from previous calls, not sure if he knew exactly who or where I am located.
I am in the middle of seeding grain before frost so when I get some time I will try to put the questions and answers together a little better.
Did you happen to read on the Zarahemlabranch.org website under Question Time,Discrepancies Answered , the responses by Bob Moore to the Book of Mormon rejection letter circulated by Larry Mannering?
In one of your emails you had mentioned Bob Moore’s sincerity and study.
You forwarded me a video that showed a question and answer…
This written (Discrepancies Answered) shows Bob Moore’s views as written better than he was able to articulate them verbally.I was wondering whether this is where you formulated your assessment of Bob’s scriptural understanding?
5th Email
Watcher I agree with your assessment of scripted and the buying in from the temple lots. You were being generous when you said how many people viewed before Sunday last.
Joseph also or Bob, might be counting on the Orthodox temple lots that would not go along with the rejection of the word.
Somewhat similar to the massive amount of mormons silently rejecting the Salt Lake City’s injection of oxyProtestantism.
This morning when I was questioning Joseph I ask him about many different dates including when he was in Idaho in connection with his leaving the temple lot church, his father, mother, births ,deaths etc. etc. He doesn’t seem to be very good with dates,I could give you the specifics, but just my opinion.
In that date category one thing that I did not realize until my query this morning, Joseph left the Temple lot church very recently, less than five years… He qualified it with that he was not in with them for many years, as when they rejected the Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph Smith translation and included as reasons for his joining the Zarahemla branch.
His answer to why him ?, he said that his priesthood was the purest form from Joseph Smith Junior… His grandfather Alexander Hale Smith and his father Arthur was probably the reason for Moroni’s referral.
Another one of my questions, about iniquity, scripturally being the reason for the Brazilians being offered Zion, to see about his understanding of why… He went back to his story of 21 years since his sermon and its contents being rejected by 1100 and that setting their differences aside and coming together.
Nothing about being sanctified by the word… Cleansed from the blood and sins of this generation, or iniquity being the reason for the separation from God etc. etc.
I also quizzed him more about the sword of laban and plates.
I have been intrigued that he says the plates were smooth no engravings felt by touch, but could be seen. In my inquiry he said that there were some of them that had engravings he could feel toward the end where the seal band was??? Verrrrry interesting…
In the conversation he mentioned again having six more witnesses. I ask how one would be considered, he informed me that it would come from the Lord and said he would put my name in..lol. I replied I could be the witness for the west…lol
I also ask if he was considering taking somebody that was fluent in Portuguese?
He said maybe, but it worked pretty well with Google and a 14-year-old educated by the TV, and again mentioned how he was impressed with her being able to learn English from subtitles
Respondent #13
Mr. Watcher my is XXX. I’ve watched both videos, and I would like to add my testimony of what was told.
I believe it with all my heart but saddened somewhat from the q&a session.
There’s still unbelief and what felt like a contentious spirit after what both gentlemen testified of. That blew my mind.
Are we still part of a perverse generation that ask for proof from testimonies that ooze the Spirit of God? Hope some day this will change. As I yearn to be part of Zion.
Respondent #14
I’m still processing my thoughts after watching the videos – I expect a month from now my answers will be slightly different than now. But here are my thoughts at the present time:
Claims of seeing the plates, sword, and interpreters.
For me this intellectually interesting, but not something that I can build my faith on. I’m sure Satan can craft some exquisite items too. And since I don’t know what the real ones look like, their testimony of these items can’t be tested.
That being said, I did notice that while each one tended to focus on different aspects of the items, and their descriptions used different terminology, there didn’t seem to be a time where they contradicted each other. Especially during the Q&A session when random questions were asked and they alternated answering them. They hadn’t memorized a common script, yet their differing descriptions didn’t seem to contradict.
In general, I believe they both saw some plates, a sword, and a broken “interpreter”. Whether those items were the real deals or not is another question that I can’t answer.
Claims regarding the Brazilians
“God couldn’t work with us in the north because of our hard hearts, so he is working with the people in the south.” Ouch. But definitely believable. 3 Nephi 21:22-24 opens the door for the remnant of Jacob to take the lead, and we need to be numbered among them if we want to participate. Did a remnant of Jacob make it down to Brazil? We’ll see.
The proof is in the pudding
Until they actually DO THE WORK, it’s all just a story. When they produce new scripture from the sealed portion, and we can search it, compare it, and test it, and pray about it, then I will be in a position to take a stand. Brigham’s Section 132 is pretty easy to detect. Denver’s new stuff is also easy to test against the established word. One day someone will produce something that holds up under scriptural scrutiny – and I look forward to that.
The one thing that really struck me (positively) was the advice they gave to those of us in the north about what to do next. It would have been a perfect time to produce the 10 Step Plan to Prepare for Zion™. And it seemed like some of the people in the audience was hoping for that. Instead, they refused to give a list and told people to stop focusing on differences and just love everyone. Develop the level of charity that the Brazilians have. Do the things you already are supposed to be doing. Nice.
The other issue is that Ether 4 says the sealed portion won’t come out until the Gentiles repent. Have we repented? The previous paragraph would indicate that we haven’t. How many have to repent before God reveals the sealed portion? Are a handful of people in Brazil repenting enough for the Lord? Those are questions I don’t have answers to…yet.
Respondent #15
Watcher,
Thanks for sending out your post and the links to this presentation.
I am very happy to have watched all three hours or so of it.
The theme of the message in the videos is repentance and love for God and one another.
Those who delivered are humble and sincere.
This is the message of scripture, delivered in an appropriate, gentle way.
Many patterns I recognize.
I believe the message is divine.
I have prayed about this and will continue to do so.
Like you, I do not wish to be deceived, but as of this moment, I feel as though God’s hand is in this work.
I want to know more about it.
What about you?
Respondent #16
I believe that the what is being reported about this group in Brazil shows that the Lord is working with many people. His efforts are not with only one group. When Zion is assembled, it will be many different groups that can live together in love and peace. I thought it was interesting to hear in the question and answer session from Jeff Folley about the representatives from 150 Indian tribes that are also moving forward in fulfillment of their prophecies.
Click on this link to hear Jeff Foli’s testimony about the 150 Indian tribes that are also moving forward in fulfillment of their prophecies
Respondent #17
Sorry I didn’t respond earlier so my weigh in could be included in your follow up post. I must confess I found bros Smith and Moore to be very credible. I wish the leaders in Utah were as humble and guileless.
I was very sobered by their testimonies and have been driven to self examination as to my readiness for potential participation in such momentous events and find myself very wanting.
Because of that I’m not sure I can say I was hopeful as much as fearful, and because of that probably more believing than skeptical.
Upon reading your follow up I see that despite the credibility of Smith and Moore, there is plenty to be skeptical of in their testimonies.
I just read Searcher’s Oct 2015 post For a Small Moment Have I Forsaken Thee and Aug 2015 What It Means To Be Sealed and if i understand them correctly, it appears that JS intimated that Elijah would yet come again and restore the sealing keys that were lost when the gentiles rejected the fulness.
I don’t believe that was part of the testimonies of Smith and Moore. I also don’t ever recall hearing from JS or anywhere else in scripture, that Moroni would return with the BOM artifacts to usher in the fulness.
Respondent #18
Watcher,
Since you are keeping score on how your readers think\feel about the claims made by Brothers Joseph and Bob concerning their Brazil trip, put me down as an active LDS, neutral, but hopeful.
I believe both Joseph and Bob are sincere and well intended; however, I’m concerned that their desire to reunite the saints and establish Zion, while a good righteous desire, could well allow them to be deceived (just as it could for many of us).
As I have thought and prayed about their testimony, the only inspiration I have received is that I don’t have enough information yet to truly ponder and ask if it is true. We haven’t yet seen the fruits, which will allow us to weigh it against the word of God. So until we do, I will remain neutral.
I have included a list of Pros and Cons for the information we do have.
Pros:
1) all references in the Book of Mormon for the brass plates and the plates of Nephi, both large and small, refer to the plates being engraven. In fact, Jacob even comments on how difficult it is to engrave on the plates. However, neither Mormon or Moroni mention engraving, rather they talk about writing or have written on the plates. I had never noticed this before, until Bro Bob mentioned that the plates he handled were not engraven but were written upon. So the question becomes did Mormon and Moroni use a different technology to write upon the plates? The three and eight witnesses both mention the plates were engraven. There could be two explanations:
– Webster 1828 definition of engrave also includes “to impress”
– What plates did the witnesses see? I still can’t find any reference to whether the plates of Mormon and the small plates of Nephi were two separate set of plates or one set of plates. Mormon wrote that he put the small plates with his plates. Does that mean that he physically unbound the small plates and then put them on the same rings as his plates, or just put them with his plates. In D&C 10, the Lord speaks as if Joseph already had the small plates or knew of the small plates when he tells him to translate them rather than retranslate the Mormon abridgment. My point is, if the small plates were bound together with the plates of Mormon, then the witnesses may have been referring to those plates when they mentioned the engraving on the plates.
Why I list this as a Pro is that I have read\listened\searched the Book of Mormon countless times, and I would have said with 100% surety that the Mormon plates were engraven as Jacob mentioned. Showing the plates to two experienced believers with writing rather than engraving is such a blatant, rookie mistake, yet if one reads what both Mormon and Moroni wrote, it supports written not engraven for the Mormon plates. (Do a word search for engrave and then written\wrote and you will see what I mean).
2) the interpretation of 2N chapter 3 and JST Genisis 50 that Bob have is as good as any that I have heard. I have always thought that it refers to more than just Joseph Smith Jr. It’s hard to see how the Moses reference is for more than the OT Moses, but it could be dual fulfilment for our time.
3) In both D&C 110 and 124 the Lord bestows on Joseph Smith the same promise\blessing as Abraham, that through him and his seed the whole world will be blessed. I’ve wondered many times what exactly that meant. It could be a fulfillment of that promise if Joseph F Smith turns out to actually be the spokesman that brings the good news to Zion.
4) If the Lord uses the plain and simple to confound the wise and learned, then I don’t think He will find a better vessel that Joseph F. Smith (that sounds a little judgmental, but I meant it as a compliment. I believe him to be a good, sincere, simple man).
5) This would be an ironic twist and a great test for those of us that are 4-5-6 generation members. Really!?!? The Lord called someone from Latin America to be His end time servant?!? The pride of Ephraim would indeed be tested!
6) Isaiah contains multiple references of hard hearts, ears that can’t hear, calling and no one would answer. I found three references where the Lord could find “no man”. It’s not inconceivable we have been so corrupted by our culture\TV\Movies\Entertainment that the Lord needs to go outside of Zion (US) to find someone that will listen and then call us to repentance.
7) Both gentlemen mentioned the sweet Spirit they felt while in Brazil. Since both are mature and well versed in the scriptures, I assume that they know what the Spirit feels like and are familiar with it.
Cons:
1) Why the sword of Laban? Joseph Smith saw the sword, but I can’t find any reference to him having physical possession of it. And if the sword of Laban, why not the Liahona too?
2) conflicting testimony: Maurico only does as commanded, yet he was commanded to learn English but refused to do it.
3) I can’t find any references to any servant coming from the South. All references seem to be from the East (but then again, that was one of the arguments used against the Savior, there wasn’t any prophesies of a prophet from Nazareth).
4) Joseph’s email is found on the Zarahemla Branch website, so it might not be quite the miracle that they sent him an email as they made it sound.
Don’t know if any of these made any sense to you or not, but as I mentioned above, for the time being I will with hold judgment and taste of the fruit that comes out of it and then let the Holy Spirit be my guide.
Thanks for all you do,
Respondent #19
[Complete Rejection: This communication took place in person and I did not record the conversation. It was rejected primarily on claimed discrepancies to the claims they found in modern and ancient revelation.]
Respondent #20
[ absolute rejection: This communication took place over the phone and I did not record the conversation. It was based on perceived contradictions in the Book of Mormon]
Respondent #21
Respondent #22
Hello watcher sorry for my slow response, but I’ve been pondering the testimonies of brothers Smith and Bob since you sent them. My initial feelings are that what Elder Smith says is true and that he speaks without guile, however, something about Bob and whoever was conducting the Q&A session doesn’t sit right with me and I haven’t been able to figure out why.
So, I’ve been investigating the remnant branches movement and their priesthood authority claims. I have to admit that I discounted the whole RLDS movement without investigating them in as much detail as polygamous groups because I knew that they had built a temple in Independence without it being the time or proper place to do so, and because they have recently rejected the Book of Mormon in order to be accepted by mainstream Christianity, thus I never took their claims of authority seriously enough to investigate them.
Hence, I have been investigating their claims in greater detail. On the one hand President Marks joined them in the beginning and he was basically the only one who defended Brother Sydney so I see the possibility that they like the Utah church have some remnant of the priesthood through him.
But weather their priesthood is more pure as claimed by Mauricio I’m not sure yet. So while I hope sincerely that what they said is true and I believe brother Smith, the other testimonies seem somewhat suspect to me because I believe that God would clearly call a prophet or send Joseph to translate the sealed portion based on my reading of the scriptures.
So, I’m left wondering if this is satan trying to gain the temple lot for himself by mimicking the Lord putting forth his hand for the second time. So for now I will keep treasuring the word and wait to see their publication when it comes forth. In any case this shows we are close because it is either of the Lord or of satan, and if of satan he knows what is coming soon and is trying to derail it. If it is of the Lord it will come to pass.
Ok.. Now that I have given everyone the opportunity to speak their peace, let me just say that I am shocked and appalled that so many of my readers are so gullible and unfamiliar with what the scriptures say about this topic.
You can read my views on this here
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BTW
The following documents have been sent to me
Zarahemla Branch JFS Q&A (1)https://secondinvitation.org/2017/11/04/a-word-from-joseph/
Leave a Comment » | end times, last days, prophecy, Uncategorized | Tagged: Brazil, Elder Joseph Smith, Gold Plates, Mauricio, Mauricio berger, rlds, Seventy Bob Moore, Zarahemla Branch | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
[Editorial Notes: It has been a long time since I have shared some notable emails. This series got ahead of me and I lost track of many great exchanges. Some of these exchanges are quite old.
Many very interesting exchanges have been lost in the shuffle. I may go back and try to retrieve some for the next installment if I can. My apologies to those that have had some good exchanges that have not been included.]
Email Exchange #1
“Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our
enemies and put them under our feet.”
Dear Watcher,
I was intrigued the first time I read your suggestion that, as Moses had offered to bear the sins of his congregation, so JSjr had done similarly.
You described the scapegoat in the story of the two goats presented yearly for the High Priest to make his selection of the goat to be driven into the wilderness.
Now I’ve not been a student of the Old Testament so I followed along without expending a great deal of energy.
But tonight I read an article which was based on the same OT story, but also included other facts which I wondered whether you had ever considered or rejected. This is actually part 9 of a 10 part series and I only listened to it because it was recommended by Steve Quayle on one of his podcasts. It’s not long, so I copied it off for you. [The article is not included in this post but you can read it here ]
My Response
Interesting article..
That is a wonderful parallel about Jesus building upon the rock of the watchers… of course, Joseph Smith and the scriptures inform us that the literal meaning is the “rock of revelation”, nevertheless, I love the parallel..
I can remember reading about the evil watchers and wondering if I was ill advised to call myself onewhoiswatching and accepting the nickname of Watcher LOL… luckily there is a positive use of the word watcher in the scriptures as well…
Also, I remember reading about Azazel in the Book of Enoch (although spelled slightly differently than in the OT) and wondering if it was referring to and relevant to the Azazel in the Atonement Statute in Lev 16… it really sobered me up wondering if in fact Joseph could have been an evil demon that did a work of deception, either from the beginning of his ministry, or if he was a true prophet at first, perhaps he fell never to repent after falling from a high and holy calling.
Ultimately, I have concluded that the name is similar in the Book of Enoch but does not refer to the same historic figure.
His response
I think your nom de plume of OneWhoIsWatching (Watcher) is the best name I’ve seen for the type of work you do. It is such a great name that OneWhoIsSearching has given you credit by his close approximation.
The storyline for the 10 episodes is that Jesus came to the earth to die on the cross, not only to redeem humanity, but also to destroy the work of the evil ones.
That statement brought me up sharply because I had just finished working on my poetic rendition of DC 3. There are 12 references where Jesus tells JSjr that “I will” perform something and two more where he says that “will I” also referring to performing a thing.
Word crunching “I will” yields 205 citations to RLDS DC 1-144. But, section 3 makes specific reference to the destruction of the evil works of satan.
2a Verily I say unto you:
That I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing.
This was given in connection with the loss of the BOM pages during the translation effort. The Lord says also:
And thus I will confound those who have altered My words.
9d I will not suffer that they shall destroy My work.
Yea I will show unto them that My wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil.
Two other comments:
1. I was struck by the forcefulness of the repetitive use of “I will” which is stated as a strong, confident warriorlike being. It thrilled me to see that the Lord was so committed to taking charge.
2. I’m attaching a copy of the full section because I have started separating and highlighting the opening Lord’s statements in introducing a particular subject matter. Looked at this way, it is as if the Lord were putting in his own “heading” which again is a great help to the readers.
Finally, I showed this technique to my congregation (small though it may be) last sunday, and they commented that even though they had read section 85 (the olive leaf) many, many times, this time they felt like they were seeing it really for the first time. It’s really fun to share with the saints that which brings renewed excitement about our current scriptures. [DC 3 poetry]
My Response
“The storyline for the 10 episodes is that Jesus came to the earth to die on the cross, not only to redeem humanity, but also to destroy the work of the evil ones.”
Very profound observations ….
You have done some marvelous keyword crunching magic in unlocking higher truth.
You have hit on two of my very favorite topics that I have been pondering.
One of the overriding contextual narratives that shows up time and again throughout the scriptures that one needs to understand in order to fully appreciate the plan of salvation is the fact that there must needs be “opposition in all things” ie, opposing forces in all things and that one of the primary reasons we have been sent to this earth life is to overcome the opposing forces.
As I was doing my study of the restoration of the high priesthood I came across several passages and statements from Joseph Smith that address this topic of destroying and overcoming the work of the evil forces… including the the following definition of salvation:
“Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet. And when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was death… Salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies… TPJS Page 297 & 305
Section 50 was given just prior to the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood for the purpose of preparing the elders for the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood. In that Section we are informed that those that are “ordained of God” become a possessor of all things and all things are subject to them:
26 He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.
27 Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth,
The topic of “when ‘I will’” is one of Mrs. Watchers favorite topics.
When asked when the Lord will make his move in pulling down the towers of the enemies and destroying the work of Satan, the Lord replied; “when ‘I will’“.
26 He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.
27 Wherefore, he is possessor of all thing58 And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land.
59 And the servant said unto his lord: When shall these things be?
60 And he said unto his servant: When I will; go ye straightway, and do all things whatsoever I have commanded you;; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth,
Just as attorneys like you have their own secret language that the masses don’t understand, where English words and phrases mean completely different things than commonly assumed, scripture also has words that have a deeper meaning sometimes that need to be searched out.
We have a tendency to take His words for granted in the scriptures and thus, we miss the real deeper intent.
There is POWER in words once they are understood and used properly.
There is a book that you would really enjoy if you have not already read it Ed.
It is called “Written by the Finger of God” by Joe Sampson.
I am providing a few screen shots that pertain to the cryptic key phrase “all things”
Enjoy
Email Exchange #2
The Dispensation of Mercy
Watcher,
I remember reading somewhere in your book or one of your many blogs about the dispensation of mercy.
I cannot recall if it was dispensation of Abraham, because Christ appeared to Joseph and Oliver standing on the mercy seat or if the dispensation of mercy was the last dispensation prior to the dispensation of Abraham.
Here’s why I ask.
I was reading in your book, and you had mentioned that the term “from day to day” is really referring to “dispensation to dispensation”.
You had quoted 2 Ne. 28:32
Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.
Yet the Lord says that he will be merciful unto them. Then I found this interesting phrase, “all the day long”
In other words, all the dispensation long.
So I did a word search for “all the day long” and found these interesting verses.
Jacob 5:47
But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?
Jacob 6:4
And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
Jacob 6:7
For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire?
D&C 43:25
How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!
For me, I tend to remember that the dispensation of Abraham was one of mercy. And as I follow the scripture chain it looks like that during this dispensation prior to the dispensation of the fulness of times or the ushering in of the 3rd Watch that we are being felt after, or God’s hand is stretched out still and we are being nourished by the good word.
That his mercy can be found by those who take his word to be their guide. But there will be many who will deny him and his word because they put their trust in the arm of the flesh as stated in 2 Ne 28:32 or 31
Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men.
My Response
Great string of related passages thank you for sharing
I had two ah ha’s regarding these topics.
One had to do with how the protestants characterize and differentiate between the definitions of mercy and grace
Question: “What is the difference between mercy and grace?”
Answer: Mercy and grace are often confused. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not the same.
To summarize the difference: mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy.
Another similar quote from a protestant site is as follows:
“Grace is what God gives us when we don’t deserve and mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve”
Although there is some overlap in the use of the two terms and there are always exceptions to the rule, I have noticed that when the fulness was on the earth, grace seemed to be the primary emphasis and when the fulness was rejected, mercy seemed to be the reoccurring theme in the scriptures… case in point, even though the term grace shows up more times in modern revelation than mercy, the dedicatory prayer in 109 and God’s response to it in 110 that was taking place during the transition point ushering in the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham pleads for mercy instead of requesting grace-
Doctrine and Covenants 109:34
34 O Jehovah, have mercy upon this people, and as all men sin, forgive the transgressions of thy people, and let them be blotted out forever.
Doctrine and Covenants 109:50
50 Have mercy, O Lord, upon the wicked mob, who have driven thy people, that they may cease to spoil, that they may repent of their sins if repentance is to be found;
Doctrine and Covenants 109:54
54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.
Doctrine and Covenants 109:62
62 We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem, from this hour, may begin to be redeemed;
Doctrine and Covenants 109:69
69 Have mercy, O Lord, upon his wife and children, that they may be exalted in thy presence, and preserved by thy fostering hand.
Doctrine and Covenants 109:70
70 Have mercy upon all their immediate connections, that their prejudices may be broken up and swept away as with a flood; that they may be converted and redeemed with Israel, and know that thou art God.
Doctrine and Covenants 110:7
7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house
With that for context, I was struck by the following use of the terms “today” and “day” in conjunction with the term sacrifice in the following passages:
23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
24 For after today cometh the burning—this is speaking after the manner of the Lord—for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.
” 25 Wherefore, if ye believe me, ye will labor while it is called today.
Those passages came on September 11 1831 just months after the restoration of the fulness.
Before the secret history of Mormonism began to emerge in my consciousness, I assumed “the coming of the son of man” was referring to the final coming of Christ in glory…. and it probably is, taking into consideration the duel fulfillment of prophecy, HOWEVER, I think the passage also had reference to the secret coming of the Lord that would take place about 4 1/4 years later.
The coming of the Son of Man was to be the transition point between a day of Grace when the fulness was on the earth and the day of mercy when the fulness would be taken from the earth and only the KNOWLEDGE of the fulness would remain, requiring us to study the word of God and receive his mercy until the next day change comes. During this time frame that we have been living in, we have not had the opportunity to offer up the daily sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit or enter into the true law of consecration that can only successfully be lived by those who offer up the daily sacrifice.
I think that the above passages were stating that “today”, or, in other words, the current “dispensation” that they were living in was the “time” or “day” when the SACRIFICE OF A BROKEN HEART AND CONTRITE SPIRIT could be offered up and that TITHING (consecration) could be entered into since the fulness was on the earth.
That “day” or dispensation was to come to an end when the Son of Man came to his temple in 1836.
During that next day, marked by the coming of the Son of Man, was to be a day of Mercy since gospel blessings could not longer be enjoyed in their fulness.
Hence the significance of Joseph’s petition when he and Oliver entered into the covenant for the “continuation of [gospel] blessings” to bridge the gape between the rejection of the fulness and the end of the opportunity to offer up the sacrifice and tithing.
Interestingly, an understanding of the significance of this concept ends up being just one more evidence that the false prophets of our day who are claiming the gospel blessing of the second comforter are deceived.
Email Exchange #3
Watcher,
Hey one more question if you don’t mind. I am just getting to your 4 PDF timeline videos on Youtube. I just listened to the first one today. You mentioned that we could email you and ask for the PDF you put together to go with those videos. Might I still be able to get a copy?
Also do you believe Jehovah (YHVH) is the name of God the Father and that he is the God of the Old Testament, and the Yeshua is the name of Christ? I also listen to some of Jake Hiltons stuff and this has been what he has been talking about most as of late so I thought I would ask you in passing.
Thanks much,
My Response
I have attached the graphic
I believe that Christ and the Father are one in the sense that Christ is the tabernacle of element (or temple) in which the Father dwells. Conversely, the Father is a tabernacle of spirit and flaming fire in which Christ dwells.
This is why we are told multiple times in scripture that they are ONE.
Nevertheless, they have the ability to separate out of each other and to converse with each other and to function as separate and specific beings that can be differentiated one from another which is why there are multiple places in scripture that clearly establish how they can function individually and communicate with each other.
We are informed from the JST genesis that the Father created the Son and that the Father creates all other things through the son.
I was not aware that Hilton was still actively teaching or making videos.. is the stuff you have been listening to recent?
Can you send a link?
His Response
Great thanks for sending that.
Very interesting thoughts you shared there on Who God is. Thanks. This ride just keeps getting crazier and crazier.
A couple thoughts on that if you don’t mind just to help me try and piece this together and understand. I listened to video 2 of those 4 videos you had made today and you had mentioned something along the lines of these people that are claiming to have their second comforter experience just may not be the case do to them being able to skip over all the stuff that the early saints didn’t do. I do have some close friends that I have made that the Spirit has lead me to, and they have had this experience and I do believe them. So my thought is in their experiences they have gone to the Throne room, and then Christ has taken them to The Father and to Mother. So any thoughts on that or is it like you said in your previous email ” Nevertheless, they have the ability to separate out of each other and to converse with each other and to function as specific beings that can be differentiated one from another which is why there are multiple places in scripture that clearly establish how they can function individually and communicate with each other.”
In Video 2 today you also spoke of the Morley Farm experience where several saw the Father and the Son.
Would that just happen to be a time where he had separated himself for whatever purpose needed to be filled that day?
So John 17:11 – And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are
So we’ve been taught all our life that this is one in purpose, and will and desire and so forth. So how can we become one with them where we are clearly separate beings than who God is? Hope that makes sense.
So Here is a scripture that may tie into this, or it may not. It is a scripture that is most interesting the way it reads, it is D&C 88:28. It says:
28 They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
So this is something I have been taught elsewhere, that we are more than just spirit and a physical body. That there are more aspects, or bodies that make up the complete us. We are more sophisticated than just spirit and a tabernacle of clay. That these other bodies that make up ourself are out there doing something, we just don’t have full awareness of them yet.
Anyways, I know I am not the clearest writer, and I wish I could explain myself better, but hopefully some of that makes sense. I truly am only seeking truth and greater understanding, and I have come along ways. I do appreciate you letting me bounce some thoughts and questions off of you and to get your feedback with your knowledge.
In regards to Hilton he started making videos again about 2 months ago and has one each week, I really enjoy them actually. He explains his little adventure while he was absent in his first newest one I believe. Here is the link to his youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfTi_phygwBrnd-OFX11Xw/videos
Also is there any other stuff you would rec
ommend me listen too? I have several hours each day that I can listen while I work.
Thanks much
My Reply
So John 17:11 – And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we areSo we’ve been taught all our life that this is one in purpose, and will and desire and so forth. So how can we become one with them where we are clearly separate beings than who God is? Hope that makes sense.
So Here is a scripture that may tie into this, or it may not. It is a scripture that is most interesting the way it reads, it is D&C 88:28. It says:28 They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.So this is something I have been taught elsewhere, that we are more than just spirit and a physical body. That there are more aspects, or bodies that make up the complete us. We are more sophisticated than just spirit and a tabernacle of clay. That these other bodies that make up ourself are out there doing something, we just don’t have full awareness of them yet.
I don’t find your questioning to be combative at all. You are asking a really good and important question.
Yes there are lots of scriptures that talk about the importance of seeing Gods face. In fact, Section 76, in my opinion, informs us that all of the elect will see the face of God in the flesh during mortality. (but there are aspects of those passages that are misunderstood, I think the elect that have passed on without having seen the face of God will be returned to the earth and will see God in the flesh)
There are two issues at play here.
The general one has to do with whether or not people (any people) are actually seeing and conversing with Christ and the Father right now.
I happen to believe from my studies that the heavens have become sealed until the appointed time comes and the servants return. The sealing of the heavens has to do with the rejection of the fulness that took place four generations ago. The Book of Mormon informs us that it is through faith that people see God but that the heavens can be shut through a general lack of faith of the people.
My scriptural and historical reasoning for the conclusion that the heavens have been sealed involves countless references that are scattered throughout over 300 blog posts.
I totally understand if you don’t understand or agree with that conclusion and frankly, I don’t see any harm in people desiring to see and converse with God while the heavens are sealed as long as they are worshiping in conformity with scripture and their beliefs are founded in sound doctrine.
The second issue at play has to do with whether or not Denver Snuffer is a true prophet that we need to accept or be damned.
I believe you can discern a true or false prophet by the doctrine they teach.
Again, my reasoning for rejecting Snuffer and related documentation for my conclusions is dispersed through many posts that i don’t have the time to catalogue and explain in detail right now. ( I have been asked by a Snufferite to do a post and detail all of the false doctrines which I may do in a few months)
Suffice it to say, virtually every major doctrine he has introduced has been false.
We can begin with the false doctrine that made him popular and famous and generated a huge following for him.
Many years ago he taught that the LDS church was true and that any baptized member of the church can receive the “second comforter” by simply exercising faith.
He has greatly changed his narrative since then. Instead of encouraging people to get their second comforter he is now telling them they need to start all over and repent of their apostasy and get the true baptism and enter into a new covenant with God, etc.
The chronology of events and teachings association with the Snuffer movement is one continuous contradiction.
I have shown that the fulness of the priesthood must be on the earth, that a person must first enter into the gate through the true water baptism followed by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, and that a person must then receive the “first comforter” and prove that they will follow God at all costs.
Next, a person would need to receive their calling and election BEFORE Christ himself would ever visit and reveal the mysteries of the universe to someone.
The huge mistake that Snuffer made on that doctrine is in assuming that ALL visitations of Christ ( including Joseph Smith’s first vision) fall under the definition of the “Second Comforter” which is not true.
Christ does and has visited people before they received their calling and election and received their Second Comforter visits wherein the mysteries of the universe are revealed.
An example of that is in the case of Joseph Smith and the “first vision”. The First Vision that took place in about 1820 was not a “Second Comforter” visitation. Joseph did not even receive the “first comforter” ” until 1832. ( See D&C 88:3)
The other false doctrines taught by Snuffer are to numerous to list but they include stating in his book that no authority from God is necessary to perform a baptism… then he later decided that people needed to be endorsed by seven women to have priesthood authority to perform baptisms, etc. He teaches that the historicity of the event documented in Section 110 is questionable. If he was a true prophet he would authoritatively declare one way of the other whether it is true or not. ( he would declare that it is true) [editorial note: Snuffer has since received a revelation substantiating that section 110 did take place but changing the content thereof]
He teaches that celestial polygamy as taught in section 132 according to his interpretation, is a true doctrine
He teaches that Abraham’s patriarchal priesthood is a higher order of priesthood than the Melchizedek Priesthood.
He recently taught that his inspired version of the Testimony of John the Beloved (Gospel of John) is the fulfillment of the “record of john” that was to come forth according to section 93. The “record of John” in section 93 is actually referring to the record of John the Baptist.,
In his inspired version of St John he deleted at least three of the things that Joseph revealed in the Inspired Version of the Bible
I could go on and on but don’t have the time to list everything and elaborate.
These are just my opinions.
Obviously, if your inspired study of scripture and the history of the church reveals to you that Denver is the Lords true servant then of course you should heed his worlds.
I only share my opinions.. I have no desire to be anyone’s guide. The Holy Ghost should be your guide
Another Response in this Exchange
I am still studying out your view on the Godhead vs. what we’ve been taught our whole life. I know you touched on the Father and the Son being one, and I did read Lectures on Faith, 5th lecture, where it described the Father, and where it described Christ as the tabernacle. I am curious how D&C 130:22 ties into that:
22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.
Does this tie into what you are saying, they can each have their own body and be separate if they/HE/GOD wants? or can be one entity if HE wants? Or is the Father only Spirit with no body, and Christ is God in Tabernacle?
I think you know what I am asking hopefully. Wish I was more capable of being clear, but I will see what you respond with if you have a sec.
Thanks much,
My Reply
Section 130 has been proven false.
Under the direction of Brigham Young, Orson Pratt is the one that inserted section 130 into the Doctrine and Covenants, HOWEVER, if you research the whole content in the proper context, Joseph Smith was correcting Orson Hyde for teaching the false doctrine that the Father has a body of flesh and bones.
You can verify this by going to the Joseph Smith Papers Project and looking at the original
I have covered this in past posts, including this one
Here is a email from the searcher covering this topic:
P.S. You should check the comments section of my blog on King Follett. Josh left an amazing reference from the JS Papers which indicates that Joseph was actually correcting the false doctrine taught by Orson Hyde, namely that the Father has a body of flesh and bones that has since become D&C 130:22.
A great post on the background as to how we received D&C section 130 can be found here: http://latterdaywitnesses.com/you-ought-to-have-to-choose/
To quote directly from that post — “where did section 130 come from?”
Elder Orson Pratt and Elder Orson Hyde added it to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1876. It came from a series of talks that Orson Hyde gave in the presence of Joseph Smith in 1842. Some of the items that Orson Hyde spoke on were not accurate, such that it required a private correction by Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith Papers, Journals, Volume 2 page 324, on April 2, 1842, Joseph recorded:
“Elder Hyde I am going to offer some corrections to you. Elder Hyde replied – they shall be thankfully received. – When he (Christ) shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he (Christ) is a man like ourselves. – (Parenthesis added).
This is consistent with the Lectures on Faith. The Son (Christ) is a man, a ‘tabernacle of clay’. Just like us. However, later on, Joseph records the following on page 326:
“There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven. Before the foundation of the world upon which all blessings are predicted and when we obtain a blessing it is by obedience to the law upon which that blessing is predicated. Again reverted to Elder Hyde’s mistake. &c the Father has a body of flesh & bones as tangible as mans the son also, but the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. – and a person cannot have the personage . It may descend upon him but not to tarry with him.— (Bold and Italics added)
“So the clincher here, the way Joseph Wrote in his Journal is he elaborated on “Elder Hyde’s mistake”, by writing. “&c”. I had to look this up, but &c is another way to write Etc. Normally we would write this after the sentence. However, Joseph Used it before the sentence, in fact it starts the sentence, listing Elder Hyde’s mistake. What was Elder Hydes mistake? Amongst other things (&c): the Father having a body of flesh and bones as tangible as mans the son also and the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. I assert that Joseph was trying to lay out to Elder Hyde, that to know God, you must know correctly about God. Then preceded to correct his errors, which errors, he listed for us in his Journal.”
“In Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith Clearly states that God is a SPIRIT OF GLORY AND POWER, and further that the HOLY SPIRIT IS THE MIND OF GOD.”
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REPLY
joshsaid:October 4, 2016 at 10:01 am
the Joseph Smith Papers captures this incident with Joseph correcting Elder Hyde on the Godhead: http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1842-june-1844-book-2-10-march-1843-14-july-1843/50
Section 130:22 was one of the things at odds with those brethren on the committee that decided to remove the Lectures on Faith from the D&C in 1921 without a vote. They felt that the description Joseph gave of the Father in lecture on Faith chapter 5 (?) was at odds with what was in section 130:22, which apparently was added to the D&C sometime after Joseph and Hyrum were slain.
This is really awesome and really shows just how easy it is to inadvertently mistake notes from Joseph correcting Orson and how it literally can change the entire trajectory of belief of all of us!
Email Exchange #4
“..your lack of integrity and filtering comments is appalling”
Watcher-
I’ve given up on Adrian and his blog.
This was my last post after he sensored me again.
I can no longer take this blog nor its content creator seriously.
Adrian, your lack of integrity and filtering comments is appalling.
For someone who proclaims to “love the truth” your willingness to defend the Denver Snuffer from the accusations of being a false prophet to the point where you filter comments from your readers that challenge Denver has led me to believe that both you and he are not only deceived but maliciously trying to deceive others by not allowing the truth to be told.
Regardless of your fear of the scriptures exposing you, the truth will stand on its own.
My Reply
Frankly, it is difficult to take any of the growing number of Snufferites seriously who try to defend what Snuffer has taught, particularly the ones who claim to have received the Second Comforter, which includes continuous ongoing visitations of instruction into the mysteries by the Savior.
To the credit of Anonymous Bishop, he seems to allow at least some differing views on his blog- Here are some from a recent post that are notable-
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5723
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5752
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5762
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5735
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5755
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5741
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5744
http://anonymousbishop.com/2017/03/05/true-repentance/#comment-5774
[I realize that providing these links can increase readership to a blog that I think is dangerous and promotes a false prophet, but, people who read this blog are grown ups and should be able to discern truth from error]
Email Exchange # 5
“I appreciated you pointing out what the “new covenant” means in other scripture”
Watcher-
In a recent post you disagreed with Snuffers interpretation of D&C 84: and said that it is not referring to the Book of Mormon and revelations Joseph brought forth as being a literal covenant that the saints were to enter into.
I appreciated you pointing out what the “new covenant” means in other scripture, but could you please explain away the actual wording of those passages because I can see how they might appear to be stating what snuffer says they are saying.
My Response
I think a contextual reading of the passage in view of everything previouly said in scripture about the “new covenant” and the book of Mormon (which includes a detailed description of what the “new covenant” is), indicates that this is what was meant:
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant [by repenting and receiving the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost], even [as it is contained in] the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written
In the above passage I have provided clarity by making some insertions.
To verify the above interpretation one only needs to do a simple keyword search of the term “new covenant” to find that it is always referring to the covenant with Christ and never refers to the written word.
Exchange #6
“Of course, once you entertain the possibility of multiple mortalities,
other sacred cows are up for debate”
Watcher,
Back to the original topic, related to multiple mortalities. For some reason, this concept has appealed to me since I took a world religions class 25 years ago. Our culture seems to value “upward mobility”. There is something to be said for those who can find value in living well any class of life they are born to. Our drive for wealth and honor probably take us in the exact opposite direction of eternal salvation. My concept of reincarnation involves living best the life I have, knowing my reward or punishment is coming in the next life. I cannot imagine eternal punishment, but I can imagine being born into an abusive family as a consequence of abusing my children. Whether it is real or not, it helps me to treat others the way I would want if I were in their place. It also makes sense to me that we can’t possibly experience everything in one life. Just look at how long Adam had to get things right! If I incorporate Buddhist belief, when I finally learn to transcend the fallen man, to stop lusting for the chains of hell, I can get off the wheel. (In that case, the path of Christ and spiritual rebirth is really the only viable way to do it because the spirit we die with is the same one we take with us to the next life.) The Buddhist concept of bodhisattva is similar to what we have been talking about with the return of the servants. These are people who obtained enlightenment and have earned the right to “get off the wheel” who choose to come back to mortality again to help others find the path also. As far as I know, they don’t necessarily have power to do miracles, or remember who they were, they just have the ability to lead others by their example because they have already found the way themselves.
You talked about the justness of whether someone lives in a time of available light or only darkness. It seems to me that God is content to let things go for the most part. letting people learn through experience, little by little. Unfortunately, that usually leads to a time when they will be universally destroyed. Then the window of light opens, the prophets warn of coming destruction and repentance. A few are saved, most are not. If there really are only certain times when the opportunity to ascend is provided, then there must be other chances for people to learn and try again. God intends to save as many as will hear his voice. During the Millennium, those who didn’t make the spiritual mark won’t get a chance to mess it up for everyone else. When they are finally allowed to return, the millenium ends with major warfare before the earth is burned. Somehow we do believe that children who die young can be raised in the millenium, but we don’t believe in being born more than once. I’m not really sure how that works. Nor does it seem fair that some people will live and die at a time when Satan is bound when so many others have been lost because they live in times of extreme spiritual darkness on the earth.
Of course, once you entertain the possibility of multiple mortalities, other sacred cows are up for debate, like the idea we just came to earth so we can have a body, and that our spirits look just like our physical bodies. Appearances could be a matter of choice, like what clothes you choose to wear each day. Joseph Smith taught spirits are composed of matter already, it is more refined. So, we want to permanently trade refined purer bodies for the ones we have? I don’t know that is an upgrade. It could just be these bodies are our only means to experience opposition, which is the refiing fire that upgrades our spiritual bodies. Or, the privilege to interact with matter as matter, rather than energy and light is the blessing we were wanting.
Multiple mortalities also calls into question our concept of eternal families as a permanent form of our earthly families. What would be the point if you have had several family situations, and if we are all children of God anyway? I tend to think we were put in family groups before we came, and the test is to see which will not wipe themselves out before this term of earth’s probation is finished. That is why Abraham was promised his seed would continue. For me, the family provides a workshop to refine us. We can practice on a small scale the skills needed to build Zion. I don’t think the Lord ever intended for us to focus on the family to the exclusion of the rest of humanity. The Nephite and Lamanite Zion started falling apart as soon as they brought back the labels. One of the tricks we need to learn is to see and think of “others” as “family”. Even better would be to see Christ in everyone and act accordingly, but that is asking for a bigger leap of imagination.
I suppose there could be a point where a husband and wife are “sealed” in some manner, in the course of multiple lives, but the majority probably wouldn’t want to be. It seems to me that we lure men into the idea by telling them that’s the only option other than eternal celibacy, and we tell the wives to hang in there because any husband who is celestialized will be worth keeping forever, no matter how flawed he seems now. Besides, the alternative is to be a servant to other couples who took the forever marriage track. I know you have talked about composite beings, but couldn’t it just as likely be that through marriage, each half develops the strengths of the other half, so you become two complete beings instead of just one at the end?
Well, that’s enough of my off the cuff ramblings. As you can tell, I didn’t back up anything with scripture, and you probably won’t see any of this on any comment sections. It is helpful to me to try organizing it into some kind of sense instead of letting it roll around in my thoughts in random bits. I would appreciate any other thoughts you have either is support or to refute it. At this point, none of these beliefs are solid. I’m kind of waiting for the record of Jared’s brother to straighten me out, since I doubt the church will change its polygamy based family doctrine any time soon.
My Response
I once knew a fundamentalist fellow who quoted the scripture “how long can rolling waters remain impure?” and he opined that the scripture was referring to the fact that just as dirty water becomes pure over the process of time rolling over rocks, the imperfect and unclean soul also eventually becomes clean and prefect over the process of multiple probations. He felt that EVERYONE, even Satan would eventually become clean and pure.
At the time, I thought that was a beautiful way to explain and justify the doctrine of multiple probations.
Many years later I have come to the conclusion that his theory contradicts most of what the scriptures teach and denies the power and purpose of the atonement. Frankly, I don’t think it is a good way to describe the fulness of the Gospel that is described in the scriptures.
I think the warning in the Book of Mormon, that “today is the day of your salvation” to those who live when the fulness is on the earth is very literally and justified. There is a window of opportunity that needs to be taken.
I have come to the conclusion that there are three differing gospel laws and that the concept of multiple probations is not congruent with the highest one. Probably not with any of them, but definitely not with celestial law as described in scripture.
My sister was recently asked to speak at a women’s conference at BYU on the topic of the atonement. She was given 20 minutes for her talk LOL.
She asked for some suggestions pertaining to how the atonement interrelates to gospel law.
My brother and I referred her to section 88 and pointed out that it refers to three gospel laws, celestial, terrestrial, and telestial. Shortly after making reference to those three laws, that section specifically mentions Mercy, Justice & Judgment.
I speculated that those descriptives refer to and describe the three gospel different and distinct laws.
Much of the content in my “be ye therefore perfect” post is built around those concepts with emphasis on the celestial law aspect.
For me, the highest gospel law of Mercy and Grace represents a mystical process of becoming clean and perfect through God’s perfection, not our own works, and is not compatible with the multiple probations theory. Indeed, the essence of the fullness of the Gospel is in putting our faith in God’s righteousness to cleanse and transform us, instead of our own righteousness letter of the law works.
The concept of multiple probations makes a lot of sense to those that are focusing on the gospel of works and on becoming perfect through our own efforts, however, those that realize that it is through the mystical and merciful perfection of Christ and HIS righteousness that our fallen souls can be made perfect realize that multiple probations are not necessary and the doctrine marginalized Christ’s atonement.
I don’t think that it took Adam very long to get things right once the fulness of the gospel was preached to him because he relied on God’s perfection not his own works.
The works that saved him was his humble repentance and reception of the spiritual rebirth offered through Christ’s infinite sacrifice and atonement.
One of the most beautiful and revealing aspects of the gospel that was revealed through Joseph Smith is the account of Adam’s baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. No treadmill or gospel of self improvement, or multiple probations necessary for him.
I think the reason it feels like a long grueling process to us is because the church we grew up in lives and teaches terrestrial law. We have not experienced the true, full mystical baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost that is described in the scriptures.
We have not experienced the spiritual download of comprehending all things within a split second of God’s grace like Moses experienced.
We have been fed a constant diet of the Stephen Covey- Tony Robbins type of Positive Mental Attitude and gospel of self improvement where all of the emphasis is directed on our own hard works where the glory is directed at the human spirit and the human effort to excel. We work and work and work to gain an inch of self mastery over a long and grueling process of time.
you said: “It seems to me that God is content to let things go for the most part. letting people learn through experience, little by little.”
I agree that it feels that way now because we are living during the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, not during the fulness. We are basically left with the letter of the law since the saints of the restoration rejected the spirit of the law and the fullness thereof
You feel that If there really are only certain times when the opportunity to ascend is provided, then there must be other chances for people to learn and try again.
I feel that way to.
But I don’t think multiple probations is the answer.
Multiple probations is fear based and works based and it does not give adequate credit to the mystical atonement and the mystical process of miraculously changing the natural man into a new creature through the power of the atonement instead of personal improvement.
The doctrine of multiple probations glorifies the natural mans ability to overcome adversity over time through the process of increasing in knowledge and hard work, instead of acknowledging that God’s supernatural power can instantly overcome adversity in a split second.
I suspect part of the answer is in all people physically returning to the earth during the final wrapping up scenes. Perhaps that is why the term “preparatory redemption” is used to refer even to those few people that appeared to be in a saved condition during this probation. It appears as if God’s work has not been completed and that there are still a few more surprises to be unfolded during the Marvelous Work and the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Perhaps God is going to provide a way for all of us that have come to this earth life to experience what everyone else in this earth existence has experienced during the last 6,000 years… by proxy with some kind of mystical download.
At any rate, i have come to the conclusion that the law of Mercy has more to do with submission to God’s will and putting off the natural man through the grace of Christ’s atonement, than personal improvement through hard work over the process of time.
Email Exchange #7
“One of the misconceptions among most of the LDS fringe groups is that God will one day FIX his broken apostate church”
Watcher-
One reason i enjoy reading your material is because you weave church history, especially early church history, into your scriptural analysis and interpretation.
I’ve learned things I’d never heard or considered before. If I understand correctly, revelations from Joseph Smith had to be approved and recognized as such by the general body of the church before they became scriptural canon.
Did this practice continue after his death?
I believe BY still did it, albeit after the move west and only the more loyal faction of the saints were there to endorse it.
When did this practice end?
My Response
Your question presupposes that God continued giving revelation to the Brighamites to be canonized following the death of Joseph Smith.
It is my opinion that during the Nauvoo period, probably in 1841, the saints were rejected as a church with their dead.
God still acknowledges all of the remnants of the LDS restoration movement who believe the book of Mormon as remnants of his people, but following the rejection of the church with its dead, the fullness of the priesthood and the fullness of the saving ordinances had been removed out of their midst and God has hidden his face from the world.
One of the misconceptions among most of the LDS fringe groups is that God will one day FIX his broken apostate church (referring to the church organization that had been restored through Joseph Smith). Following that, the great work will continue to spring forth from the apostate church after it has been FIXED.
Many fundamentalists believe this.
I believe this is a lie that will cause many to stumble when the true servants return.
Bishop Koyle of Dream Mine fame falsely taught that Joseph Smith would one day return and make his appearance during an LDS general conference in which he would officially release all of the corrupt general authorities and institute men of God. In this manner Joseph Smith is to “set in order the house of God”
After fixing the apostate church in said manner, the great work of restoration would continue from the fixed church .
I believe this false teaching comes from a misinterpretation of the following passage in Section 85
6 Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest, saying:
7 And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;
8 While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.
You will notice from the above passages that the one mighty and strong (see also Isaiah 28) sets in order those whose names are found enrolled in the book of the law of God.
There is not one person living today whose name is found enrolled in the book of the law of God. This is because the law of God was rejected by the latter day saints during Joseph’s ministry along with the priesthood keys to live the law of consecration which is an integral part of the law of God.
The latter day saints are not living the law of God. Most have no clue what the law of God is.
The first thing God’s mighty and strong servant will do when he and his associates return is to restore the law of God upon the earth and invite everyone to repent and gather to Zion.
This will not be done through the apostate church although there may be some of the elect who will repent and gather out of the apostate church to accept and live the law of God when it is restored to the earth.
Prior to being rejected as a church in 1841, the restored church had been condemned in 1834, meaning that they had been censured, relieved of their priesthood keys, and sentenced to the punishment of being delivered over to Satan for a little season.
There is a big difference between being CONDEMNED vs. being REJECTED.
From the 1828 Websters the following words are defined thusly:
condemned
CONDEMNED, pp. Censures; pronounced to be wrong, guilty, worthless or forfeited; adjudged or sentenced to punishment.
CONDEMNATION, n.
1. The act of condemning; the judicial act of declaring one guilty, and dooming him to punishment.
For the judgment was by one to condemnation. Romans 5.
2. The state of being condemned.
Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation. Luke 23.
3. The cause or reason of a sentence of condemnation. John 3.
rejected
REJECT’ED, pp. Thrown away; cast off; refused; slighted.
Just as God cast ancient Israel out of his sight anciently, he has cast off the apostate latter day saints and turned his face from them and he has given them their delusions.
Everyone who is claiming that the church is still relevant in providing the saving ordinances or that it will once again provide the saving ordinances, is delusional. Those claiming that all of the spiritual gifts are still available including calling and election and the reception of the second comforter are delusional and deceived.
???
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Was a Seerstone Used in the Process of Translation? read by
Evidences of the Three Watches
(Posts from the ThreeWatches BlogSpot Website
The Three Watches…Proof and Evidence #1
Three Watches Proof and Evidence #2 read by Mrs. Watcher
Three Watches Proof and Evidence #3- read by Mrs. Watcher
Proofs of The Three Watches D&C 65 A Prayer Received by Reve
More to come..
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Several months ago Mrs Watcher opined that some people prefer to listen rather than to read.
She informed me that she would like to record some of the more notable blog posts that I have written for those that are audible learners.
We all learn and process information in different ways. Some of us are visual learners while others are audible learners.
Additionally, some of us like to listen while we drive drive to work or work in the yard, etc.
When she records a post on youtube, she actually shows the post on the screen as she reads it, enabling those that would like to read along with her to do so. It also enables people to see references and graphics when desired.
For those that enjoy listening, I am providing a current listing of what has been recorded to date on the OneWhoIsWatching youtube channel.
I hope to provide updates to this channel from time to time but those that enjoy listening would do well to subscribe to the channel to get notified when the latest recording has been posted.
For those that have enjoyed listening to chapters from my book, we hope to continue posting more chapters as we make the necessary updates to the book.
I just noticed that I got my first review to the book on Amazon.
I still have not finished updating the book at Amazon and will notify you when I have done so. We simply keep getting more information that needs to be added to the book. The preliminary copy that is currently being sold is a huge book of over 600 pages yet is currently being sold at a discounted price since it is not the finished edition.
The updating of the final edition does not appear to be forthcoming anytime soon.
Enjoy the Vlogs
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
JPart one of this series pointed out that when the Assyrian is oppressing God’s people in the last days, the yoke and burden shall be taken away from off of God’s elect because of the ANOINTING.
That burden of yoke, affliction, and bondage, along with the intervention of the mystical anointing is mentioned in the dedicatory prayer contained in section 109.
32 Therefore we plead before thee for a full and complete deliverance from under this yoke;
33 Break it off, O Lord; break it off from the necks of thy servants, by thy power, that we may rise up in the midst of this generation and do thy work.
34 O Jehovah, have mercy upon this people, and as all men sin, forgive the transgressions of thy people, and let them be blotted out forever.
35 Let the anointing of thy ministers be sealed upon them with power from on high.
36 Let it be fulfilled upon them, as upon those on the day of Pentecost; let the gift of tongues be poured out upon thy people, even cloven tongues as of fire, and the interpretation thereof.
37 And let thy house be filled, as with a rushing mighty wind, with thy glory.
That post demonstrated that the anointing that is to take place when the servants return to go forth in power is the same anointing that took place on the day of Pentecost during New Testament times.
Sometimes God’s servants go forth in mighty power after their anointing and sometimes they must be persecuted by the wicked after their anointing, it is all contextually dependent on the purposes of God, the calling the person has been given and the times they live in.
Moses had the same anointing and held the same power and authority as Enoch and Melchizedek and was just as righteous, but he was given a much different stewardship over a rebellious people.
In the previous post it was pointed out that the term anointing in those sections of scripture is synonymous with the word endowment and it has to do with being anointed or endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is also referred to as the Comforter which teaches all things.
Another term for the anointing or endowment that results in the gift of the Holy Ghost is the baptism of fire and the holy Ghost.
One of the great sections of scripture relating to the anointing is found in 1st John. Later in this series we will dissect that section for greater understanding about how the first anointing, which teaches all things, works.
In part one of this series I showed the following graphic depicting the fact that we have not fully entered into the strait gate until AFTER the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost has been received.
I realize that many members of the modern church probably cringe at this supposition because they have not experienced the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost as it is described in the scriptures and yet they feel certain they have entered into the strait gate because they are “active” in the church, pay a full tithe and have a temple recommend, etc.. The baptism of fire a foreign concept to them.
Nevertheless, they have been led to believe that they have the gift of the Holy Ghost and have entered into the strait gate and are on the narrow path.
Many LDS fringe groups also have a blind spot with regard to the significance of the Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. Some believe they can receive the other Comforter of Christ who periodically visits to teach the mysteries BEFORE they even experience the first Comforter that comes by way of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
In hindsight, it occurs to me that I should have included the written word of God (scriptures) in all three phases. Interestingly, the written word of God plays an important role getting to phase one.
A person often gains faith and an increased visitation of the promptings that come in conjunction from the light of Christ and the intermittent promptings of the Holy Ghost by reading the scriptures. Then once they enter phase one they continue holding onto the written portion of the “iron rod” which helps direct them into phase two and into the strait gate. At that point they keep reading and pondering the written word of God while the Holy Ghost teaches them “all things” over the process of time.
Coincidentally, a few days after I posted my suppositions in part one of this post, showing where the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost falls into the chronology of the plan of salvation, a fellow spoke at the Snufferite Doctrine of Christ Conference and taught just the opposite of what I have just explained.
He claimed that only repentance and the baptism of water is required to enter into the strait gate. He deducted that the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost took place AFTER one enters into the strait gate.
His conflicting point of view is helpful to consider because it provides me the opportunity to further explain why I disagree with what is commonly taught and believed.
He implied that the doctrine of Christ that was being taught in the 31st chapter of 2nd Nephi, began in verse 17 and ended in verse 19.
One of the common mistakes that many people make when studying doctrine is in being to narrow and myopic in the source material we study. It is tempting to build an entire theology around a few short passages of scripture without consulting the larger context of the narrative and are therefore not properly interpreted.
Verse 17 was not beginning the topic of what the doctrine of Christ is, it was giving a very brief summary of it.
The verse begins by saying “Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter“
That should have been a hint that the topic of the strait gate had already been previously addressed in greater detail.
What had Nephi told them?
He had just prophesied about the future baptism of Christ wherein Christ would receive the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost after being baptized by water!
If we back up to verses one and two in that same chapter Nephi says:
1 And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.
2 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.
As you can see, verse one is where the topic of the doctrine of Christ begins in this chapter, not verse 17.
Nephi then teaches that Christ’s baptism of water AND His reception of the Holy Ghost is what represents the doctrine of Christ.
4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world.
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?
7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.
9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
The straightness of the path and the narrowness of the gate that one must enter into is not limited to water baptism, it includes the reception of the Holy Ghost as demonstrated by the example set by the Lamb of God.
This is why the sign of the dove is so incredibly significant in the baptism of Christ narrative. A spiritual endowment was being bestowed by the Father in conjunction with the baptism of water.
The narrative leading up to the few short verses that this brother built an entire doctrine on, continues on for several verses reiterating the need to receive the Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost before one can enter into the strait gate-
10 And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.
13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.
15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
Previous posts have documented the fact that Christ enjoyed the fulness of the glory of the Father in the preexistence when he created the earth and that as part of his condescension, he humbled himself and temporarily put off the fulness of his power.
“And Now oh Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” John 17:5
It appears that his reception of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost at his baptism represents a mystical mile post in regaining his pre-existent light, power, and glory during his earthly ministry. Furthermore, Christ is setting the example of what we need to do in order to put off the natural man and become a new creature of the Holy Ghost.
Those remarkable passages that prophesied of the future baptism of Christ by John the Baptist clarify that the sign of the dove that descended upon Jesus represented the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost!
The Book of Mormon clarifies and reiterates that the sign of the Dove literally represented the anointing which is also referred to as the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost upon Christ!
Here is yet another witness from the Book of Mormon:
and ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant and if it so be that ye believe in Christ and are baptized first with water then with fire and with the Holy Ghost FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF OUR SAVIOUR according to that which he hath commanded us it shall be well with you in the day of judgement Amen. Mormon 7:10
THERE IT IS AGAIN! THE CLAIM THAT CHRIST RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF FIRE AND THE HOLY GHOST AT HIS WATER BAPTISM TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF THE PATTERN WE MUST FOLLOW
It was not just Christ’s baptism by water that was showing the WAY back to the Father, it was also his legal reception of the Gift of the Holy Ghost as bestowed by the Father according to the plan of salvation.
While the New Testament does a good job of documenting Christ’s baptism and the descending of the “spirit” upon Christ like a dove, the Book of Mormon provides much greater clarity about what the sign of the dove signified.
John the Baptist does however provide a very important key-
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1:32-34
Notice that God told Christ that the one who the Spirit descends upon and REMAINS upon, is the servant who would be the one who would go around baptizing with both water and the Holy Ghost.
That is the definition of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the fact that it abides continually.
The gospels of Luke and Mark inform us that the voice of the Father from heaven declared Christ to be his beloved son:
22 And the aHoly Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a bdove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. Luke 3:22
11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Mark 1:11
The physical effects of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost upon the Savior appear somewhat unremarkable to us because there was no sin that needed to be burned out of him in a sanctifying ordinance.
He had been sinless.
Nevertheless, he needed to set the example for all mankind and fulfill all righteousness according to the laws of God by receiving that which has been ordained of God as a required saving ordinance.
We are commonly taught about the importance of Christ’s water baptism but few people realize that the sign of the dove, or descending of the Spirit in the like a dove, represented the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
This remarkable narrative in the Book of Mormon sets the stage for the beginning of verse 17 that the presenter assumes to be the beginning of the doctrine of Christ narrative.
The assumed beginning point of the doctrine of Christ in the presentation is in all actuality, the summation of what had already been taught about the doctrine of Christ and how one enters into the way:
17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do;
What was it that was shown to Nephi that Christ did?
He recieved the baptism of water followed by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter.
Now that we have the full context, it is obvious that the clumping together of the baptism of water and the Holy Ghost that the presenter takes issue with, is very appropriate and correct.
He states:
“when we clump together all these scriptures and think it being one- That’s a foolish mistake for people who are new to make in the scriptures.”
The above declaration sounds very logical unless you have read the entire chapter. However with the full context, it becomes obvious that there is a reason why the following summation is all clumped together. It is because everything listed therein is required to enter into the strait gate-
For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
In my opinion, the reason that there appears to be a grammatical distinction between the grouping of repentance and baptism of water, vs the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, is because repentance and baptism of water is determined by the recipient and performed by a facilitator. The sending of the Holy Ghost is determined by and performed by the Father who sends it.
The summary in those few verses that the presenter focuses on, notes that after the baptism of water and the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, the new convert has entered into the gate:
18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
What about after one enters into the strait and narrow gate?
If the presenter’s supposition that one enters the gate before the baptism of fire is correct, it would be time to get the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost once a person enters into the gate. However that is not what the narrative says because the convert already has the Holy Ghost before entering in.
After one has entered into the gate through the baptism of water and fire and the Holy Ghost, one must press onward with a perfect brightness of hope with a love of God and all men-
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
In my opinion, the next mistake the presenter makes is that he stops his study of the topic prematurely. The narrative about the doctrine of Christ continues into the next chapter.
The presenter makes the following declaration:
“..Ok, so we have identified three portions, the gate, the path and the way..”
The assumption that one first enters into the gate, then into the path, and eventually into the way may sound logical, but it does not square with what the continuing narrative states.
If the presenter would have continued reading the entire chapter and into the next chapter, he would have learned that the WAY is where you enter in. The “way” appears to be synonymous with the “strait gate“.
Why?
Because Christ is the WAY and belief in Christ is the beginning point.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
My contention is that instead of limiting his study of the Doctrine of Christ and the process of entering into the WAY to verses 17-19, the Snufferite presenter should have begun with verse one of Chapter 31 and read all the way through verse 6 of chapter 32 because those are the passages addressing the topic.
Furthermore, he should not have limited his study to those passages. He should have done a keyword search and evaluated every passage having to do with the topic. He should have looked to see if his interpretation of that section of scripture was consistent with all of the related scriptures.
Doing so would have led him to several other passages in the four standard works that confirm what we just read.
Jacob 6:8, 11
and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you… O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate
3 Nephi 27: 20, 33
..that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day…. Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it
D&C 22:1
1 Behold, I say unto you that all old covenants have I caused to be done away in this thing; and this is a new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning. [referring to Adams baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost]
2 Wherefore, although a man should be baptized [by water] an hundred times it availeth him nothing, for you cannot enter in at the strait gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works [water baptism without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost].
3 For it is because of your dead works that I have caused this last covenant and this church to be built up unto me, even as in days of old.
4 Wherefore, enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded, and seek not to counsel your God. Amen.
As you can see, other passages of scripture from different passages in the standard works confirm what we just reviewed.
Remarkably, that talk was followed by another presenter who makes the exact same mistake.
The next presenter also relies on just a few selected verses out of a much larger scriptural narrative to build his thesis. He begins his talk by saying
Do you know what Jesus referred to as His doctrine?
I used to be a teacher and now we are going to have a “Pop Quiz”.
If you know what Jesus referred to as being his doctrine, please recite it now in one sentence for 10 points. . . . Okay, time’s up. Please wait to score yourself because all ten points are given only if one certain phrase is included. Okay, if you didn’t get that, let’s try to fill in the blanks for 7 points:
And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and _______ ____ ____ _______ _______, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; — 3 Nephi 11:38-40
Most of you guessed something, but you wouldn’t have bet money on your answer, and wisely so.
You recognized repenting and being baptized, but then what? So here’s your last chance. For 3 points, select the answer by multiple choice.
A. receive the Holy Ghost
B. have charity towards all
C. become as a little child
D. endure to the end
The presenter then marginalized the importance of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost by declaring what he considers the correct answer to be.
The correct answer is C. (becoming as a little child)
Did you get any points?
No?
Perhaps you are thinking that this was a frivolous test because you’ve never heard of that requirement before. Maybe it wasn’t important to know that little detail in an obviously trick question!
But wait, it is important. It is the part of the Christ’s doctrine and anything less than that is what He said “cometh of evil”.
This second presenter chose just three passages out of 3rd Nephi 11 to build the supposition he was building.
He leads his listeners to believe that the doctrine of Christ is contained in just three short verses. By doing so, he asserts that the necessary parts of the doctrine of Christ are-
a) repent,
b) be baptized with water
c) become as a little child
Remarkably, making his point, he inadvertently rejected the reception of the Holy Ghost as part of the doctrine of Christ.
He apparently interprets the scripture as saying that anything more or less than those three things with regard to the doctrine of Christ, “cometh of evil” and he rejects the reception of the Holy Ghost as being the correct answer in describing the doctrine of Christ.
Technically, if the answer can only be divined from the short verses he is limiting the definition to, then the answer he gives is correct. However, the narrative containing the doctrine of Christ is not limited to the few passages that he is focusing on. It begins with the condescension of Christ back at the beginning of the chapter with the Father bearing witness of the Son.
Then in verse 21 Christ gives Nephi power to baptize the others. Following that, a very specific protocol is given to perform baptisms.
Finally, beginning in verse 35, a few verses before the three verses that the presenter focuses on for his quiz, the Lord provides the foundation for understanding the verses that are being spotlighted by the presenter.
Let us read verses 33- 40 instead of just 37-40 and see if that changes the interpretive inflection and the correct answer to the quiz:
33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.
34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.
37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
As you can see, the full narrative that defines the doctrine of Christ in that chapter actually emphasizes the importance receiving the Holy Ghost. If we consider the full discourse being given, the presenter failed his own test by dismissing and marginalizing the reception of the holy Ghost.
The more important answer if you read the whole narrative, is the reception of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, indeed, one could argue that one cannot fully become like a little child and maintain that status, without receiving the Holy Ghost.
I am not diminishing the importance of becoming as a little child, it is certainly very important.
The problem I have with the conclusion presented, is that he completely omits the the necessity and significance of the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost in his definition of the doctrine of Christ by only focusing on a few scriptures.
He implies that anything more or less that repentance, water baptism and becoming like a little child, cometh of evil.
The larger context that he omits shows that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is an essential part of becoming a little child in Christ.
Becoming as a Little Child
Allow me to point out something very very significant in the narrative.
The Lord commands us to “become as a little child” two times in a row, but I do not think he is being repetitious . I think he is stating that one must become as a little child, twice!
37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
In verse 37 Christ admonishes the Nephites to become as a little child BEFORE baptism.
In verse 38 Christ admonishes the Nephites to become as a little child AFTER baptism.
He may be informing us that we need to become as a little child two times during the process of conversion.
Since he had just explained the necessity of receiving the Holy Ghost at baptism, he is very probably referring to the full baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost when he uses the term baptism. Hence, he seems to suggest that we need to become as a little child before receiving the anointing of the Holy Ghost and once again AFTER receiving the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
The first time we humble ourselves and become a little child we do it as part of our agency as we exercise faith through the grace of God. The second time, we become as a little child after we are sanctified by the baptism of water and the Holy Ghost.
Is it a coincidence that both of these Snufferinte presenters seem to have a blind spot in declaring the importance and proper chronological placement of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost in the plan of salvation?
I don’t think so.
Their spiritual mentor Denver Snuffer has the exact same blind spot.
One of the astounding things about Denver’s Snuffer’s book about the Second Comforter is that the “Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost” is virtually NEVER even mentioned and elaborated on in a serious way.
He never mentions receiving that spiritual endowment prior to getting his supposed second comforter experience.
In fact the phrase may only be used once or twice that I noticed. He only speaks briefly about the “Gift of the Holy Ghost” in the sterile and ambiguous way that the modern church teaches about it.
Even more astounding is how apparent it is in the narrative of his book, that Denver has never personally experienced the true Pentecostal endowment that is described in the scriptures.
He NEVER describes experiencing the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost which is evidenced by the spiritual outpouring of spiritual gifts such as prophesying, such as Joseph and Oliver did and speaking with the tongue of angels, etc., not does he state in the book that following a spiritual anointing the meaning behind many scriptures opened up to him.
It was not until after the book was written and his followers apparently begin asking questions about the baptism of fire that Denver back-pedals and addresses the topic in a blog almost as an after thought, and fails to give a date or specific event in which it took place.
I don’t think any documentation for actuation of the Gift of the Holy Ghost prior to the supposed reception of the “second comforter” according to Denver’s writings, can be found.
This is every odd if God commissioned him to write a “how to book” on the topic of second comforter. He basically regurgitates the sanitized version of what the corrupt modern church teaches about the gift of the Holy Ghost..
Denver’s approach to and understanding of the gift of the Holy Ghost and all other spiritual gifts is completely intellectual and left brain, almost like reading a legal brief which has been converted into layman’s terms.
In his blog he states that
If the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost is viewed as conferring revelation and opening the scriptures to your mind (as Joseph and Oliver recount in the JS-H), then I have received this endowment.
That is quite an unremarkable statement.
I have personally also had the scriptures opened to my mind as I know that several of my readers have. But I don’t make the claim that it is evidence that I have had the full baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. The light of Christ and belief in the scriptures along with dedicated study and searching can produce those results.
God promises us that if we simply believe his word in scripture, we will be blessed with the manifestation of his spirit and be born again of water and the spirit.
16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit—Doctrine and Covenants 5:16
That blessing was given when the fulness of the gospel was on the earth. We live during a time when the fulness is not on the earth. Nevertheless, I believe that spiritual enlightenment definitely accompanies the reading and believing of the scriptures.
The point Joseph and Oliver were making in their account of their baptism, is that because of and directly related to their baptism, they noticed a distinct increase in spiritual discernment and enlightenment. They had already been blessed with the manifestation of the spirit as a result of believing in the scriptures, but something even greater had taken place that was associated with their baptism of water.
It becomes apparent from reading Denver’s book that Denver does not understand what the Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost really is from personal experience. He does not understand the effects it has on a converted sinner, or how it chronologically relates to the reception of the second Comforter.
Denver’s worldview of the gospel is seen and described in a very letter of the law, legalistic way leading up to what he assumes is the “Second Comforter”.
A huge mistake that he makes in his book about the Second comforter is that he assumes that ALL appearances from the Savior represent what the Second Comforter.
That is incorrect.
He does not realize that the Savior can visit and teach someone during or even prior to their travels in the strait gate and the narrow path, and BEFORE they have sufficiently proven themselves to God sufficiently enough to receive their calling and election.
Calling and Election is ALWAYS followed by the “other Comforter” experience, but NEVER preceded by it.
The “other Comforter” represents instruction on a much more profound level having to do with the mysteries.
Please understand that I am not speaking derogatorily about the two presenters as individuals. I’m sure they are fine people.
However they have taken upon themselves the responsibility of teaching doctrine in a Doctrine of Christ Conference that is under the guidance and direction of a person that claims to speak to and be instructed by Christ. That requires all of us who are taking our gospel study seriously to discern the correctness of the doctrine that they teach.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that the two presenters have the same blind spot as Denver with regard to the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
All three of them seem to dismiss and misunderstand the importance of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost and how it fits chronologically into the process of eventually receiving the second anointing.
I am suggesting that they have all contracted the same seducing spirit that has currently taken possession of the Snufferite movement.
Joseph Smith taught that all religious movements have their own very distinct false spirit that guides them.
It is evident from the Apostles’ writings, that many false spirits existed in their day, and had “gone forth into the world,” and that it needed intelligence which God alone could impart to detect false spirits, and to prove what spirits were of God. The world in general have been grossly ignorant in regard to this one thing, and why should they be otherwise—for “the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
If we go among the pagans, they have their spirits; the Mohammedans, the Jews, the Christians, the Indians—all have their spirits, all have a supernatural agency, and all contend that their spirits are of God. Who shall solve the mystery? “Try the spirits,” says John, but who is to do it? The learned, the eloquent, the philosopher, the sage, the divine—all are ignorant.
While on my mission I noticed a very distinct and discernible spirit that each religious denomination had.
Within seconds of speaking with a person about religion I could tell if they were a Baptist, a Jehovah Witness, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, etc.
Not only did each religious sect have their own unique nomenclature, they also had a very distinct false spirit with a supernatural agency.
When I challenge the teachings of the Snufferites it is never a personal thing, I am challenging the false doctrine taught by the seducing false spirit and supernatural agency that has currently possessed them.
I believe those that are putting their trust in the baptism under the direction of a mortal man who is clearly stumbling along trying to figure things out for himself, are being cursed in their efforts while thinking they are being blessed.
34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
However a greater cursing awaits those that enter into the false new scripture covenant that is being offered.
It is because of my love for these three men and the others in the Snufferite movement who have been deceived by a lying spirit that I am laboring on these issues.
I keep dove tailing the events of this movement into my posts because it represents a monumental current event that has been prophesied about by Christ.
It is a sign of the times.
It is therefore a prophetic milestone marker indicating that the return of the Lord and his true servants back into the Lords vineyard is nigh at hand.
It is no coincidence that Christ declares that one must enter into the strait gate and then warns of false prophets who can be detected by their fruits.
What are their fruits?
Among other things, teaching false doctrine about how to enter into the way.
22 Repent, therefore, and enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
23 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
24 And, again, beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing; but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
25 Ye shall know them by their fruits;
How Did the Five Virgins Become WISE?
Picking up on the topic of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, I would now like to share some observations about the parable of the Ten Virgins.
According to the parable,
1- All ten of the virgins were part of the same fellowship as evidenced by the fact that they were traveling together to meet the bridegroom.
2- They all believed in Christ as evidenced by the fact that they had all been invited by the bridegroom to meet him and all were going forth with the express desire and anticipation of meeting him at the marriage.
3- The wise took additional oil in separate vessels in addition to the oil in their lamps, while the foolish took no extra oil in their lamps.
4- The invitation was quite specific, involving a specific appointed place and time.
5- At the appointed time and place, while the bridegroom tarried the virgins slumbered AND slept.
The slumbering and sleeping of the virgins begins to take place at or just before the appointed time of the meeting when the bridegroom tarried.
I would argue that the virgins first slumbered and then slept during the time when the meeting was to take place.
The meeting was probably going to take a process of time during which the giving of inheritances and stewardships and the establishment of Zion would take place.
I believe the two terms “slumbered” and “slept” are not prophetically synonymous. I believe that “slumber” possibly has referenced to having their eyes covered in apostasy in what the scriptures describe as being spiritually sleeping, blind and drunk.
Conversely, the term “sleep” very possibly means they died before entering into the marriage.
In other words, all of the virgins of that particular generation died off during the years when Zion would have been redeemed during the second watch. However scripture informs us that they will eventually be raised up before the bridegroom returns at the time that the “call” is made.
[All prophecies have a dual fulfillment. This prophetic parable applies to all of us in the broad sense of a shadow fulfillment. However I have also previously shown that the parable is literally applicable to the saints of the restoration during Joseph Smith’s Kirtland ministry see ]The Bridegroom Tarried …]
Continuing on..
6- At the second appointed time in the 3rd watch, called “midnight” (or midpoint) a cry is made, “the bridegroom cometh“.
We know from modern revelation that the first laborers of the last kingdom will return with the voice of warning to make this preparatory cry.
Section 65 informs us that those who received the keys to the kingdom of God during Joseph’s ministry will be the ones to prepare the way of the Lord and make ready for the return of the bridegroom. The call will go forth from thence. The primary voice is sent down from heaven and will be “mighty and powerful“, “going forth to the ends of the earth“.
Compare that section with section one which says it will be Joseph and his brethren that send forth the final voice of warning. See also sections 88:92 and 133:10
7- AFTER awaking, (being raised up and returned to this stage of mortal probation) the wise virgins put the additional oil in their lamps and enter into the marriage to receive their inheritances during a time of worldwide commotion.
8 The foolish will awake without any oil in their lamps and their only option is to enter into the “buy and sell” system of the Beast. .
We learn from modern revelation that putting the oil in their lamps represented taking the Holy Ghost as their GUIDE. That is the receiving of the First Comforter which takes place through the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
56 And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
57 For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. D&C 45:56-57
I now have a question to ask you.
If the wise virgins did not take the Holy Spirit as their guide by receiving the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost until after they fell asleep and awoke and put oil in their lamps, What was it that made them WISE before they received the baptism of fire and the holy Ghost?
Think about it.
What is it that differentiated the wise from the foolish before the wise finally receive the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost?
This is a very important question for each of us to answer because we are living during a the preparatory time. We need to be preparing ourselves for the great call to go forth at midnight.
I believe it has to do with the only major thing that Joseph Smith restored, that still remains with us.
The Scriptures
I believe the answer to what will make us WISE prior to recieving the first anointing, is provided in the following passage
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee WISE unto salvation through FAITH which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15
It is the reading and believing of the holy scriptures that makes us wise and prepares us to take the Holy Spirit as our guide through the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost when the servants return to make strait the way of the Lord.
The difference between the wise and foolish virgins is that the wise put their trust and faith in the written word of God and learned how to study and search it while they were awaiting the spiritual anointing referred to as the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
It is that anointing that provides ongoing personal revelation at a higher, more consistent level, yet only those that have the faith to search out and believe the unconditional promises and prophecies in the scriptures will have the extra oil when the time of Pentecost comes.
The foolish virgins do not have faith in the unconditional promises and prophesies of Christ and his servants. They look for human priesthood authority to guide them. They are duped by the false prophets that arise to deceive.
Joseph Smith restored the church and priesthood and many things during his short 15 year public ministry, however the true and living church fled back onto the wilderness and the fulness of the priesthood was taken away as documented in section 124. .
The one thing that remained with the church that Joseph Smith brought forth was the following scriptures.
Here is the Lord’s declaration and warning that the scriptures would be retained by the church after Joseph and his brethren would be taken from their midst.
3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from [Joseph, Sidney and Frederick while they are] in the world, neither in the world to come;
4 Nevertheless, through [them] shall the oracles [scriptures] be given to another, yea, even unto the church.
5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house.
As you can see, it is taking the scriptures lightly that brings the saints under condemnation when the storms descend, the winds blow, and the rains descend and beat upon their house.
One of the gross misinterpretations of scripture that the Snufferite leader has made has to do with the following passages from section 84
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
He claims that the above passage is saying that the saints not only failed to “do” what he had told them to do, they also failed to “say” it. He claims that the scriptures and covenants given in the scriptures were corrupted and misunderstood when they were given.
That is not what the passage is saying.
The previous three verses declare very clearly what the condemnation consists of
54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
The condemnation at that point in time was not from misunderstanding and corrupting the revelations and covenants that Joseph was given. It had nothing to do with writing down the Book of Mormon and the revelations Joseph received incorrectly.
The problem was caused by not believing what God was saying and by taking his commandments lightly. The corruption of the scriptures such as inserting section 132 an omitting Lectures on Faith took place much much later as a result of initially taking the revelations lightly.
Look up the word “lightly” in the 1828 Websters.
It has nothing to do with a misunderstanding or corruption of information. It has to do with not taking the information seriously.
Denver Snuffer simply does not believe God’s promise in D&C 1:37-39 that every promise and prophecy in the Doctrine and Covenants will come true, including the unconditional promise given earlier in that revelation contained in verses 4 – 8.
The voice of warning will go forth among all people by Joseph Smith and his brethren who published the Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants to the inhabitants of the world.
According to that promise, Joseph Smith and his brethren will go forth in power sealing up the unbelieving and rebellious until the day that the wrath of God is poured out upon the wicked.
That promise will be fulfilled as sure as there is a God in heaven.
Anyone who if found usurping Joseph Smith’s role and calling when he returns will surely fear and tremble when the justice of an almighty God falls upon them.
Those passages command the saints to believe what God had revealed through Joseph Smith. They testify that ALL of the promises and prophecies given in the D&C would be fulfilled.
The unconditional promises and prophecies of the Lord declare that Joseph Smith and the other first laborers of the last kingdom will be the ones to prepare the saints for the return of the bridegroom.
There is no need for Denver and his disciples to prepare anyone for the coming of the Lord or to create their own set of scriptures.
The saints of the restoration knew what commandments they had been given. They simply did not hearken to them. Those of us living during the generation of the Lord’s return also have access to the true revelations and have what we need to become WISE and to prepare ourselves to take the Holy Spirit as our guide when the servants return and offer the anointing.
I was going to review what 1st John has to say about the anointing that abides continually and the teaches all things, in this post, but alas, it will need to be in the next post.
Keep watching.
[Suggested reading for those that think you can have the baptism of fire and know it not Baptized by fire and they knew it not]
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Many years ago when I was doing some research on the 8,000 year timeline of the earths existence, I came across a great book written by John C. Lefgren regarding the prophetic significance of April 6th.
Lefgren believes that the declaration in section 20 about April 6th is inspired and literal as do I.
Section 20 declares the date of the Savior’s birth to be 2,000 years previous to the date that the church was formally organized through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith. Some question whether that declaration is inspired and literally true.
The arise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the ccoming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly dorganized and established agreeable to the elaws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April— D&C 20:1
Lefgren’s interpretation of the above passage was very literal.
Sometime after that book was written, a few LDS scholars took issue with the conclusions of the author.
In response to their critique, a fellow by the name of John Pratt wrote an impressive defense of Lefgren’s book.
For several years I have enjoyed reading many of John Pratt’s articles which can be found at Johnpratt.com
John is a prolific writer and researcher who has been published in the Ensign and he has written articles for Meridian Magazine.
John is apparently related to a Orson and Parley Pratt.
He has done much research and written many articles regarding the sacred calendar and I have enjoyed reading his thoughts relating to that topic.
Although John and I have some profound disagreements on several doctrinal issues, I view much of his work on the sacred calendar to be significant and worth considering.
I recently got an email from John notifying me of a paper he had written in which he defends the historicity and revelatory veracity of Section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants using the sacred calender.
The defense he has written is a timely one considering the fact that there is a group who are currently revising the standard works and planning to discard section 110 from the Doctrine and Covenants.
I thought I would share his email containing a link to a paper he has written, and my response to it. In my response I share some of my reasons for believing that both section 110 and section 20 are inspired of God and should not be discarded.
Enjoy.
John’s Email
A long article about zodiac ages (including the Age of Aquarius) has just been posted on my website which go so far as propose exact dates and presidencies of each. It’s very technical and about 30 pages long, so I only recommend reading the section that discusses the visit of the Lord to the Kirtland temple in 1836 as recorded in D&C 110. That section has come under fire as not being well enough documented so I’m attempting to subpoena some celestial witnesses to testify in its favor. Thus I’d suggest reading only one section of the article, at http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/2017/zodiac_ages.html#1.5 .
If you want an idea of what the whole article is about, then just read the Conclusion at the end.
Thanks,
John
My Response to John Pratt
John-
I appreciate very much your defense of the veracity and historicity of the event detailed in section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants from a sacred calendaring perspective.
Your contention that the event in 110, and the words of Christ that you quoted were uttered at the time that the age of Aquarius began is fascinating and thought provoking.
It is a breath of fresh air during a time when many critics who cannot discern holy scripture through personal revelation scoff at the words of the Savior simply because they cannot find historical documentation to support the event.
Linking the ushering in of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham to the beginning of the age of Aquarius is a compelling observation.
I also found it interesting how you pointed out the significance of the Savior speaking of the “beginning” of the pouring out of blessings upon his people followed by more blessings to be poured out in the future, making the transaction that took place the beginning of a progressive series of events. It is consistent with a passage in 3rd Nephi 16 which I believe has prophetic implications that relate to the prophetic content in section 110.
I believe 3 Nephi 16:4-5 speaks of a beginning point followed by a progression of events. It begins with the remnants of Israel that have been scattered upon the face of the earth being physically “brought in” .
Following that, remnants are “brought to a knowledge of [Christ]” without necessarily being physically “brought in”
Finally, during a third phase, the remnants are “gathered from the four corners of the earth” at which time Christ fulfills the covenant of the Father with them.
That scenario is exactly what begins to happen following Christ’s prophecy and following the ushering in the gospel of Abraham.
Shortly after that vision, Joseph informs the saints that something new must be done for the salvation of the church and he sends missionaries across the great waters. At the beginning of this new dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, remnants of the House of Israel are physically “brought in” and they come to Nauvoo and then to Utah.
As the church grows, they eventually begin to establish stakes in other parts of the world and they quit teaching the doctrine of the physical gathering. At that point, the remnants are “brought to a knowledge of Christ” without physically being “brought in“.
According to prophecy, the final crescendo or fulfillment of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, which your sacred calendar associates with the age of Aquarius, the remnants will be physically gathered “from the four corners of the earth”.
It is interesting to note that the covenant is not fulfilled until the final pouring out of God’s spirit at the time of the final gathering from the four corners of the earth.
I think that your research regarding the veracity of section 110 is very timely because there is a movement at hand that questions the credibility and historicity of section 110. This same group is in the process of expunging section 110 from a revised version of the LDS scriptures.
This is what a member of this new scripture committee has said about why changes to the scriptures need to be made and why section 110 should be deleted from the Doctrine and Covenants
One of the first ways that a dispensation becomes corrupted is by compromising the scriptures used by believers in that dispensation. Therefore, when a new dispensation begins, one of the first orders of business for believers is to adopt a new set of scriptures which restore so far as it is possible a correct version of the material they regard as scripture.. there is a need to remove errors correct text
The claim is that the scriptures that Joseph Smith brought forth were corrupted shortly after being received. No examples or supporting documentation to that claim were clearly presented although the presenter goes on to list section 110 as one of the sections that will be deleted from the new scriptures.
Continuing with his implication that section 110 is one of the corruptions that has compromised the integrity of the scriptures, here is the official reason that section 110 is being deleted:
“..Section 110 is completely unverifiable as a true revelation or vision, the three individuals with some information about the section, joseph Smith Oliver Cowdery and Warren Cowdery left no statement or explanation about section 110, further, in listing those who visited with them in their perspective testimonies neither Joseph Smith or Oliver Cowdery mention Elijah as having come. Finally, throughout the Nauvoo time frame including a month before his death, Joseph Smith spoke of Elijah’s return as a future and not a past event..”
The claim that section 110 is unverifiable is a huge red flag because it is admitting that the group that is adding and removing scripture is making their determination based on verifiable historical information rather than revelation.
Only the Holy Ghost can validate a true revelation, not historical facts. If the new religious movement was being led by a true prophet he would simply ask the Lord and receive a “thus saith the Lord” revelation from God confirming or denying the section to be a true revelation.
Each individual has the same responsibility to receive personal revelation on the topic.
The logic by the new scripture committee was apparently taken from the statements made by Denver Snuffer in his book (PTHG Pg 326–327)
All the contemporaneous records kept by any party fail to record any mention by Joseph Smith of the Kirtland Temple visitation from Moses, Elias and Elijah. It was never taught by Joseph Smith, never mentioned in any sermon delivered by him, and was never mentioned in anything Joseph ever wrote (75)
The claim that no contemporaneous records by any party record any mention of a visitation from Moses, Elias and Elijah is not accurate in my opinion. There are in fact credible historical records that show that Joseph or Oliver had mentioned aspects of the vision to selected individuals. Some of these individuals even mentioned these events to critics of the restoration.
For instance one account from a hostile source actually mentions the visitation of Christ and angels in conjunction with the solemn assembly with the curtains being drawn.
“They [the Mormons] have lately had what they term a solemn assembly. This was at the completion of the lower story of the Temple which is finished in a very singular order having four Pulpits on each [Page 261]end of the House and curtains between each. Also, curtains dividing the house in the center. They have had wonderful manifestations there of late behind the curtains. This was in the night. Their meeting held for several nights in succession. None but the Prophets and Elders were admitted. The number of Prophets now amounts to twelve. Some can see angels and others cannot. They report that the Savior appeared personally with angels and endowed the Elders with powers to work Miracles” (H. Michael Marquardt, The Rise of Mormonism: 1816–1844 (Longwood, FL: Xulon Press, 2005), 422)
It is highly unlikely that a hostile person living in Kirtland at the time could manufacture such a tale containing accurate details relating to the holding of a solemn assembly, a description of the priesthood pulpits, the curtains behind which the most holy place is hidden from the outer court, and the appearance of Christ and angels.
Perhaps even more compelling, is the following statement in a letter from WW Phelps to his wife within a week after the Savior appeared behind the veil:
“On Sunday, April 3, the twelve held meeting and administered the sacrament. It was a glorious time. The curtains were dropt in the afternoon. And there was a manifestation of the Lord to Br Joseph and Oliver, [by] which they [learned] thus the great & terrible day of the Lord as mentioned by Mal[a]chi, was near, even at the doors.” (William W. Phelps, Journal, April 1836 (letter 27), 3, William Wines Phelps (1792–1872) Papers, Vault MSS 810, BYU Special Collections.)
That statement identifies a “manifestation” that took place in the temple on the the exact date of the event detailed in section 110 . Further, it reveals the statement made by Elijah as recorded in Malachi!
Clearly, there are contemporaneous records that coincide with the event documented in section 110.
Claiming that Joseph always spoke of the coming of Elijah as a future event and never as a past event is also an inaccurate declaration. I have shown in a previous post that Joseph Smith did indeed speak of the coming of Elijah as a past experience during the Nauvoo era.
Just as you have shown how the sacred calendar testifies of Section 110, I have shown how the prophecies of Danial also testify of Section 110. Six of the nine prophetic time sequences having to do with Joseph Smith’s ministry either begin or end with April 3, 1836.
Perhaps one of the most compelling has to do with the prophecy in Daniel 9:24 . This prophecy declares that it would be 139 weeks from the time the commandment is given to rebuild the holy city until an anointing of the “most holy” takes place and the account of the vision is sealed up.
Backing up 139 weeks from the time that Joseph and Oliver had the secret vision behind the veil and sealed it up in the church historical journal, takes us to Sunday August 4th, 1833. That was the week that section 94 was given in which the commandment to commence the work of laying the foundation the city of the stake of Zion beginning at the Lord’s house.
There are countless scriptural evidences that confirm the validity of section 110.
The inspired version of the Bible reveals that John the Baptist in New Testament times was the same person known as Elijah the prophet during Old Testament times. This information reveals the prophetic link between the declaration by Elijah in section 110 and the restoration of the priesthood through John the Baptist in section 13. This gives us another prophetic witness of the revelatory validity of the event in Section 110.
The Book of Abraham also testifies of the truthfulness of section 110 by providing the definition and context of the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham that was ushered in.
There are numerous indirect references to the validity of section 110 given in other sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.
listed below are a few posts that address these witnesses.
Click to access reading-abraham-while-god-winks6.pdf
Section 27 and the Book of Abraham both Testify that Section 110 is True
The Keys to Gather Israel: Two Patriarchal Blessings Testify of Section 110
In my opinion, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence in scripture to show that section 110 is true.
I believe God commanded Joseph and Oliver to not publicly disclose the experience they had. This was done to provide a test. Only those that search the scriptures and receive personal revelation can perceive the revelatory witnesses that testify of section 110.
God has provided it as a test to see who will discern and defend it as truth.
This is very important in my opinion because it is a very serious thing to deny revelation and to alter the holy scriptures.
The Book of Mormon prophesies of those among the gentiles that would eventually transfigure God’s Holy Word [1]
Extracting true revelations from canonized scripture would certainly seem to fall into this category.
The Lord has warned us to not add to or take away from his scriptures. Everyone who participates in and endorses that new scripture project will be personally liable for any mistakes that are made when they enter into covenant on that project, so it would do them well to take it very seriously, lest the curses of God are brought upon their heads[2]
In my opinion, it is highly unlikely this scripture committee will ever consider leaving section 110 in their new scriptures regardless of the evidence that anyone brings forth. This is because of the stand that Snuffer has taken against it.
Snuffer has publicly warned me and others to quit teaching about the distinction between the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham and the dispensation of the fulness of the gospel, as revealed through the event documented in section 110-
“Those who claim the Gospel of Abraham is less than the gospel given to Adam are a false message born by a false messenger, mark it, if they don’t repent for preaching that message in opposition to what the Lord declares both in scripture and by my voice, they will regret it.
For the record, I have never said that the gospel that Abraham received, was anything less than the fulness of the gospel that had been preached to Adam or that was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.
What I have documented and blogged about is that the fulness of the gospel had been rejected by the latter day saints by the end of 1834 and that shortly after that, the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham was ushered in according to section 110.
That event demonstrates that a significant change in trajectory took place that resulted in the apostles of the restoration taking the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel to the nations across the great waters as documented in section 118.
I have shown from the Book of Abraham that the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham has to do with the chosen seed of Abraham preaching the gospel to the nations of the earth in the latter days.
I have further stated and documented that those events match up with the prophecy of Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi 16.
In my opinion, it was the “knowledge” of the fulness of the gospel that was taken to the remnants of the House of Israel after the fulness was rejected in 1834 followed by the ushering in of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham in 1836.
Shortly after that, the saints were rejected as a church with their dead, which would indicate that even though they had a knowledge of the fulness of the gospel as explained in the scriptures that Joseph brought forth, they did not enjoy the power in the priesthood to perform all of the saving ordinances. Even Denver Snuffer has finally acknowledged that the church was rejected in Nauvoo. (he pointed it out as a possibility in his book, PTHG, but now is declaring it to the case)
The book of Abraham, informs us that God promised Abraham that in the latter days, his posterity would be a great blessing to the nations of the earth by preaching the gospel to them. It clarifies however that the fulness of the gospel and the final giving of the land as an everlasting possession will not be fully actuated until God’s people “hearken to his voice” (Abraham 2:6)
The prophecy of Jesus Christ in 3rd Nephi 16 and more specifically summarized in 3rd Nephi 16:10-13 began to be fulfilled when the keys of the DISPENSATION of the Gospel of Abraham were delivered to Joseph and Oliver and the latter day apostles began to take the KNOWLEDGE of the fulness of the Gospel ( as contained in the Book of Mormon and the revelations Joseph brought forth) to the nations of the earth across the great waters. That sequence of events will be completed once the gentiles repent as described in Ether 4:6.
I believe that the reason that Denver wants to discredit section 110 is because it explains the change in trajectory during Joseph Smith’s ministry and proves that the modern corporate church still has the priesthood commission given in section 118, to take the knowledge of the gospel to the nations of the earth. Section 110 supports and validates the unconditional promises and prophesies about the servants of God returning to the vineyard to complete their commissions.
It leaves no place for Denver’s ministry and the other gospel that he promotes.
While I agree with you that section 110 is valid, and I rejoice in your defense of it, the primary purpose of this response to your email has to do with section 20 which the new scripture committee is also planning to delete from the standard works.
I am curious as to why you have taken up a defense of section 110 but not of section 20?!?!
Although I love section 110 and think that it is hugely important with regard to explaining church history and shedding light on prophecy, in my opinion, it is not as pertinent as a canonized revelation as section 20 is. This is because section 20 is a COMMANDMENT on how to govern the church and provide the saving COVENANTS and saving ordinances of the gospel.
God has commanded us to search the commandments and he has promised us that all of the revelations that were canonized by Joseph Smith and his associates are true and faithful.
Search these commandments for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises that are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and thou the heavens and the earth pass away, my words shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by my own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same. D&C 1:37-38
I believe you have already endeavored to prove the divine origin of section 20 in other articles you have written by showing the historic and prophetic significance of the date April 6th.
I would point out that in your article, Defense of April Sixth, you have substantiated the revelatory veracity of section 20 by showing how April sixth is a prophetic date-
“Lefgren states that his intent is “to show how the modern revelation concerning the significance of April 6 is in perfect harmony with other sacred writings” (p. 12). That is, he proposes that the belief that Jesus was born on 6 April 1 B.C. is consistent with all LDS scripture, but not necessarily with all secular sources. (All dates refer to our Gregorian calendar.) The reviewers claim that Lefgren also believes the “resurrection of Jesus fell on April sixth.” He does not; his date for the Resurrection is 3 April A.D. 33 (p. 61).”
The Snufferite scripture committee has indicated their intentions of expunging section 20 from the D&C along with section 110.
This is the official reason given by the new scripture committee for expunging section 20 from scripture:
Several LDS sections have been removed for the following reasons.. section 20 was written by Oliver Cowdery and constitutes church articles and covenants used to begin to structure the early church organization, they no longer apply…
What an odd declaration.
The claim that section 20 was received exclusively by Oliver Cowdery is simply not true.
Stating that the revelation on how to organize and govern the restored church is no longer relevant without giving any credible scriptural documentation or explanations from Joseph Smith as to why the commandment to govern the church was only temporary, is absurd.
Section 20 is referred to by the Lord as the “articles and covenants” of the church and section 42 which is referred to as the “law of the church” and the “law of Zion”. They were both taken by the early missionaries and used as the foundational scriptures for teaching new converts.
They represented the foundation of the restoration movement. Those are arguably two of the most inseparable and foundational parts of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Claiming that some of the scriptures that Joseph Smith brought forth in the Doctrine and Covenants are false or only temporary is a serious thing. I would agree that some of the additions and deletions made after the death of Joseph Smith did corrupt the Doctrine and Covenants that the church uses today. Adding section 132 is a good example of this. However, I would point out that the Lord endorsed all of the revelations in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants in 124:119-120.
And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God;
For that which is more or less than this cometh of evil, and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen.
It is sobering to realize that God put his stamp of approval on the revelations in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants and warned that more or less than what had been canonized would be evil and would bring forth cursings. Yet a scripture committee is now removing the foundational revelation in that canon of scripture.
It is somewhat ironic that while the Snufferite scripture committee desires to reinstate the “doctrine” portion of the original Doctrine and Covenants by reinstating the Lectures on Faith, they simultaneously desire to delete the “Covenants” portion of the original Doctrine and Covenants by expunging section 20, a section that the Lord specifically referred to as the articles and covenants of the church.
Sections 42 and 20 represented the LAW and the COVENANTS of the latter day saint restoration.
In an apparent attempt to discredit the revelatory veracity of section 20, the Snufferite scripture committee has declared that section 20 was exclusively received by Oliver Cowdery rather than being a joint revelation given by the Lord to both Joseph and Oliver.
That claim is unsubstantiated and it contradicts the following declaration of Joseph Smith which is plainly documented in the section heading:
“We obtained of Him [Jesus Christ] the following, by the spirit of prophecy and revelation; which not only gave us much information, but also pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to His will and commandment, we should proceed to organize His Church once more here upon the earth.”
It is pretty obvious that the Snufferite committee feels a need to discredit section 20 as an ongoing and relevant revelation since their holy teacher Denver Snuffer instructed his followers to use the baptismal and church governance protocol from the Book of Mormon instead of the baptismal and church governance protocol that the Lord gave to the restored church through Joseph Smith.
Snuffer has indicated that section 20 was only relevant for a limited time only, if at all, while the protocols in the Book of Mormon are timeless. He apparently does not want to have his new fellowship governed according to the instructions given by the Lord in section 20.
Why would God’s instructions to the gentiles, who have been designated as the final messengers of the gospel be no longer relevant? Why would the instructions to the Nephites supersede them?
This apparently has to do with Snuffers believe that Parley Pratt and Sidney Rigdon hijacked the direction of the restored church by adversely influencing Joseph Smith, a heresy that Snuffer gleaned from Daymon Smith
Clearly, if section 20 was a true revelation, it would cast doubt upon Denver’s holy calling and his teachings just as his rejection of section 110 does.
Concluding that section 20 is not a valid revelation of ongoing significance and that it was received exclusively by Oliver Cowdery and not Joseph Smith brings into question Joseph Smith’s honesty and integrity during those early years in Kirtland when the foundations of the restored gospel were being laid.
Why would Joseph Smith lie about jointly receiving the revelation about the articles and covenants of the church with Oliver Cowdery?
Another thing to consider is the fact that Joseph reviewed the revelation before getting the sustaining vote of the church on it and he made a very significant change which Oliver and the Whitmers initially took issue with.
However Oliver and the Whitmers eventually agreed with Joseph. (in my opinion, that one change which is the only apparent change between the protocol in section 20 and some of the teachings in the Book of Mormon, and therefore it appears as if it is one of the reasons Denver rejects the revelation as being valid.
Those changes verify the fact that Joseph was very familiar with every word in the revelation and had scrutinized them under the spirit of revelation. Clearly, Joseph was intimately involved in receiving the articles and covenants of the church. His involvement was endorsing the revelation as coming from God once he made those changes.
It is very odd that the Snufferites want to “preserve” the restoration by eliminating the very foundation of it.
Snufferites who are seriously thinking about making some of these radical changes to the scriptures that have been endorsed by God, would do well to ponder these things and be very prayerful about them before making a decision that could bring curses upon them.
Having observed that you have substantiated the revelatory veracity of section 20 from a sacred calendaring point of view, there is something else that should be considered with regard to expunging section 20 from the new scriptures.
The Lord makes specific mention of the “articles and covenants” (section 20) in sections 33 and 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants:
ye shall remember the church articles and covenants to keep them. Doctrine and Covenants 33:14
And they shall observe the covenants and church articlesto do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit. Doctrine and Covenants 42:13
As you can see, sections 33 and 42 which were both “thus saith the Lord” revelations that were received by Joseph Smith. Both testify that section 20 is valid and it contains the approved articles and covenants of the Church.
There is nothing in those directives from the Lord to indicate that those articles and covenants are only temporary and that they would one day be superseded by the ancient protocols given to the Nephites in the Book of Mormon.
If one assumes that section 20 is a false revelation that came only through Oliver Cowdery or that it was only a temporary protocol that would not remain relevant, valid and binding upon the gentiles, then sections 33 and 42 would also need to be classified accordingly and discarded.
The same logic would suggest that section 33 and 42 are either not true revelations from God or they only had temporary significance and must now be expunged from modern revelation along with section 20 which they endorse.
Section 33 further validates the articles and covenants previously detailed in section 20 by declaring that God had established the church and called it forth out of the wilderness.
5 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness.
Such a declaration suggests that there were no problems with the foundational articles and covenants upon which the church was established.
Clearly, the Lord would have commanded section 20 to be stricken from the revelations of the restoration had there been a problem with it. Section 33 declares the restored church to have come forth out of the wilderness and to have been properly ESTABLISHED.
Section 33 was calling certain elders into missionary work and teaching them what to do and say. It is clearly validating and building upon the baptismal and church governance protocol that had been detailed in section 20
10 Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;
11 Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
12 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved;
13 And upon this rock I will build my church; yea, upon this rock ye are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
14 And ye shall remember the church articles and covenants to keep them.
As you can see, section 33 is directing the leaders and missionaries of the church to REMEMBER the articles and covenants of the church given in section 20 and use them as the rock upon which to build the church. This is no doubt why the first missionaries hand copied section 20 and took it with them on their missions.
Are we remembering the church articles and covenants by discarding them and rejecting them as being inspired?
We clearly need to get rid of section 33 or accept section 20 since section 33 validates the revelatory veracity and ongoing relevance of section 20.
We have the same problem with section 42 if we choose to disregard section 20. Section 42 was considered to be the law of the church and section 42 commands the saints to integrate the articles and covenants in section 20 into the ongoing law of the church.
As you can see, if the scripture committee chooses to expunge section 20 in their new covenant with God, they need to expunge sections 33 and section 42. The Lord in his infinite foreknowledge made the content and relevance of these revelations cohesive and interdependent. It is an all or nothing proposition.
By getting rid of section 42 we are no longer bound to accept the New Testament practice of having all things in common with personal stewardships, as a true principle that must be lived. Nor are the saints required to live monogamy as a marital law. While that may come as a relief to some, it may bring some very very stiff penalties with it. It may bring the wrath of God down upon those that transfigure God’s holy word.
We know from Denver’s lectures that he finds some truth in Section 132 and the practice of celestial polygamy. We know from Denver’s remarks that he considers Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy to be inspired, even though Denver admits that he doesn’t fully understand it nor disclose what he believes it to be. The stage has been set for some kind of spiritual wifery to be introduced into the Snufferite movement at some point in time.
The point is, that by deleting section 20, you must delete section 42 from the D&C and at that point we are no longer limited to monogamy in our marital activities and we have one less contradiction between the marital law of monogamy in section 42 and the marital law in 132.
Clearly, it is the marital commandment of polygamy in section 132 that needs to be discarded, not the monogamy commandment in section 42.
Having shown that section 33 and 42 made specific reference to and validated the revelatory accuracy of section 20, I would point out that there are a host of other sections [3] that also make reference to the “covenants” detailed in section one and therefore they would also need to be expelled from the new Snufferite scriptures
Sections 28, 35, 51, 68, 97 & 107 all make reference to the COVENANTS delivered and canonized as section 20.
Leaving those scriptures intact while expunging section 20 would only create confusion and contradiction since they refer to and incorporate a previous revelation that is no longer considered relevant. It is incredible just how many revelations were built upon the foundation of section 20!
Just as sections 28, 33, 35, 42, 51, 68, 97, and 107 are all intertextually related to section 20 and they all bear witness of section 20 and each other, each of those sections is in turn intertextually related with at least two or three other revelations that Joseph received during those early years in Kirtland. Virtually all of the revelations are intertwined and are inseparable from a revelatory point of view.
Naturally, all of the sections that reference and give credibility to any of the eight sections listed above, also need to be expunged from the new D&C. But it does not stop there, because there are a whole new group of revelations that reference and give revelatory credibility to the revelations of the next grouping of revelations and so on and so on.
This process just keeps repeating itself until virtually every revelation that came through Joseph Smith is proven to be interrelated to and built upon the foundation of the covenants in section 20. Clearly, not one jot or tittle is to be removed from section 20 or section 42. They will remain as the guiding force by which the church is governed when the servants return to resume their commission.
In first Nephi 13, the Lord’s prophet Nephi prophesied about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon by the gentiles. In that prophecy, it was noted that in the latter days, the gentiles would bring forth the plain and precious things that the Lord would teach to the seed of Lehi when he personally ministers to them. It was making specific reference to the restoration of the church and ministry of joseph Smith in the 1800’s.
The prophecy clearly states that when those things taught by Christ to the Nephites contained in 3rd Nephi, that are hid up, are brought forth by the gentiles, the gentiles would seek to bring forth Zion.
The event took place.
Obviously, the attempt was not successful at that time, as hinted in the prophecy, however, the the prophecy notes that those that make the initial attempt at Zion would “have the gift and power of the holy ghost and if they endure to the end they shall be lifted up at the last day”.
According to the prophecy, Joseph Smith and his fellow gentiles who brought forth the account of the Savior’s ministry as contained in 3rd Nephi, are the ones who have the gift and power of the holy ghost. They are the ones that “publish peace and great tidings”, not Denver Snuffer and his scripture committee.
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.
37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
Nothing is said or implied in the above prophecy about the gentiles bringing forth a false or temporary set of covenants which would need to be changed to a more ancient directive by another prophet or religious movement.
There are those that want to discredit the restoration of the gospel that joseph Smith was instrumental in bringing forth by inferring that only Joseph’s work in bringing forth the Book of Mormon is of any enduring revelatory value.
However the Book of Mormon validates the revelations that joseph Smith brought forth. It declares that Joseph and his associates like Oliver Cowdery had the gift and power of the Holy Ghost sufficient enough to be commanded to attempt Zion!
Their calling was not limited to bringing forth the Book of Mormon!
They legitimately attempted to bring forth Zion!
That very attempt required independent revelation and commandments and covenants from the Lord through the spirit of prophecy.
There is no need for a new latter day prophet to completely negate and disparage the inspired foundation that the Lord established through the prophet Joseph Smith.
The revelations that were brought forth and canonized through Joseph Smith that were sustained by the saints of the restoration through the law of common consent and endorsed by the Lord in section 124 represent an all or nothing proposition.
Just prior to receiving the articles and covenants contained in section 20 of the D&C, Joseph and Oliver were told by the Lord:
17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation. 18 Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.
I testify that Joseph and Oliver and there brethren did have the Holy Ghost and the spirit of prophecy when they received section 20. It is an enduring protocol for the gentiles that will be used when the gentiles finally repent.
John- I appreciate your defense of section 110 but would encourage you to use your research of divine calendars to defend section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants as well.
[1][1] Mormon 8:33 O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get gain? Why have ye transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled.
[2][2] Man does not have the authority to change the will of God on any subject. One of the most serious and blasphemous things a person can do is to alter God’s holy word in scripture. We have been given severe warnings in several places in the Bible concerning any changes that we try to make to God’s word. Galatians 1:6-9, warns us that if we pervert the gospel by changing it, we will be accursed. Deuteronomy 4:2 Revelation 22:18-19 both warn of the plagues and cursings that fall upon those that adds or takes away from God’s word. God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
[3] Doctrine and Covenants 28:12,14 For, behold, these things have not been appointed unto him, neither shall anything be appointed unto any of this church contrary to the church covenants. Doctrine and Covenants 35:24 Keep all the commandments and covenants by which ye are bound; and I will cause the heavens to shake for your good, and Satan shall tremble and Zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish; Doctrine and Covenants 51:4 And let my servant Edward Partridge, when he shall appoint a man his portion, give unto him a writing that shall secure unto him his portion, that he shall hold it, even this right and this inheritance in the church, until he transgresses and is not accounted worthy by the voice of the church, according to the laws and covenants of the church, to belong to the church. section 68:13 And now, concerning the items in addition to the covenants and commandments, they are ….And again, no bishop or high priest who shall be set apart for this ministry shall be tried or condemned for any crime, save it be before the First Presidency of the church; 23 And inasmuch as he is found guilty before this Presidency, by testimony that cannot be impeached, he shall be condemned; 24 And if he repent he shall be forgiven, according to the covenants and commandments of the church. Doctrine and Covenants 97:8 Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me. Doctrine and Covenants 107:12,19-20,63,85-87,89 The high priest and elder are to administer in spiritual things, agreeable to the covenants and commandments of the church; and they have a right to officiate in all these offices of the church when there are no higher authorities present.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
In this installment on the revelatory clarifications in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible we are going to review inspired passages that address the nature and character of God and the mystical relationship of ONENESS between the Father and the Son.
We will demonstrate through the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible and related scriptures that ALL worlds past and present were created by the Father through his Son Jesus Christ.
We will demonstrate that the infinite and eternal atonement of Jesus Christ was done for the inhabitants of all worlds past and present.
We will document the eternal distinction between how Jesus Christ was created by the Father as the “ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER” while all other saved beings are “BEGOTTEN SONS AND DAUGHTERS UNTO GOD” through the Atonement of Christ and the Plan of Salvation.
We will note that the fruits of true prophets are to teach true doctrines and that we can detect false prophets and fallen prophets by detecting the false doctrines they teach through the false revelations they receive.
Samples of Inspired Clarifications in the JST #5
the Father is the Son and the Son is the Father
This Can Only be Understood if the Son Reveals It
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
King James Version |
| Luke 10:23 |
Luke 10:22 |
|
All things are delivered to me of my Father; and no man knoweth that the Son is the Father, and the Father is the Son, but him to whom the Son will reveal it. |
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. |
I believe that the above change is one of the most revelatory profundities in the JST with regard to revealing the nature and character of God and the true relationship between the Father and the Son.
The Son is the Father and the Father is the Son.
As with any single passage of scripture, no matter how inspired and revelatory, it needs to be viewed holistically through the promptings of the spirit in conjunction with all other relevant scriptures.
And after all we can do under those circumstances, we will still not fully comprehend how the Son is the Father and the Father is the Son UNTIL Christ opens the heavens and infuses us with the Holy Ghost and shows us the mystery of what is being taught.
Nevertheless, God obviously wants us to ponder what is being said or he would not have revealed what he said in scripture. Interestingly, God forbid Joseph from expounding on the revelatory clarifications in the JST until it was published to the world.
Sadly the JST was never published to the world under Joseph’s direction during his life. He will yet return and restore the truth in power.
Nevertheless, by the grace and providence of God, the Bible which he used to make many inspired changes and the associated manuscript, eventually fell into the hands of the RLDS church and was published so that those who seek for deeper understanding could benefit from it and prepare their hearts for the return of the fulness.
The above nugget from the JST is completely consistent with many other passages of scriptures that give us a glimpse into the nature of God.
Notice what was revealed in Section 93 regarding the mystical oneness of the Father and the Son
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;
2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;
3 And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one—
We are informed that the Father and the Son are ONE because they dwell in each other.
4 The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men.
5 I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest.
6 And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed.
After informing us that Christ is the Father and the Father is the Son because they literally dwell in each other, we are informed that they are differentiated by the fact that the Father enjoyed the “fulness” before Christ was begotten of the Father.
The Father has always been God. Christ is a created, begotten being. The Father created the Son and has created all other things through the Son.
John saw that Christ received of the Father.
When?
Is this referring to Christ’s earthly ministry or to the pre-existence?
Context is possibly provided for this question in John 17:5
“And Now oh Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was”
Christ received his fulness from the Father when he was created before his earthly ministry and again during this earthly ministry.
Christ temporarily put off his fulness during his earthly sojourn UNTIL God once again infused him with the fulness.
John was a witness of these things.
The Book of Mormon seems to refer to Christ’s temporary putting off of the Father’s fulness and his earthly ministry wherein he regained the fulness and meekly ministered to the inhabitants of the world and allowed himself to be judged of the world and slain for the sins of the world as a CONDESCENSION. ( 1 Nephi 11:16-36)
The Son had the ability and willingness to separate out of the Father, put off the fulness, and enter into his earthly body even though he would remain sinless and not take upon himself the corrupted mortal blood that all other humans of the family of Adam inherited from the fall.
Once in the earthly tabernacle, Christ again received of the fulness from the Father in order to provide an atonement. The new Testament makes the following record of the baptism of Jesus, not for the remissions of sins, but rather, to fulfill all righteousness
43 And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Suffer me to be baptized of thee, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
44 And John went down into the water and baptized him.
45 And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and John saw, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Jesus.
46 And lo, he heard a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. (JST Matthew 3:43-46)
Continuing with the narrative in Section 93, the following is a record of John’s epiphany about Jesus’ pre-existent glory
7 And he bore record, saying: I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was;
8 Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation—
9 The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
10 The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him.
John saw that Christ had the glory of the Father prior to coming to earth and that he created ALL of the worlds that had been created.
11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
A contextual reading of the above passages in Section 93 in conjunction with John 17:5 and other passages, reveals that it was during his earth life that Christ “received not the fulness at first but received grace for grace”.
15 And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son.
16 And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
17 And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
It appears from the narrative in Section 93 that it was during the baptism of Christ and the reception of the Holy Ghost that Christ regained at least part of his previous glory and pre-existent status and that John bore witness of this event.
18 And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.
19 I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
21 And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;
There are parts of John’s record that have been withheld until the appointed time. The existing record of John and the additional part of his record that is to be revealed in the future are given that we may understand how to worship and what we worship.
JST Luke 10:23 may well be part of the record of John that was to come forth at a future time.
The inspired clarification provides a much deeper meaning to the simple declaration made by Joseph Smith that we pray to the Father in the name of Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Praying to the Father in the name of Christ is one of the essential aspects of prayer:
“Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (3 Nephi 18:19)
Again, the nature and character of God is a mystery which is only revealed to those that receive the fulness of the saving ordinances by those that possess the greater priesthood.
For This reason, we know that we are at the mercy of God in fufilling his unconditional promises and returning the first elders with the greater priesthood and the saving ordinances before we can fully have the mystery of God revealed to us. It is essential to have the greater priesthood to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom and the key of the knowledge of God-
19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live. (Section 84)
Nevertheless, the amount of information that we have been given about God and his kingdom, enables us to prepare our hearts and our minds for the return of the fulness and discern the false doctrines taught by the false prophets that arise among us who claim to converse with and be taught of God.
The above passages revealing the oneness of the Father and the Son are really just a reiteration of the intercessory prayer that Christ offers in John 17. In that prayer, we are informed that just as the Father and the Son are one, those of us that become the Sons of God through the atonement of Christ will likewise become one in them:
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Here is what I said regarding the oneness of the Father and the Son and the mystery of Godliness in my book
Scholars of the Bible have argued for centuries over whether God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ represent two separate and distinct beings [a plural God] or if they represent one being [a singular God]. The argument is fanned by the fact that the scriptures depict both a singular God, with the Father and the Son being declared to be one God, yet also depicting Christ and the Father as being separate and distinct intellegences that actually carry on conversations with each other, showing them to be a plural God.
A similar debate has taken place within Mormonism and has been exacerbated by conflicting accounts of the first vision, some declaring God, singular, visiting Joseph, while others declare that the Father and the Son visited Joseph in vision.
I am going to suggest that the scriptures do not present two conflicting doctrines regarding the Father and the Son. Rather, they reveal two separate ways that the only true God manifests himself.
I believe we need to accept EVERYTHING that God has collectively taught about Himself in the Holy Scriptures; even the passages that appear to be contradictory and require the student of the Gospel to step outside the paradigm of their five senses and accept what is said, regardless of how illogical and contradictory it seems to the natural man and his finite mind and limited comprehension of eternal things.
Hence, I have no other choice than to conclude that the Father and Son represent ONE GOD, whose mind is the Holy Ghost, who has the ability to manifest Himself as TWO SEPARATE AND DISTINCT INTELLIGENCES.
How is this possible?
According to scripture, the Father is a personage of spirit and the Son is a personage of tabernacle.
I believe Christ’s physical personage dwells within the spiritual personage of the Father and the Father’s spiritual personage dwells within the physical personage of the Son. Add to that the fact that the Holy Ghost is their mind, giving them unity of thought, and this makes them ONE GOD.
In other words, the Father cloaks himself in the tabernacle of the Son. Conversely, the tabernacle is infused with the spirit of the Father enabling Christ to inherit and manifest the fulness of the nature and character of the Father, enjoying the same mind and will when they are combined.
Nevertheless, we know from scripture that Christ has the ability to separate out of God to bring about the purposes of God. Hence, the Son was able to condescend and come to earth to do the will of his Father.
Not only does scripture document the Son condescending into his earthly ministry and having a conversation with the Father, he even displays a will that is not necessarily the same as the Fathers.
“Not my will but thine…”
Clearly, Jesus has the capacity to literally be one with the Father, nay, be the Father, and yet, he also has the capacity to separate out as an independent intelligence.
John 1:18 informs us that Christ is:
. . . in the bosom of the Father . . .
D&C Section 76:13 also makes reference to :
. . . his Only Begotten Son . . . in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning.
D&C Section 93 informs us that the Father and Son literally reside in each other:
. . . I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one—
Isn’t that just another way of saying the Son is the Father and the Father is the Son?
In JST Luke 10:23 Christ declares-
“and no man knoweth that the Son is the Father, and the Father is the Son, but him to whom the Son will reveal it.
Perhaps one of the most amazing things to realize is that the Father apparently jointly participated in the atonement with the Son
“..I God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent…” D&C 19:16
Mosiah 15:1-4 states that God himself redeems his people-
1 …I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—
3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—
4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.
Lectures on Faith informs us that the mind of God and Christ is the Holy Spirit:
…And he being the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father—possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things:
by whom all things were created and made, that were created and made: and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one: The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness:
Filling all in all—the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father—possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father—a Mediator for man—being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father:
which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
Of course the truths given above only provide an intellectual understanding that hopefully gets us closer to the full truth. The passage in the JST informs us that we can only truly understand this when the Son reveals this mystery to us.
Samples of Inspired Clarifications in the JST #6
The Key of Knowledge is the Fulness of the Scriptures
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
King James Version |
| Luke 10:53 |
Luke 110:52 |
| Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge, the fullness of the scriptures; ye enter not in yourselves into the kingdom; and those who were entering in, ye hindered. |
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. |
The term “fulness of the scriptures” added to the above passage in the JST is significant. Another very close variation of the keyword, “fulness of my scriptures” shows up two times in modern revelation. The first time has to do with the LAW of the GOSPEL in Section 42:
12 And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.
13 And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit.
14 And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.
15 And all this ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning your teaching, until the fulness of my scriptures is given.
16 And as ye shall lift up your voices by the Comforter, ye shall speak and prophesy as seemeth me good;
17 For, behold, the Comforter knoweth all things, and beareth record of the Father and of the Son.
The obvious interpretation of the term being used would indicate that the Joseph Smith Inspired Version of the Bible is being referred to as the fulness of the scriptures.
I would suggest however that perhaps a broader meaning is intended which would include all of the scriptures that Joseph will ultimately bring forth.
The next time that the keyword shows up in modern revelation seems to suggest this.
In Section 104 the Lord declares that some of the saints in the land of Zion had broken the covenant of consecration that they had entered into. Because of this, the Lord dissolved the covenant between the saints in Zion and the saints in Kirtland. They were no longer bound together as a united order.
In the revelation the Lord informs the leaders of his church that he had commanded them to “organize themselves”.
He then explains that organizing themselves includes printing the fulness of the scriptures:
57 But, verily I say unto you, I have appointed unto you to be stewards over mine house, even stewards indeed.
58 And for this purpose I have commanded you to organize yourselves, even to print my words, the fulness of my scriptures, the revelations which I have given unto you, and which I shall, hereafter, from time to time give unto you—
Interestingly, this revelation was given AFTER the JST of the Bible had been completed!
Yet the Lord is telling them that the fulness of the scriptures will contain not only that which had already been revealed, but things that were yet to be revealed!
Clearly, the fulness of the scriptures is a term that refers to the publishing of multiple books of scripture, possibly into one canon of scripture, as had been foretold in ancient scripture.
The revelation then goes on to inform us that the fulness of the scriptures are essential in building up the church and kingdom on earth and to prepare the saints for the time when Christ will return to dwell with them.
59 For the purpose of building up my church and kingdom on the earth, and to prepare my people for the time when I shall dwell with them, which is nigh at hand.
The Lord then instructs the saints to prepare a place for a treasury to be consecrated for keeping the sacred things that needed to be printed and canonized.
60 And ye shall prepare for yourselves a place for a treasury, and consecrate it unto my name.
61 And ye shall appoint one among you to keep the treasury, and he shall be ordained unto this blessing.
62 And there shall be a seal upon the treasury, and all the sacred things shall be delivered into the treasury; and no man among you shall call it his own, or any part of it, for it shall belong to you all with one accord.
63 And I give it unto you from this very hour; and now see to it, that ye go to and make use of the stewardship which I have appointed unto you, exclusive of the sacred things, for the purpose of printing these sacred things as I have said.
64 And the avails of the sacred things shall be had in the treasury, and a seal shall be upon it; and it shall not be used or taken out of the treasury by any one, neither shall the seal be loosed which shall be placed upon it, only by the voice of the order, or by commandment.
65 And thus shall ye preserve the avails of the sacred things in the treasury, for sacred and holy purposes.
66 And this shall be called the sacred treasury of the Lord; and a seal shall be kept upon it that it may be holy and consecrated unto the Lord.
The bottom-line is that the fulness of the scriptures that Joseph Smith is to bring forth are essential for the building up of the kingdom and for preparing us to dwell with the Lord when he returns.
The above passage from the JST informs us that the fulness of the scriptures represent the key of knowledge by which we enter into the kingdom.
The importance of the scriptures in revealing the nature and character of God and the mystical relationship between the Father and the Son is hard to overstate.
Back in the time of Christ, the Lawyers had taken away or suppressed the fulness of the scriptures. By so doing, they were preventing themselves from entering into the kingdom and they were hindering the humble followers of Christ from entering in.
This exact scenario has taken place in the latter days. Shortly after the restoration of the fulness of the gospel, the Gentiles rejected the fulness. From that time on, the saints were delivered over to Satan and the true teachings of the restoration, and the true interpretation of the scriptures began to be corrupted and suppressed.
Samples of Inspired Clarifications in the JST #7
Human Priesthood Leaders are to Guide People by Showing the Light
If They Transgress and Teach Falsehood they Need to be Discarded
|
Joseph Smith Translation |
King James Translation |
| JST Mark 9:39-50 |
Mark 9:42-50 |
|
39 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea.
41 For it is better for thee to enter into life without thy brother, than for thee and thy brother to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. 42 And again, if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; for he that is thy standard, by whom thou walkest, if he become a transgressor, he shall be cut off. 43 It is better for thee to enter halt into life, than, having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. 44 Therefore, let every man stand or fall by himself and not for another, or not trusting another. 45 Seek unto my Father, and it shall be done in that very moment what ye shall ask, if ye ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive. 46 And if thine eye which seeth for thee, him that is appointed to watch over thee to show thee light, become a transgressor and offend thee, pluck him out. 47 It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hellfire. 48 For it is better that thyself should be saved, than to be cast into hell with thy brother, where their worm dieth not and where the fire is not quenched. 49 For everyone shall be salted with fire; and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt; but the salt must be good. 50 For if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it (the sacrifice)? Therefore, it must needs be that ye have salt in yourselves and have peace one with another. |
42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. |
The above passages and clarifications inform us that God does in fact appoint human priesthood holders to act as a standard and as inspired guides for his people. Ancient prophets like Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were sent to be guides.
In the New Testament God sent prophets and apostles like Peter, James, John and Paul to act as standards and guides and teach the truth.
However the above clarifications in the JST also inform us that human guides are fallible and can begin teaching falsehood.
It is not the human priesthood leader that God has ordained to be our guide, that we are to put our trust in. It is the light coming from God through the prophet that we are to trust in. It is our responsibility to discern the doctrine being presented. As soon as we detect false doctrine coming from the human guide that has been ordained of God, we are to thrust them aside.
The truth is that there are precious few examples of true prophets that teach false doctrine pertaining to the basics of the gospel of Christ and the saving ordinances. Peter struggled to understand the truth about preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, but God corrected him on that issue.
Paul “wrote unto the church, giving unto them a commandment, not of the Lord, but of himself..” but his witness of the Christ and him crucified was sound.
Neither of those rare instances actually had to do with teaching false doctrines regarding the nature of God, the essentials of the plan of salvation or the saving ordinances of salvation.
I have noted in previous posts that Joseph Smith had a very unique calling with regard to eventually having his eyes covered.
Joseph Smith initially revealed the truth with uncanny accuracy up until the fulness of the gospel was rejected by the Gentiles.
After that, the saints were delivered over to Satan and the eyes of the seers were covered and some false doctrine was taught.
Some people have greatly misunderstood the uniqueness of Joseph’s calling and have used it to assume that true prophets can teach false doctrine while still acting as a valid prophetic guide.
That is false. If Joseph taught any false doctrines, it was after he became a fallen prophet pursuant to his calling and having his eyes covered.
I have had several Snufferites contact me and tell me that they agree with me that Denver Snuffer has taught lots of false doctrines but they ultimately choose to accept Snuffer as a valid mortal priesthood guide and a true prophet solely based on his claim that he has seen God and has been called of God.
Sadly they use my research on the atonement statute and the intercessory atonement offering of Joseph Smith, and the covering of Joseph Smith’s eyes, as an excuse as to why true prophets can teach false doctrine and yet still be true prophets.
With this misunderstanding, they give Snuffer a free pass to teach all of the false doctrines he wants while maintaining his status as a true prophet and credible guide.
That is a gross misunderstanding of Joseph Smith’s unique calling and a misunderstanding of the necessity of true prophets to teach true doctrine.
In sample #8 we shall expose yet another very grievous false doctrine and false revelation that Denver Snuffer has presented.
Sample of Inspired Clarifications in the JST #8
There is Only One Savior who Created All of the Past and Future Worlds
His Infinite Atonement Covers All of Creation
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
King James Version |
| Moses 1:6, 33, 5:7,9, 7:35-40, 62:4 | |
|
6 And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all. 33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten 7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. 9 And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will. 62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. |
It is easy to forget that the Book of Moses represents the very first part of the JST that was revealed through Joseph Smith. It is essentially, Genesis Chapter One+.
The snippets above represent passages of scripture from the Book of Moses that establish the following truths:
As previously established, God the Father has always been God. He had no beginning. He created (organized) his Son from pure, celestial, unorganized Intelligence that had resided in the Bosom of the Father.
Since Christ was given the fulness of the Father when he was begotten of the Father, Christ received everything the Father had and Christ became ONE with the Father. The Father and the Son are ONE GOD.
Christ has always been in the bosom of the Father and was begotten as the the Son of God who has always been without sin. Christ has never needed an atonement performed for him. The only atonement ever provided throughout eternity is the atonement provided by Christ through the will of the Father.
In a very real sense, it appears the Father participated in the suffering and atonement of the Son. Indeed, it was after the suffering in gethsemane and the cross that Christ was able to lay down his life on the Cross as a result of becoming separated from the Father
“And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Mark 15:39
In other words, the Father was indwelling in Christ at least intermittently, during the suffering right up until Christ laid down his life.
In modern revelation we are given a remarkable sequence of declarations that can only be appreciated when the mystical oneness of the Father and the Son is understood..
First we are informed that Christ is the Redeemer of the world
Second we are informed that Christ belongs to the Father and does his will
Third we are informed that “God” suffered for the sins of the world
Fourth we are informed that the God who suffered is the “greatest of all”
Fifth we are informed that it was Christ that “would that I might not drink the bitter cup” and then gives glory to the Father after submitting to the will of the Father.
1 I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.
2 I, having accomplished and finished the will of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me—having done this that I might subdue all things unto myself—
3 Retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.
4 And surely every man must repent or suffer, for I, God, am endless.15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. D&C 19
To the carnal natural mind, that sequence of declarations is illogical and irrational.
How can Christ belong to and submit himself to, and do the will of the Father, if Christ is the greatest of all?
Isn’t the Father the greatest of all?
It appears that the Father was indwelling in Christ and they were ONE GOD during the suffering.
Even though the passages above clearly identifies Christ as the host tabernacle who trembled because of pain and offered himself as the atonement, it appears the Father was dwelling within him and participating in the suffering.
No Gods Before Him
In Isaiah 43 God informs us that there have been no Gods before Him
10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isa 43)
The Vision known as Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants reveals that it is Christ, without the involvement of other Saviors that saves all of the creations that Christ created except for the Sons of Perdition. This proves conclusively that Christ’s atonement was an infinite and eternal atonement that redeems all creations.
76:43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.
According to the testimony of Joseph and Sidney in Section 76, Jesus Christ is the Creator AND Redeemer of all the worlds that are created.
22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.
38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.
39 For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.
40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—
41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;
42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;
43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.
Further Clarification that Christ’s Atonement is for All Creation
WW Phelps once asked Joseph to provide further clarification regarding the amazing vision that Joseph and Sidney had had. The following segment from the poem Joseph wrote in response, provides unquestionable clarity as to whether each world has its own Savior and atonement, or whether Jesus Christ provided one infinite and eternal atonement for all worlds.
| Section 76 | Joseph Smith Poem Clarifying Section 76 |
| 21. And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.
22. And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! 23. For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— 22. And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! 23. For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— |
17. I beheld round the throne, holy angels and hosts, And sanctified beings from worlds that have been, In holiness worshipping God and the Lamb,Forever and ever, amen and amen!
18. And now after all of the proofs made of him, By witnesses truly, by whom he was known, This is mine, last of all, that he lives; yea he lives! And sits at the right hand of God, on his throne. 19. And I heard a great voice, bearing record from heav’n, He’s the Saviour (Savior), and only begotten of God- By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made, Even all that career in the heavens so broad. 20. Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last, Are sav’d by the very same Saviour (Savior) of ours; And, of course, are begotten God’s daughters and sons, By the very same truths, and the very same pow’rs. |
[This poetical rendering of Doctrine and Covenants 76, published in Nauvoo in 1843, is the only poem extant supposed to have been written by the Prophet Joseph Smith. For a long period Phelps served as a personal scribe for Joseph. The poem is a response to Phelps’ request]
As you can see, the snippets in the above poem about Section 76 provide a second witness to what is clearly declared in Section 76 and the Book of Moses in confirming that Christ has atoned for the sins of the inhabitants of all past and future worlds.
Christ’s Atonement Was Infinite
One the remarkable things about the Book of Mormon is that it reminds us repeatedly that the atonement of Christ was INFINITE:
Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement–save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more (2 Ne 9:7).
And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind–and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things (2 Ne 25:16).
(2 Ne 25:16).And after they [the Jews] have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind–and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things. (2 Ne 25:16)
For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice. Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay. But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world (Alma 34:10-12).
Why is it important to understand that God the Father has never changed and that there were no Gods before him, and that the atonement of Christ was infinite and eternal ?
I believe it is important for many reasons.
One reason is so that we will more fully comprehend the magnificent power of the God we worship and better know who and what we worship.
Another reason is so that we can avoid becoming arrogant like Satan did and wanting to become like unto God in the sense of replacing the works of God with our own works of creations and atonement.
Another reason is so that we can detect false teachings and false prophets in our midst.
One of the things we learned from the scriptures is that false prophets teach false doctrine.
The Fruits of True Prophets is True Doctrine
One of the primary fruits of a true prophet is to teach truth instead of falsehood. The defining fruit of a false prophet is false doctrine.
15 ¶Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Damnable Heresies that Deny that Christ Bought Us
Peter warned of false prophets that would teach damnable heresies. They would deny the Lord. Denying the Lord could refer to rejecting Jesus as the Christ. Another way to interpret the passage is that they would deny the fulness of the work and atonement of God, claiming that there are many Gods providing many atonements for different worlds.
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2:1-3 King James Version (KJV)
For years I have spoken about the fact that virtually every true doctrine of the restoration has been perverted. The more I study and search the scriptures and compare the teachings of Christ in the scriptures and the original teachings of the LDS restoration movement, to what is taught in the church today, the more I am convinced of this.
I am now going to address one of the most evil damnable heresies that has ever been introduced into the church.
I have personally been guilty of teaching it and have since repented.
Here is an excerpt from a booklet I wrote back in 1992 when I was just beginning to separate out the truth from fiction in LDS doctrine.
“‘follow thou me’ is the command given. But if we must follow the example of a “mortal messiah” that never committed any sin during his mortal earth life, we are without hope, “for we have all sinned” and therefore cannot follow his example of mortal perfection. On the other hand, if we are commanded to follow the example of an immortal messiah, , “who was once a [mortal] man like us”. who became a god by going through the same plan of salvation that we are experiencing we have great reason to hope and glory in the grace of God”
Sounds logical does it?
At the time I wrote the above snippet, I had just become aware of the book “The Mortal Messiah” by Bruce McConkie and knew deep within my soul that Christ was not a mortal messiah. So I began trying to make sense of the truth, doing the best that I could with what I had been taught and what i was learning.
In my last installment on the JST I addressed how Christ was not born of Mortal Blood according to the inspired gospel of John and how the book of Mormon teaches that Christ did not offer a human sacrifice.
I still believe the first part of the above quote. Christ was not a perfect mortal. He was not born of mortal blood. He was truly pure and innocent. He had sinless blood flowing through his veins.
There is no such thing as a perfect mortal. The term is an oxymoron.
Christ was God in the flesh.
That is why he did not commit sin during his earthly life and ministry.
HOWEVER, during my studies, I would eventually discover that the second part of the above quote that speculates that Christ had previously gone through a mortal probation like the one we are experiencing, before becoming the Savior of this world, simply does not square with the scriptures provided in the Book of Moses, Section 76, the JST, and other passages of scripture.
What I said in that quote represented a very logical deduction in my opinion. But I can’t give my self any brownie points for being logical. I can only confess that I taught a false doctrine.
I believe that virtually all of us who are trying to understand the doctrine of the kingdom and sharing our beliefs and interpretation of scripture have been guilty of teaching false doctrine . That pamphlet I wrote three decades ago had several false doctrines in it.
Over the last nine years I suspect that I have taught some false doctrines on my blog. That is why I put the disclaimers on my blogs and tell people they should not believe anything I write just because I believe it. Every man is responsible for their own beliefs.
I am on a learning curve like everyone else who has inherited the latter day apostasy and the false traditions of my fathers.
I cut myself and others who openly confess that they are just trying to understand the truth, and don’t claim any authority, lots of slack.
The only people I am really critical of for teaching false doctrine, are those that claim to be a special messenger or witness of Christ and claim to speak directly to Christ and claim to be directly taught by Christ.
Those people who claim a special relationship and status with Christ and then teach false doctrine are VERY DANGEROUS PEOPLE. They are the ones that Christ has warned us about.
Reverse Engineering the False Doctrine that I Taught
Ok, now, I am going to reverse engineer how I arrived at the false conclusion that Christ had previously gone through a mortal probation before he became the creator and Savior of this world.
To begin with, I had been raised to believe the following scripture and its associated implications:
22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us. (D&C 130:22)
Obviously, if the Father has a tangible body like Christ, it paves the way for the possibility that the Father gained his body the same way that Christ did, and that Christ was simply following in his fathers footsteps.
However we have shown in a previous post that the above passage was taken out of context by the Brigham Young administration when they canonized it. Joseph Smith was responding to the false doctrine that Orson Hyde had taught, incorrectly teaching that the Father had a body of flesh and bones.
The Lectures on Faith and the scriptures teach that the Father is a flaming fire. He is a personage of spirit, unlike the Son who is a personage of tabernacle. The Father only has a tabernacle of element in the sense that he dwells in the Son.
Another thing that threw me off track is the fact that I had been raised to believe the following couplet by Lorenzo Snow:
“As man is, God once was; as God is, man may be.”
I had accepted the above couplet as scripture without scrutinizing it with the scriptures.
Another problem is that I had been told that Christ was our “Elder Brother” which implied that he was subject to the same plan of salvation as us. But that does not square with scripture. Christ is our creator and redeemer, not our elder brother.
Another reason that I speculated that Christ had previously gone through a mortal probation before he came to this world to redeem us is that I had been studying the teachings of Mormon Fundamentalism that grew out of the teachings of Brigham Young back at the time that I wrote that.
One of their teachings is that each of us that are valiant will advance to become an Adam of a future world and then, if valiant, we will become like the Son and then like the Father.
That is supposedly one of the cryptic teachings of the Brigham Young temple endowment.
With the shaky foundation I had from all of those false assumptions, I was one day visiting a friend that worked for Sunstone Magazine and I struck a deal with him. I told him I would do some volunteer work for Sunstone if I could have access to their files containing lots of interesting and controversial teachings and events having to do with LDS church history.
One of the many things I came across is the following statement from Brigham Young, as documented in the diary of Wilford Woodruff.
May 12, 1867: At Fillmore public meetings President Young said “there never was
any world created and peopled nor never would be but what would be redeemed
by the shedding of the blood of the Savior of that world. If we are ever
exalted and crowned in the presence of God, we shall become saviors of a world
which we shall create and people”
Since I had already accepted some false teachings that fit in perfectly with what Brigham Young had said. I believed it.
I’ll be honest with you about my initial reaction when I read the above statement from Woodruffs journal.
I got light headed and nauseated.
You see, I have a very low pain threshold.
If I get a minor cut or burn, I fall to the floor and cry like a little baby in the fetal position. My wife who has a really high pain threshold just rolls her eyes at me in disgust.
So I am sitting there at Sunstone trying to envision myself creating a world and then hanging on a cross and suffering and going through everything Christ went through in the New Testament and I just couldn’t fathom going through it… nor did I think I could ever feel worthy enough to ever provide an atonement for the inhabitants of a world that I would create and people.
Nevertheless, while questioning whether or not I would ever be worthy of becoming a Christ, I took the above statement by Brigham Young as the gospel truth because back at that time, I had been conditioned to believe it based on other things that the church taught. Besides, I considered Brigham Young to be a prophet of God and to be a credible gospel scholar.
Of course I would later discover similar declarations from others of the apostate apostles that followed Brigham Young to Utah. The following was a declaration from Orson Hyde;
“Remember that God our Heavenly Father was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we are, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement; has moved forward and overcome until he has arrived at the point where He now is” (Mormon Apostle Orson Hyde Gospel Through the Ages p.104)
I realized that Brigham Young’s and Orson Hyde’s declarations were just variations and extensions of what is taught in the King Follett Sermon. The King Follett Sermon was a sermon that Joseph Smith gave at a funeral of a person named King Follett. The sermon contains the following snippets:
King follett Sermon
God who sits in yonder heavens is a man like yourselves
We suppose that God was God from eternity. I will refute that idea,
The scriptures inform us, mark it [brother Rigdon] that Jesus Christ said As the Father hath power in himself, so hath the son power in himself to do what the father did even to lay down my body & take it up again do you believe it, if not, dont believe the bible. I defy all Hell and earth to refute it.
You have got to learn how to be a god yourself in order to save yourself
What did Jesus do. Why I do the things that I saw the father do when worlds came into existence.
I saw the father work out a kingdom with fear & trembling & I can do the same & when I get my k[ingdom] work I will present to the father & it will exalt his glory and Jesus steps into his tracks to inherit what God did before.
When I first read the King Follett Sermon I had no reason to question it. It sounded really powerful and authoritative to me.
At that time I had not become intimately familiar with the Lectures on Faith and the Book of Moses and related scriptures which completely contradicts many of the things mentioned in the King Follett Sermon.
“..to do what the father did even to lay down [his] body & take it up again..”
The most powerful and compelling aspect of the sermon is the inference taken from John Chapter 5 that Christ is saying he has power to do what he has previously seen the Father do, namely, lay down his body and then take it up again.
Of course that statement is quite problematic because the Father has always been God. He is an unchanging God. He does not have a physical body and the Father has never gone through a mortal probation. Obviously, Christ could not have seen his Father lay down his life in a previous mortal probation.
A contextual reading of the passages being referred to in John 5 reveals that Christ was simply addressing the topic of the resurrection and pointing out that he gets all his power from the Father… he can only do the will of the Father by the power of the Father and they basically do it together because of their oneness:
v 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
v 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
v 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
God the Father Never Changes
The Lectures on Faith emphasized the divine attribute that God the Father has not and will not ever change.
He has not evolved into Godhood from humanhood.
He has always been God.
The King Follett Sermon on the other hand celebrates the belief that God was once a mortal man and that we mortals can evolve into Godhood to take the place of a God that went before us.
That is patently false.
Here is a snippet from the Lectures on Faith which was initially sustained by the Law of Common Consent as the official inspired doctrine of the Church:
“It is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he is a God who changes not, in order to have faith in him, as it is to have the idea that he is gracious and long suffering. For without the idea of unchangeableness in the character if the Deity, doubt would take the place of faith. But with the idea that he changes not, faith lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken confidence, believing he is the same yesterday, to-day and forever, and that his course is one eternal round. (Lecture 3:19-21)
I am embarrassed to say that I was not intimately familiar with the true doctrine of God as contained in the Lectures on Faith and in the scriptures when I wrote the false doctrine about Christ having gone through a mortal probation.
I had not done a serious comparison of the heretical teachings in the King Follett Sermon with the Book of Moses, Section 76 and numerous other conflicting passages in the standard works..
I just did not have a deep enough knowledge of the scriptures and the gospel to realize that the King Follett sermon is not congruent with the scriptures.
One of the interesting things about the King Follett sermon is that it was given at about the same time that Joseph Smith wrote the poem about Section 76 which blatantly contradicts the doctrines taught in the King Follett Sermon.
This brings up the question, did Joseph Smith even teach the heresies contained in the King Follett Sermon?
Interestingly, the sermon was given on April 7 1844 but it was not published in the Times and Seasons until August 15th, two months AFTER the martyrdom!
Joseph never had the opportunity to review the sermon that is attributed to him and defend himself from the attributions being made.
Coincidentally, all of the diaries that contained notes from the discourse were from those who would become staunch supporters of Brigham Young during the succession crises just a few months later. Furthermore, many of the notes in their journals were almost identical which is not characteristic of the variations in note taking that is commonplace with the diaries of other Nauvoo discourses. This begs the question of whether there was a concerted effort in historical revisionism on the part of Brigham Young and his associates.
The accuracy of the teachings in the sermon have been questioned by many general authorities including Senior Apostle Orson Pratt who was a Biblical literalist.
Blake Ostler made the following observation about the doubt that Charles Penrose had in the credibility of the King Follett Sermon
“The First Presidency demonstrated its opposition to the idea of man’s necessary existence again in 1912 when it removed the King Follett discourse from [B.H.] Roberts’ Documentary History of the Church. Charles B. Penrose, in particular, doubted the authenticity and correctness of the reporting of the sermon.
In a letter to Samuel O. Bennion, president of the Central States Mission, George Albert Smith said:
“I have thought that the report of that sermon might not be authentic and I have feared that it contained some things that might be contrary to the truth. . . . Some of the brethren felt as I did and thought that greater publicity should not be given to that particular sermon.”
If people like Orson Pratt, Charles Penrose and President George Albert Smith doubted the authenticity of the sermon, they have another critic that has arrived at a similar conclusion.
Back in 1969, Enid Stubbart DeBarthe presented a paper to the faculty of the graduate school of Northern Illinois in partical fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree, Master of Library Science.
In the paper, she analysed and compared the writing style of Section 132 and the King Follett Sermon with the writing style of Joseph Smith. She concluded that neither represented the speaking or writing style of Joseph Smith and that both seemed to be similar to the writing style of Brigham Young.
I personally don’t have a strong opinion as to whether the sermon, as we have it today, was actually given by Joseph Smith or not.
Ultimately I don’t think it matters because each of us is responsible for searching the scriptures to know if a doctrine is true. We cannot just accept everything that Joseph Smith says because he is fallible just like every other human guide.
Regardless of whether it was Joseph Smith that introduced the heresies contained in the King Follett Sermon or not, the only thing that really matters is whether we have the ability to discern true doctrine from false doctrine.
At the time that the sermon was given, Joseph was being accused of being a fallen prophet. I have provided extensive scripture and historical documentation in previous posts to show that Joseph did experience a temporary fall because of the unique calling that he had as an intercessor.
Are the doctrines contained in the King Follett sermon true?
If they are, then we need to discard many of the foundational scriptures of the restoration.
Is Christ the creator and redeemer of all past and present worlds like the scriptures tell us or will human beings become creators and redeemers like the King Follett Sermons teaches?
Is Christ the Savior of all past and present worlds who created an infinite and eternal atonement, or will those that are valiant in the gospel become saviors and hang on a cross for the worlds they create?
Are the scriptures true or is the King Follett Sermon true?
I think the answer is pretty obvious.
Which brings me to the topic of Denver Snuffer.
Denver claims to be a true prophet of God.
He has warned the world that they must accept his teachings and warnings or be damned.
In his book “Preserving the Restoration” he warns, through the words of one of his disciples that we must accept his words as a true prophet or be damned:
“.. do not ignore what is written in this book. Please do not take this warning lightly… Receive the words of a true prophet… if you will not consider it, [the teachings of Denver Snuffer in the Book] but instead harden your heart, YOU WILL BE DAMNED”
By giving that warning and many others similar to it, Denver Snuffer has placed an ominous obligation on all of us to determine through the doctrines that he teaches and through the Holy Ghost whether or not he is a true prophet of God.
As I previously mentioned, I cut people a lot of slack when they teach a false doctrine as long as they let people know that they are not speaking with authority and it is just their speculation.
Denver has placed himself in that very rare class of people who has put the world on notice that he speaks with Christ and that the doctrine that he teaches is true and that we will be damned if we reject his teachings.
Probably the most prolific way that we common folk have of identifying false prophets is by identifying the false doctrines that they teach. But we cannot do that unless we have searched the scriptures and become approved unto God by our ability to rightly divide the word of truth.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Timothy 2:15
We have just reviewed evidence from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible and other passages of scripture to prove that there are not multiple Christs offering multiple atonement’s for multiple worlds.
We have seen that Christ was not created as an imperfect being that needed to go through a mortal probation and have his sins remitted by the atonement of another God.
The scriptures are clear about the fact that we mortals may BECOME the sons of God through a plan of salvation and an atonement provided by Christ, but Christ was created as the SON OF GOD. He has never sinned and he has never needed an atonement to remit his sins.
Christ did not need to progress through a plan of salvation. He dwelt in the bosom of the Father from the beginning of his creation as the only begotten of the Father.
Christ had never been through a mortal probation prior to his earthly ministry and during his earthly ministry he was not baptized for the remission of sins because he was sinless and had no sins to remit. He was baptized as the Son of God to fulfill all righteousness.
In the pre-existence he was the Son of God dwelling in the bosom of the Father. As the only begotten of the Father he had the fulness of the Father and was ONE with him and in him.
He condescended to come down to this earth and provide an atonement offering.
Having established all of that through the holy word of God in the scriptures, let us review a snippet from the most recent “revelation” that Denver Snuffer has received which is apparently supposed to be the record of John that was supposed to come forth.
Keep in mind that I have already pointed out a major revelatory problem with Denvers revelation in the last installment of this series, namely that Denver discarded Joseph’s amazing correct showing that Jesus Christ was not born of blood.
This next doctrinal problem with the “revelation” Denver had is astronomical in my opinion.
Here is the snippet in question.
“Just as the Father laid down his life for me, he trusts me with the lives of the sheep. I will sacrifice my life for the sheep.”
Here we have Denver Snuffer regurgitating the damnable doctrine from the King Follet heresy.
He follows up with additional snippets to further expound the doctrine making the following declarations from Jesus;
“…as you [speaking to Peter] approach the end of the path, you will have to let others stretch out your hands and likewise nail you, even if you plead to have the bitter cup removed. This He said to foretell the sacrificial death that is required for endless glory And then He added, You must follow after me..
..Now, therefore, know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Walker in the Path who has proven for evermore that Father Ahman sent Him into the world to prove His Father’s path…
..Followers will also finish the path, as I am now concluding, at the place my Father dwells..””
Snuffer is revealing through his inspired revelation that Christ had been imperfect and sinful and needed to have his sins remitted through an atonement provided by God the Father.
He appears to be teaching that both Christ and God the Father went through the same path of a sinful mortal probation that required both of them to need their sins remitted by a separate atonement than the one provided by Christ.
One of the most disturbing things about Snuffer’s inspired version of the Gospel of St. John is that he removed the following passage-
“And Now oh Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was”
which clearly demonstrates the pre-earth Godhood of Christ.
He replaced it with the following passage
“Let what happens next finish your great work, so I may return to your
Throne to be with you where I was before my descent here.”
Does Snuffer reject the pre-earth Godhood of Christ?
The King James text above, when read with related scripture, explains that Christ received his fulness from the Father when he was created before his earthly ministry. He then condescended to fulfill the work given him of the Father. He then received the fulness again during this earthly ministry.
To suggest that God the Father and Christ were simply part of an eternal progression of the Gods and that they evolved into God from a sinful sinful state, instead of accepting the scriptural declarations that the Father has always been God, would appear to be blasphemy and it is categorically contrary to scripture.
One can only assume that Denver teaches the above heresy in a revelation either because he was inspired by a false Christ, or because he wanted to prove how inspired and revelatory he is by revealing deep doctrine based on his belief in the King Follett Sermon and some false assumptions he has.
Clearly Snuffer does not understand sound doctrine or have the ability to teach it. In my opinion he is an impostor who is trying to replace the calling of Joseph Smith with himself and he is not intimately familiar with God’s word.
According to Snuffer’s revelation, the King Follett Sermon is true and the Book of Moses, Section 76, and numerous other passages of scripture from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants are false.
If Snuffers revelation is true, the scriptural and doctrinal foundation of Mormonism comes crumbling down to the ground.
Praise God for the scriptures and the true prophets that have provided a measuring yard stick by which we can measure every mans doctrine and ascertain whether or not they have the light of truth in them.
Free Audio Version of Solving the Prophet Puzzle
Some people love to listen to audio presentations while driving in their car or working around the house. Because of this, Mrs. Watcher has decided to read each of the chapters of Solving the Prophet Puzzle and post them on youtube.
A few posts ago I included the youtube of Mrs Watcher reading the Preface.
Here is the Youtube of Mrs Watcher reading the Introduction
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
In part two of this series we documented how the law of the gospel was given through Joseph Smith and canonized as section 42.
[Editorial Note: There is a great series on the LAW being done by Searcher for those interested]
Among other things, the Law of the Gospel commands the saints to live the marital law of monogamy and to live the law of consecration.
The Lord also commanded the saints to receive and publish the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible to the world and to incorporate it as part of the law with the other canons of scripture that Joseph Smith was instrumental in bringing forth.
In Robert J. Matthew’s doctoral dissertation entitled “A Study of the Text of the JST of the Bible,” (Brigham Young University, May 1968, page 37), he shows that Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon affirmed that “they were appointed by the Lord and that the work was done by the Spirit”
During the Secret History of Mormonism series a five part timeline was introduced that divided the 15 year ministry of Joseph Smith into five very specific and identifiable periods.
It was suggested that you can plug just about any otherwise difficult to understand historical event pertaining to Joseph Smith’s ministry, into that historical timeline and it will begin to make sense.
This is certainly true with regard to the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible as well.
Notice how the official commandment to translate the Bible came in March of 1831, just months before the endowment of the Melchizedek Priesthood .
The translation of the New Testament was completed on February 2nd 1833.
The Old Testament was completed on July 2nd 1833.
As you can see, the translation of the Bible was completed within a relatively short period of time and it was completed during the revelatory sweet spot when the vast majority of the revelations Joseph was given were pouring down upon him.
More specifically, it was completed DURING THE 3 1/2 YEARS that the fulness of the gospel/priesthood was on the earth.
That makes perfect sense.
Then, following the rejection of the fulness and after the expulsion of the saints from Jackson County and Kirtland, nothing of significance is done towards publishing the work UNTIL the saints go to the cornerstone of Zion in Nauvoo.
That makes perfect sense.
At that time, Section 124 was given and the Saints were informed that the Kirtland Temple had been defiled and the fulness of the priesthood had been taken from them.
They are commanded to REPENT and REFORM.
They were given a window of opportunity to repent and BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
At that time, the first presidency and the Twelve again begin petitioning the saints to finance the publishing of the New Translation while also pleading with them to finance and help build the Temple and the Boarding House of the Lord.
That makes perfect sense.
Sadly, the saints failed to complete the house of the Lord, upon which the restoration of the fulness of the priesthood was predicated and they failed to publish the Inspired Version of the Bible to the world, upon which the salvation of the Church was predicated.
JST Completion Timeline
June 1830 Joseph Smith receives the Visions of Moses which essentially begins the translation of the Old Testament (Joseph Smith Papers)
December 30, 1830 – Joseph acknowledges that the translation had already begun.
It may be well to observe here, that the Lord greatly encouraged and strengthened the faith of His little flock…by giving some more extended information upon the Scriptures, a translation of which had already commenced. (I:131)
March 7, 1831, (Section 45) Joseph Smith is commanded by revelation to begin the translation of the New Testament:
“And now, behold, I say unto you, it shall not be given Unto you to know any further concerning this chapter, until the New Testament be translated, and in it all these things shall be made known;
“Wherefore, I give unto you that ye may now translate it, that ye may be prepared for the things to come.” (D&C 45:60–61.)
December 1 1831 the work of translation is resumed
On December 1, 1831, at Hiram, Ohio, he recorded this statement in his journal:
“I resumed the translation of the Scriptures, and continued to labor in this branch of my calling with Elder Sidney Rigdon as my scribe. …” (DHC, vol. 1, p. 238.)
In previous blog posts and in the Secret History of Mormonism youtube series I have provided documentation to show that the saints failed to live the law and eventually replaced the truth with falsehood.
February 2 1833 The Translation of the New Testament is Finished
“I completed the translation and review of the New Testament on the 2nd of February, 1833, and sealed it up, no more to be opened till it arrived in Zion.” (History of the Church, 1:324.)
March 8 1833 The New Testament is Completed
Having completed the New Testament, the Brethren then returned to the book of Genesis and continued with the translation of the Old Testament. On 8 March 1833, the Lord spoke to them about other duties that needed to be taken care of, but not until after they had “finished the translation of the [Old Testament] prophets.”
13 And when you have finished the translation of the prophets, you shall from thenceforth preside over the affairs of the church and the school;
14 And from time to time, as shall be manifested by the Comforter, receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom; (D&C 90:13.)
May 6 1833 Joseph is commanded to hasten the work of translation
At Kirtland, Ohio, the Lord counseled the Prophet,
“It is my will that you should hasten to translate my scriptures.” (D&C 93:53.)
On the same day another revelation was received in which the Lord gave instruction concerning a printing house to be built:
“And again, verily I say unto you, the second lot on the south shall be dedicated unto me for the building of a house unto me, for the work of the printing of the translation of my scriptures.” (D&C 94:10.)
These revelations suggest some urgency about completing the work and getting it printed. They also reveal that the JST was to be printed in Kirtland where the word of the Lord was to go forth from…
2 July 1833, The Old Testament was completed
In a letter to the brethren in Zion, the Prophet wrote that-
“we are exceedingly fatigued, owing to the great press of business. We this day finished the translating of the Scriptures, for this we returned gratitude to our Heavenly Father.” (HC 1:368)
The words “Finished on the 2nd day of July 1833” also occur in bold handwriting on the JST manuscript at the conclusion of the book of Malachi.
~~~~~~~
Ok. In this segment of the series we have provided an overview of how the JST fits into the early history of Mormonism and a brief timeline of the beginning and completion of the translation.
In previous parts of this series we have demonstrated that the salvation of the Church and the redemption of Zion was predicated upon the completion of the publishing of the JST.
Sadly, the church failed to publish the JST to the world. Fortunately, the manuscript was saved and was eventually published by the RLDS church.
We know from the revelations that joseph Smith brought forth that there is critical information contained therein which sheds light on doctrinal, historical and prophetic information.
Because of this, we should all be studying and searching the changes made in the JST under the influence of the spirit.
I am now going to begin highlighting passages that have been changed and why I (and some of my readers that have contributed to this project) feel they are incredibly inspired, revelatory, and essential to understand.
There is not necessarily going to be any rhyme or reason to the order in which I will be spotlighting passages of the JST during this series.
In this series I am not necessarily attempting to present important changes in the JST chronologically or by topic. However, when possible, I will clump various changes together in a post if they relate to a given gospel topic.
Again, I will be limiting each post to highlighting just three ro four clusters of passages that have significant changes. I am doing this so that readers will not be unindated with information.
Some of the inspired clarifications will entail snippets that are larger than just one verse.
Sample of Inspired Clarifications in the JST #1
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
King James Version |
| Chapter & Verse ??? |
Chapter & Verse ??? |
|
Passage ??? |
Passage ??? |
As you can see, the very first passage that I want to highlight does not exist.
Why?
Because one of the most profound changes that could have been made by Joseph Smith, was never made!
Specifically, I am referring to the nefarious doctrine of Celestial Polygamy that was most likely introduced into the Church during the Nauvoo period or possibly during the end of the Kirtland era .
I have written about eight articles about what I refer to as the Spiritual Wife Doctrine (celestial polygamy) containing countless scriptural and historical evidences proving that the doctrine of celestial polygamous marriage is false. Nevertheless, it has occurred to me while putting this series together, that I missed out on identifying one of the most profound evidences that celestial polygamy and Section 132 is false.
What is that evidence?
It is in the fact that Joseph Smith did not make one single change in the Inspired Version to support the Celestial Polygamy heresy.
Think about it.
If Joseph Smith was revealing a higher celestial martial law that is to be lived by the elect of God that will inherit the highest level of salvation, then certainly it would have been clearified and validated among the changes made in the JST!
It has previously been demonstrated that Section 132 begins with the false premise that David and Solomon were justified in the practice of polygamy even though the Book of Mormon clearly states that David and Solomon were NOT justified in that practice.
|
False Claim that the Polygamy of |
Clarification that the Polygamy of |
| D&C 132:1 | |
|
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines— |
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. |
We have observed that at the time of the martyrdom, there was not one single passage of scripture in the four standard works that gave credence to the doctrine that righteous men will be sealed to multiple wives in the hereafter.
One could only prove that Biblical Polygamy existed in ancient times, but not the doctrine of multiple wives being sealed to one in the after life.
The above passage from the Book of Mormon indicates that ALL of the polygamous wives of Solomon and David were an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.
It has been observed that the Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the Gospel, and yet, there is nothing in the Book of Mormon about the need to be sealed to multiple wives in order to gain a greater exaltation. Quite the opposite. The Book of Mormon condemns the practice of having multiple wives.
Having said all of that, the JST provides one of the strongest evidences against Celestial Polygamy by OMISSION.
If indeed Joseph Smith really was legitimately introducing a higher law of marriage that required being sealed to multiple wives, then he clearly would have revealed this important doctrine in the Inspired Translation of the Bible even if for some strange reason it had not been revealed in the Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon.
Did he reveal the doctrine of celestial polygamy in the JST?
Nope.
There is nothing about the spiritual wife-Celestial Polygamy doctrine or any bizaare reason for a man to be sealed to multiple wives in the Inspired Translation…..
nada…
zip…
zilch .
The fact that Joseph did not insert anything in the JST to sustantiate the heresy is huge.
For this reason alone the church should extract Section 132 from the D&C.
Those who understand the significance of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible in revealing true doctrine and in being part of the LAW of God will recognize this observation as a huge exposition on the heresy of Celestial Spiritual Wifery.
It is no coincidence that the JST was completed during the “revelatory sweet-spot” of Joseph Smith’s ministry that took place from 1831 to 1834. Had the practice of sealing spiritual wives to someone been revealed as part of the fulness of the gospel, it certainly would have to have been revealed during that time period.
Of course there are no credible historians that place the emergence of the spiritual wife heresy during those early Kirtland years because there is no credible evidence to suggest such a thing.
Interestingly, there are a few historical revisionists includinng Denver Snuffer, who claim that Joseph Smith did introduced the practice of sealing multiple wives in 1831. They make this claim even though there is not one shred of credible evidence to justify the speculation.
If the doctrine was a true doctrine, what Snuffer asserts would have to be true because all of the most important revelations and ordinances of salvation having to do with the restored church of Christ came forth at that time.
If the doctrine was true, Joseph would have been practicing celestial polygamy while translating the Bible and he clearly would have corrected passages and/or added clarifications in the Bible to justify the doctrine and the practice.
But the JST is silent on the topic of the Celestial Polygamy doctrine because is not true. Furthermore, Joseph was not practicing it during that time.
Game, Set, Match.
This leads me to the 2nd set of inspired revisions to be addressed in this series.
I now want to spotlight a change that provides further clarification about the topic of David and Solomon, dispite the fact that the wording requires a lot of mental energy to sort out…
1 Kings 15 in the KJV of the Bible leads us to believe that the only sin that David committed, had to do with Uriah. However i believe the following changes fronn the Inspired Version reveal that David had committed many sins. The real intent of the revised passages are to differentiate the sins that David had repented of from the singular sin that he had not repented of.
I realize that the changed meaning of the passages below is somewhat subtle and difficult to understand. however sample # three of this series will provide much clarity.
Sample of Inspired Clarifications in the JST #2
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
King James Version |
| 1 Kings 15:3-15 |
1 Kings 15:3-15 |
|
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord, his God, as the Lord commanded David, his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David’s sake did the Lord, his God, give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem, 5 Because David did right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from all that he commanded him, to sin against the Lord, but repented of the evil all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, wherein the Lord cursed him. |
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: 5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. |
So David committed many sins, however, he repented of all of them except the sin that he could not repent of . In the matter of Uriah, wherein David caused her husband to be killed and took her to wife, the Lord cursed him.
So what about all of the wives that David was given by Nathan the prophet? Wouldn’t they be justified since the Lord’s prophet gave them to him?
According to the Book of Mormon, no.
I have personally never publicly questioned the doctrinal veracity of those wives because Nathan give the wives to David and, like any good Latter day Saint, I never question anything that a bonafide prophet does.
I have just assumed that the wives that Nathan gave to David were legitimate wives based on the desire of God raise up the seed of David.
I have always maintained that there is a very distinct difference between the doctrine of “Biblical Polygamy” which seems to be substantiated in scripture, and the “Spiritual Wife- Celestial Polygamy” heresy that emerged during Joseph Smith’s ministry.
Biblical Polygamy is allowed by the Lord for purposes of raising up seed. Celestial Polygamy on the other hand is presented as a celestial marital law that results in a greater salvation by being sealed to multiple wives throughout eternity.
I still think there is a clear historical and scriptural distinction between the two doctrines.
HOWEVER, thanks to the JST I am no longer making the assumption that all of the plural wives of David besides Uriah were justified in the eyes of God just because they were given through the prophet Nathan.
We have preciously observed that the Lord teaches a very important principle in Ezekiel 14.
That principle is that anytime a person with an idolotrous heart petitions the Lord through his prophet, they will recieve an idolotrous answer through the Lord’s prophet.
Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me and sat before me.
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?
Therefore, speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God: Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet, I, the Lord, will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols,
That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Therefore, say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God: Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me, I, the Lord, will answer him by myself.
And I will set my face against that man and will make him a sign and a proverb; and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I, the Lord, have not deceived that prophet; therefore, I will stretch out my hand upon him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him,
That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God. Ezek 14;1-11
According to the Book of Mormon, the petition to the Lord given in the first verse of Section 132 was an erroneous and idolatrous petition based on a false assumption which clearly contradicted what had been taught in the Book of Mormon.
According to the above declarations in Ezekiel 14, the Lord gives idolatrous answers to those asking false and idolatrous questions.
Hense, the fact that the Prophet Nathan might have given multiple wives to David according to the desires of his heart, does not necessarily mean that his desires were righteous or that David was justified in taking plural wives.
With this in mind, I now want to share an astounding body of changes in the JST that a reader of this blog has brought to my attention regarding pertaining to David and Solomon.
The changes she refers to are contained in 1 Kings 3, 11, 14, and 15
She pointed out that many people miss out on seeing these changes because the LDS church does not include them amoung the 600+ JST passages that have been integrated into the LDS scriptures. She make the profound observation:
“Here is a change that might be missed because it was NOT included in the church-published KJV…The main point is that the JST description of David and Solomon is inconsistent with D&C 132.”
Boy is it ever inconsistent with Section 132!
I am going to go one step further and suggest that hidden within all of these changes in those four Chapters, is the fact that David and Solomon sinned much more than we are led to suppose and that David may not have had a pure heart when he began receiving wives through Nathan the prophet.
Sample of Inspired Changes in the JST #3 1st Kings 3, 11, 14 & 15
David and Solomon were NOT Justified in Polygamy!
In this particular sampling of inspired I have decided to simply copy some pages from one of my reference books that allows you to compare the JST with the KJV.
pic 1 of 6
Pic 2 of 6
Pic 3 of 6
Pic 4 of 6
Pic 5 of 6
Pic 6 of 6
As you can see, according to the changes that Joseph Smith made in those chapters-
Why did the Lord inspire Joseph Smith to clarify that both David and Solomon did evil in the sight of God way beyond what is normally attributed to them?
Clearly the Lord was revealing that David and Solomon desired multiple wives because their hearts were not right before God.
Clearly these changes are consistent with the declaration in the Book of Mormon which states that David and Solomon were not justified in their abominations having to do with polygamy.
It further exposes the absurd supposition that Section 132 is predicated upon!
The person that sent the above changes to me made the following observation;
My personal belief about the JST is that Joseph focused on the points of clarification that were most relevant to the work he was doing in preparing for Zion. The amount of information he added about Enoch, Melchizedek, the promises to Joseph, and the details related to the events prior to the second coming indicate that he knew what needed to be taught.
I don’t disagree with her observation.
Although there are significant changes sprinkled throughout the Old and New Testaments covering a multitude of topics, it appears that the changes made were not exhaustive and they were somewhat surgical, focused on specific books of the Bible and certain topics.
I think it is evident that the Lord was primarily having Joseph clarify and correct the passages that pertained to the work that Joseph was involved in.
Although the condemnation of polygamy in the Book of Mormon and modern revelation is more than adequate to show forth the ridiculousness of the beginning passages in Section 132, the changes in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible provide the final nail in the coffin of the celestial polygamy debate.
Any celestial polygamy that has been practiced by the saints in Nauvoo or Utah or elsewhere, does not have a leg to stand on!!!!
Even heretics who make false claims about Joseph Smith receiving Section 132 in 1831 are embarrassed by what Joseph did and did not reveal in the JST of the Bible.
This brings us to the final sample of inspired changes to be addressed in this post. It is only related to polygamy indirectly. Rather it focuses on the nature and character of Christ during his earthly ministry.
Sample of Inspired Changes in the JST #4 JST John 1:12-13
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
King James Version |
| John 1:12-13 |
John 1:12-13 |
|
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God; only to them who believe on his name. He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man , but of God.
|
But as many as received him , to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. |
When I first noticed the above change several decades ago, I was blown away with the profundity of what was being revealed.
My First Observation: Verse 13 was referring to Christ, not his followers!
My Second Observation: Christ was clearly differentiated from his mortal followers by virtue of the fact that unlike them, he was not conceived through carnal sex (the will of the flesh)
My Third Observation: Christ did not have human (mortal) blood coursing through his veins like his followers did!
Those changes in the JST tasted good to me.
I had recently become aware of the false teaching embedded in Bruce R. McConkie’s book titled “The Mortal Messiah” which opined that Christ was a human being with human blood.
McConkie had erroneously taught that Christ was mortal like the rest of the human family that descended from Adam.
Of course another heretical teaching that emerged from Brigham Young was that Christ was not conceived through a virgin birth as taught in the Bible and Book of Mormon. Rather, Young claimed that God the Father condescended and had carnal sex with Mary.
As I began to ponder the amazing truth that was being brought to light in JST 1:13, I was filled with light and was led to other passages of scripture that substantiated this truth. One of them was the passage contained in Alma 34:8-11
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another..
There you have it, Christ did not offer himself up as a human sacrifice because he was not human! He was literally God in the flesh!
He was not born of [human] blood!
There is much more documentation related to this amazing topic but I do not want to take the time to address it in this series. Years ago I did a post on the topic on my other blog.
I previously alluded to the fact that this sample of an inspired change in the JST is indirectly related to the topic of polygamy.
How you ask?
Well, Mormon Fundamentalists erroneously teach the Jesus was married and that he spawned human offspring through carnal sex. That of course means that there are literal descendants of Christ on the earth today. This is a hopeful thought for those who suffer from delusions of grandeur.
Clearly, this theory that Christ begat human children during his earthly ministry is destroyed by the inspired passages we have just reviewed.
This concludes part three of this series.
keep watching and feel free to keep sending me your favorite JST passages 🙂
[Editorial Note: Breaking News!]
By coincidence, as I was finishing up this segment of this series on the JST, I was contacted by a few Snufferites who informed me that Denver Snuffer has just posted a revelation that he recently received.
The revelation is purported to be the fulfillment of the prophesy in Section 93
And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed. D&C 93:6
As per the fulfillment of the above prophecy, Denver Snuffer has completely corrected and added to the content known as the Testimony of John (Gospel of John) in the New Testament.
Apparently there is a group of Snufferites that are getting ready to publish their own set of scriptures to legitimize the church that Snuffer has started.
It is going to include the JST.
As Denver was consulting with these individuals and directing them in their activities, he decided that it would be a great opportunity to update the testimony of John with the prophesied record that is spoken of in Section 93.
Interestingly, this latest revelation from God now officially designates Denver Snuffer as a “REVELATOR” despite his failure as a translator.
Although I have not taken the time to read the new revelation in full, I was curious to see how Denver would treat the above passage in John 1:12-13 that I have just addressed.
Remarkably, he rejected Joseph Smith’s inspired change and he went back to the corrupted KJV inference that it was the followers of Christ that were not born of blood!
He then added his own variation on what the corrupted and nonsensical passage meant.
Here is the Snuffer Version next to the truly inspired Version done by Joseph Smith
|
Joseph Smith Revision |
Denver Snuffer Revision |
| John 1:12-13 |
John |
| But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God; only to them who believe on his name.
He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man , but of God. |
As many as perceived the Light in Him, to them He gave knowledge to enable them to follow the path to become like Him, begotten children in the family of the Most High God. This is only possible for those who believe through His name. Those who believe through His name are no longer born of blood to follow the appetites of flesh, nor the ambitions of man, but are able to become, like Him, the offspring of God. |
It is not clear if Snuffer simply overlooked the JST of this passage as he was working his magic, or whether he was aware of it but couldn’t understand it so he blatantly discarded Joseph Smith’s change as being uninspired.
He indicates in his communications with his flock that he first tried to hire a Greek Scholar to translate a more accurate version of the Gospel of John but the translator turned him down. That is a very pragmatic way of approaching the project. I can envision a modern President of the Church like President Monson doing something like that. The modern church hires translators all the time.
He then got a commandment from the Lord to translate it himself but after trying to do it, he got frustrated and told the Lord he could not do it.
Then, miraculously, Denver was blessed with a false revelation from a lying spirit.
The following narrative from the JST may shed some light on the process of revelation used in bringing forth this revelation
2Chr 18:19 And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab, king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
2Chr 18:20 Then there came out a lying spirit, and stood before them, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?
2Chr 18:21 And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail; go out, and do even so, for all these have sinned against me.
2Chr 18:22 Now, therefore, behold, the Lord hath found a lying spirit in the mouth of these, thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Five days left until the inauguration….
Much of what we think we see and hear in this earth life is largely an illusion. I believe our ability to accurately perceive things on this side of the veil is quite different than it was on the other side of the veil.
The New Testament informs us that Satan is the God of this world… and that he was a liar from the beginning….. and that there are unseen forces at play.
6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens
Although things have seldom been what they appear to be on this side of the veil, it appears the deception has really been increasing during the last few decades and is leading up to a prophetic crescendo. .
Donald Trump Probably won the popular Vote by 20 MILLION
In part one of this series I said that the election was won primarily by those who were voting AGAINST corrupt Hillary Clinton, not by people who think that Donald Trump is anything less than bat-shit-crazy.
Yes, Trump has a core following of passionate supporters, but the vast majority that voted for him simply could not stomach having a known criminal who was going to continue taking America on the same road to destruction that Obama has been taking us.
Since Trump won, the media has relentlessly reminded the masses that Hillary won the popular vote by 2 1/2 million votes even though she lost the electoral vote… as if it really matters…. (The Electoral College has been part of the electoral college system that our the founding fathers implemented for centuries. There have been other times that someone won the presidency even though they lost the popular vote but nobody made such a big deal out of it).
Nevertheless, I have never believed that Hillary won the popular vote for a minute.
It is a well established fact that over 4 MILLION illegal votes were cast.
These were mainly composed of votes from “illegal aliens” and “dead people“.
Needless to say, most of those illegal votes were cast for Hillary.
For those who are not aware, it is technically illegal to vote if you are not a legal citizen.
Furthermore, it is not legal to vote if you are dead, especially if a living person has high-jacked your identity to vote for someone other than who you would have voted for if you were living. LOL
Those figures would indicate that it is really Trump that legitimately won the popular vote.
However I don’t believe that the margin of the popular vote was that narrow.
Enter “Fraction Magic” (Fractional Voting)
I recently watched a fascinating youtube about the election fraud that has been happening in the US for Decades. The presenter is a gal by the name of Bev Harris who discovered the dark secret about how the PTB manipulate elections through the nefarious practice known as fractional voting.
Years ago Bev discovered how an algorithm can cause voting machines to fractionalize each of the votes that a given demographic is given during the voting process. When manipulated properly, the votes of one demographic might count as 1.25% of a vote while those of another might be worth .25% of one vote. By entering a well calculated algorithm, an election can be manipulated and the less popular candidate can emerge as victorious.
Interestingly, Bev is a Democrat.
More importantly, she has a little integrity and she wants to make sure that elections are ethical and fair for all candidates.
Because of her experience and concerns, she and others have created a website called Black Box Voting. It was founded in 2003. It is a nonpartisan investigative reporting and public education organization for elections.
Bev Harris is an intrepid heroine and warrior. She exposed black box voting in her outstanding documentary “Hacking Democracy.”
Sadly, this documentary has mysteriously been scrubbed from Youtube.
In the interview below she mentions that fraction magic cannot always overcome a landslide victory. It is possible for the powers that be to under estimate the margin and fail to make the necessary adjustments when the algorithims are implemented. Furthermore, only a portion of the districts can be controlled and in some cases, rural communities can show forth unexpected outcomes… those are some of the possible reasons why Donald Trump won.
This explains how the mainstream media can provide false poll statistics in an attempt to give the allusion that an unpopular candidate is popular and usually get away with it since the outcome is rigged.
She points out that the celebratory fireworks display that the Hillary Campaign had planned and paid for, that were to follow the election results, were canceled on the morning of election day.
This is because by then, it was already obvious to those who had manipulated the elections that they had underestimated and underrated just how popular Donald Trump was ( or how unpopular Hillary was) and that their fraction manipulations would not be enough to steal the election.
The fraudulent practice of fractional voting is not necessarily controlled by republicans or democrats per se. It is controlled by a dark global cabal that largely has their tentacles into both political parties to make sure that their choices win the various elections, particularly the U.S. Presidency.
It is done only where certain voting machines are used and also apparently done at the local level, hence, it is a very complex task to always control the national result based on various factors.
It is possibly how Obama stole the elections he was involved in. Who knows how many elections have been manipulated in the past by this dark despicable practice?
I personally think that manual vote counting with involvement from multiple elected party representatives is the only way to conduct a reasonable fair election, regardless of the time, hassle and cost.
In the following video the person gives the raw numbers to explain why he thinks the real vote was in favor of Trump by 20 to 30 MILLION votes.
I tend to agree with his logic.
The fact that Trump may have won the popular vote by a landslide should not surprise anyone.
Anyone paying attention during the presidential campaign period could see that Trump would get 15,000 to 30,000 enthusiastic supporters showing up to his rallies four and five times a week.
Hillary on the other hand would only have about two rallies a week and she often had to bus in a few hundred people just so that she would not be standing there speaking to herself.
Even many democrats find her to be repugnant.
As it turns out, Trumps votes on election day were so astoundingly high, that it exceeded the amount of votes that the dark forces had projected and mathematically planned for in their fraction magic equations. Therefore Trump still won the electoral college vote despite the rigged system and the fact that votes for him were being fractionalized.
The only thing that was really surprising to those that were paying attention is that the popular vote seemed to be so close. There were some knowledgeable people who forecasted a landslide win for Donald Trump.
I am not just referring to people like far right St. Louis Tea Party co-founder Wiliam Hennessy or far left wing-nut Michael Moore.
Stony Brook University political science professor Helmut Norpoth predicted a landslide for Trump.
Another was American University history professor, Allan Lichtman who predicted a landslide for Trump.
Perhaps one of the most colorful and insightful predictors of the landslide was Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert Cartoon who is somewhat of a master psychologist.
And then there was the prediction that came from artificial intelligence. According to a CNBC report-
“an artificial intelligence system designed by a company called Genic.ai that has correctly predicted the winners of the last three U.S. presidential elections was also picking Trump to win.
The AI system, called MoglA, took a look at 20 million data points from social media platforms to come up with the prediction.
According to the analysis from Genic.ai, Trump was more popular than President Barack Obama was during the 2008 campaign – meaning his “engagement” numbers on social media platforms are higher than Obama’s was during the peak of Obama’s first campaign.
According to the story, the candidate with the greatest engagement numbers has won the election every time.
MoglA also correctly chose Clinton and Trump as the winners of their respective party primaries.
Rai said MoglA is a more accurate way to make a prediction of the outcome of an election because it does not “suffer from programmers/developer’s biases.” Instead, he said, “MoglA aims at learning from her environment, developing her own rules at the policy layer and developing expert systems without discarding any data.”
The more one digs into how the mainstream media made things appear, going into the final days of the campaign, versus how things really were, it appears that some mainstream media players may have been knowingly complicit, along with those that were cooking the poll stats, in a grand deception.
The goal in part, was to mesmerize the public into believing things were not as they seemed in an effort to discourage some people from voting, and to sway others into making a different decision, using the bandwagon effect on the sheeple.
They also were preparing the masses to expect and accept a false outcome from a rigged system.
Once a person’s eyes begin to open and they see some of the shenanigans that has been taking place, it becomes difficult to understand how so much corruption all around us can continue to flourish without the masses catching on and doing something about it.
But again, we live in Satan’s land of trickery and illusion.
The results of the election was devastating to Hillary. The following story is published on Rense. It reveals the emotional intelligence quotient of Hillary Clinton and her aids-
Hillary Clinton’s post election celebration plans included hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fireworks, live performances by various celebrities, such as Cher, who came believing that Hillary was going to win the election, a five-hundred-thousand-dollar special effect glass ceiling that she would break through in a dramatic display once she walked out on stage at her H.Q., among millions of dollars worth of other celebratory preparations, all paid for by the Clinton Foundation in full.
The most notable damage was located deep in the VIP room of the Clinton camp. A custom 150 inch ultra HD TV, a gift from the Saudi Arabian government, was found with a broken screen. The damage was caused by a $950,000 bottle of champagne that was believed to have been thrown at the screen by the former presidential candidate some time during the election.
Early in the morning, the custodial staff were greeted by flipped-over tables as the floors were covered with expensive food, drinks, and appetizers. Broken champagne flutes and gilded silverware were also seen scattered around the would-be party room.
The most telling sign of a massive meltdown was the cake. The pastry that had once proudly displayed the presidential seal, was violently flung against the walls in chunks. A broken topper from the cake in the shape of the white house was discovered lodged firmly into the drywall near the dessert table.
Clinton’s splurge on party supplies was merely an echo of all the left-leaning polls and hype that “confirmed” Hillary Clinton’s indubitable win. Misled by just about every prediction, Hillary Clinton personally planned one big party for her assumed victory. Once it became clear that it would not be Clinton ‘s night, however, the mood of the party soured rapidly.
A former staffer, who was fired during the rampage, said that the atmosphere around Clinton went from “queen of the hour” to “the girl who was dumped on prom night” in only a few moments.
Hillary Clinton reportedly became ‘physically violent’ towards her own campaign staff after she realized she had lost the presidential election, according to radio host Todd Kincannon. ‘CNN reporter tells me Hillary became physically violent towards Robby Mook and John Podesta around midnight; had to be briefly restrained,’ tweeted Kincannon.
It was Podesta who was sent out to talk to Hillary’s dejected supporters shortly before Hillary called Donald Trump to concede, with Clinton nowhere to be seen until the following day.
When asked about rumors that Hillary was drunk on election night, Kincannon responded, ‘She was. I posted about that too. She was in a ‘psychotic drunken rage’ according to my reporter friend. Doctor added sedatives to the mix.’
Kincannon then claimed that CNN blocked the reporter from publishing what would have been a bombshell story. ‘The CNN reporter didn’t fail to report it. His editors will not let him. CNN has banned all ‘Hillary in the bunker’ stories,’ he tweeted.
Secret Service officials and other staff who worked closely alongside Hillary have previously reported her problems with angry tantrums on numerous occasions. Last year it was also reported that Clinton’s own campaign staffers feared she could have a serious meltdown and that Hillary had ‘been having screaming, child-like tantrums that have left staff members in tears and unable to work.’ In addition to claims that she became irate, author Ed Klein said a source told him Hillary cried inconsolably to a friend after the results came in, blaming FBI director Comey and President Barack Obama for not doing enough to stop the FBI investigation into her email scandal.
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PS…And THIS woman wanted to be the leader of the Free World? God help us all, if that had happened.
It is truly a miracle that Trump won when you look at how the dark forces of the Obama/Clinton crime syndicate seemed to have the system rigged.
While only time will tell what kind of a President Donald Trump will make, (assuming that he gets inaugurated and has the chance to serve) we know for sure that Hillary was a train wreck of a person that was doing the bidding of a secret order.
One has to wonder if God simply intervened in behalf of Trump.
And yet, Trump is no angel.
Some citizen jounalists are claiming that Trum is good friends with noted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and has apparently been out to the infamous pedophile island.
The Bible informs us that God has placed all of the leaders in the history of the world, good and bad, in their positions of leadership. Everything is taking place according to the divine providence of God.
“..the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
I have mentioned repeatedly that things seem to be going berserk all around us if you are following the alternative media sites and the amazing findings from citizen journalists around the world. Some things are so absurd that it feels like we have entered the twilight zone.
Joseph Smith made the following observation nearly two hundred years ago…
“The world has had a fair trial for six thousand years; the Lord will try the seventh thousand Himself;” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Five 1842-43 p.252)
I would suggest that if he knew the end of the six thousand years was getting pretty close back then, then we must be extremely close right now.
He made numerous statements that implied that he would need to return from the dead in the future so I suspect that he realized that the revelation he brought forth that spoke about judgment falling on the wicked in for generations was quite literal… and it has now been about four generations of both time and people.
We are getting very close to the end of this 6000 year probationary stage of action and you can just sense that old Scratch is pulling out all the stops. Yet it seems that periodically the Lord throws a wrench in the works of the plans of the Illuminati to frustrate them.
Satan’s kingdom seems to be divided and making war with itself while making war against the saints of God.
Will Donald Trump Actually Become President?
I don’t see how the dark forces who have a globalist agenda can allow 90% of the Obama legacy to disappear almost overnight when Trump gets into office.
I don’t think they plan on allowing Trump to set them back 20 or 30 years with his nationalist agenda and repeal many of Obama’s globalist Executive Orders with the stroke of the pen. They have strong incentive to somehow prevent Trump from entering office.
It feels like the powers of hell are conspiring to prevent Trump from disrupting the momentum that decades of the Bush/Clinton/Obama crime syndicate have achieved. There are many groups that are actively conspiring to prevent or detract from the upcoming inauguration or making threats about challenging the Trump agenda every step of the way.
The ACLU recently placed the full page ad in a major newspaper
Under normal circumstances a lame duck president would not be actively antagonizing Russia and leading us into war by making threats and expelling 35 Russian diplomats from the country just weeks before the new President takes office. And yet that is exactly what Obama is doing. Obama just sent special forces to the Russian boarder. He seems hell-bent on starting world war three before January 20th.
One would think the a lame duck president who is in the last days of his presidency would back off of implementing new regulations but that is not the case
The Obama administration is busy pushing out last-minute regulations, including releasing $7.4 billion worth of new rules in just one night.
Sam Batkins, director of regulatory policy at the right-leaning American Action Forum (AAF), compiled a list of regulations published Wednesday night in the Federal Register.
The Obama administration is making sure its last months in control of regulatory agencies are used to pump out as many rules as it can. These “midnight” regulations could end up costing more than $44 billion, though many are likely to be repealed by Congress and President-elect Donald Trump.
Federal agencies are on track to impose a record number of major regulations this year. The Obama administration is on track to impose 100 new regulations in December — twice the monthly average for 2016. [link to dailycaller.com]
One would think that Trump could negate everything that Obama is doing with the stroke of a pen, but the Obama administration does not seem to concerned about that possibility…. OR all of this enmity between Trump and Obama is just scripted drama and Obama is teeing it up for Trump to be a tyrant.
One thing is for sure, Obama is the first outgoing president of the United States that is actively trying to sabaotoge the incoming President. Obama is Having a Hard Time Letting Go of the White House
In a recent video, a citizen journalist points out how the Cover of the Economist Magazine (which is run by the Rothschild Family) initially showed Trump sitting on the world in judgment, but then changed the graphic to show an Eagle (or Phoenix) sitting on it instead of Trump.
It is the contention of the journalist that this is a coded message that Trump will not be inaugurated as the President of the United States. Perhaps the Jesuit controlled CIA will do to Trump what they did to Kennedy.
There have been and continue to be attempts to discredit the results of the election and attempts to prevent the upcoming inauguration. The White house and multiple security agencies have been demonizing Putin and Russia and claiming that they manipulated US election.
Currently there is a petition on the change.org website to have President Obama declare Martial Law until the election investigation is complete. Luckily it does not seem to be getting any traction so far. Furthermore there could be some serious clashes taking place on inauguration day with groups like the bikers for Trump planning on providing security and liberal groups such as https://refusefascism.org/ planning to disrupt things anyway they can.
The government has just released a special report by multiple intelligence agencies claiming that Russia did in fact hack the DNC and attempt to affect the election. Interestingly, Internet security specialist John McAffee says the evidence presented by the government is a joke and it proves nothing.
All of this led to the recent press conference where Trump refused to accept a question from one of the mainstream news journalists calling his organization “fake news”.
Alex Jones observes that the national election process is now being federalized and that there is a chance that this unconstitutional event could possibly result in overturning the Trump Election
Interestingly, President Obama just signed a new executive order providing an order of succession within the department of Justice in case of a disruption.
[link to www.whitehouse.gov (secure)]
My Work is /Done Here
Interestingly, more and more Americans seem to be awaking to the reality that you cannot trust the mainstream media or governmental agencies. According to a resent survey, 83% of Americans believe wikileaks over the US Intelligence.
There are countless prophecies buzzing around the Internet that speak of a time of crisis during the transition of power of the Presidency. Nostradamus uttered some things that might pertain to the time we live in. People are reviewing the Bishop Koyle prophecy to see how many of the sign posts he gave are in play. There was an interesting prophecy by George Albert Smith, recorded by David Horne in 1988. The list of prophecies and related speculations goes on and on.
One of the prophecies that one of the readers of this blog has recently brought to my attention is the Eagle Prophecy found in the ancient writings of Esdras. The prophecy speaks of the rise of the great nations that rules over all of the other nations in the last days. It provides a rather detailed and somewhat complex series of prophetic identifiers. Some students of prophecy claim that these identifiers point to the nation of America.
The above narrative speaks of a “mans voice” that is sent out to the “eagle“. That sounds like it might represent the proclamation spoken of in Section 124 an other sections of scripture.
The above narrative indicates that the last of the four Beasts that oppressed the world more than the other three brings the “proud times” to an end because the prophesied “abominations are fulfilled”
The end of this fourth kingdom that is more wicked than the previous three brings in the time of judgment and makes way for the “refreshing“. This time of refreshings is spoken of in the 3rd chapter of Acts.
19 ¶Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
There is going to be a final “restitution of all things” that takes place during this upcoming time of “refreshing“.
Although some people speculate that Donald Trump represents the fourth of the four last beasts that are more wicked than those that went before them, I am of the opinion that the last four administrations spoken of in the prophecy are referring to the Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama Crime Syndicate that represented the unified attempt to usher in the One World Order.
While Ronald Reagan was no Saint, I believe he was not part of the secret society that the Bushes, Clinton’s and Obama’s are all part of. The following statement from Vice President Elect Pence illustrates how Reagan differed from the following four presidents
“President Ronald Reagan placed his faith in a loving God and the goodness of our country. He set out to change a nation and in doing so, he changed the world. In the march of history, Ronald Reagan’s time in office was limited, but his legacy inspired a generation and will continue beyond,” Pence said in a statement. “It will be humbling to enter office with President Donald Trump, standing next to my family, with my wife Karen holding the same Bible used by President Reagan when he took office.”
During the oath, the Bible will be opened to 2 Chronicles 7:14, which is the same passage that was used during Reagan’s inaugurations.
The verse reads:
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
It the prophecy is true and if my interpretation of the four beasts the precede the Davidic Lion of the Lord, this could explain why the proclamation is to go to the President Elect instead of to a standing President of the United States.
Time will tell.
As we review the last 8 years of President Obama’s presidency it is hard to not think of the prophecy by the Kenyan Prophet, Johanwa Owalo, who was the founder of Kenya’s Nomiya Luo Church.
In 1912 he made this horrific prophecy about the United States and how it would be a Kenyan that would destroy the nation:
“So far have they [the United States] strayed into wickedness in those [future] times that their destruction has been sealed by my [father]. Their great cities will burn, their crops and cattle will suffer disease and death, their children will perish from diseases never seen upon this Earth, and I reveal to you the greatest [mystery] of all as I have been allowed to see that their [the United States] destruction will come about through the vengeful hands of one of our very own sons.”
Strong Delusion
I really hope that the Lord’s servants will return with the last warning very soon.
We are informed that leading up to the closing stages of the end times events, we will be living in hidden darkness, a term that refers to those who think they are enlightened while in fact they are delusional.
In Biblical terms, God has placed strong delusion over this world because this world prefers to not know the truth.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The Last Great Falling Away
I believe the final literal fulfillment of the great “falling away” prophesied of in the New Testament about our times is taking place right now. This prophetic event is one of the many milestones that lets us know that the final restoration is very near.
The truly sad thing about the crisis of faith that is leading huge numbers out of the church, is not that they are leaving the modern corporate apostate church, it is their loss of faith in Christ and new testament Christianity.
Most Mormons that are leaving the church are cultural Mormons.
Their faith was never founded upon Christ.
It was founded upon institutionalize religion and the putting of ones trust in human priesthood leaders. Once the fallibility of human leaders is exposed, the entire belief system of the person crumbles to the dust and they go into a an emotional-spiritual free-fall.
The above passages inform us that those who fall away “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved”.
That is why God curses them with strong delusion.
Exposing Hidden Things
Prophecy informs us that leading up to and during the Marvelous Work, the hidden things of darkness will be exposed.
One cannot separate out the mess that our nation is currently in with the breaking of the covenant and the rejection of the church with their dead that took place four generations ago.
We are now in the preliminary phase where darkness is being exposed.
The listing of top 100 most damaging wikileaks is a reminder of just how much amazing stuff has been revealed in recent times. Even syndicated programs such as Unsealed Conspiracy Files are revealing amazing things and placing a spotlight on dark things.
In a previous part of this series we discussed how God has placed a desire on the heart of several whistleblowers like Julian Assange and Edward Snowden are revealing deep secrets about the nepharious actions of governmental leaders and agencies.
Recently Assange Droped the Bombshell that Clinton and ISIS Are FUNDED BY THE SAME PEOPLE!!
In this segment we have just observed how Bev Harris has been attempting to shine a light on election fraud.
These types of things are happening all over the place with increasing rapidity.
A much greater shedding of light will be conducted by God’s servants when they return.
In a previous part of this series I made brief mention of the Gazelem narrative in Alma 37. The narrative speaks of the plates of brass that has record of the scriptures on them and many mysteries.
Included on the 24 brass plates are things that “have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convince many of the error of their ways and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls” and “the incorrect tradition of their fathers”
Alma then warns by the “spirit of prophecy that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold these things (the brass plates) which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God an “YE SHALL BE DELIVERED UP UNTO SATAN”
The above warning will sound very familiar to the readers of this blog because you are aware that the same warning was given to the restored church just as it was beginning to come forth out of the wilderness of darkness. Here is what D&C 5:19 said before it was changed in 1835.
And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old.4:6 And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I WILL DELIVER THEM UP UNTO SATAN, for he reigneth and hath power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them.
The Secret History of Mormonism series demonstrates that the saints were indeed delivered up to Satan and the remnants of the church have been in a state of darkness ever since.
Continuing on… Alma informs his son Helaman that the 24 plates of brass contained the secret works of darkness that included secret murders and abominations of a previous generation that had been destroyed.
And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters.
22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
Leaders of the church and this nations have been working in darkness and that is why we are in the state we are currently in.
Continuing on with the narrative in Alma… without skipping a beat, the Lord begins prophesying through Alma about a future servant referred to as “Gazelem“.
We know that Gazelem is a future prophet because there is no indication anywhere in the Book of Mormon that Gazelem was a contemporary of Alma and Heleman. We also know this because of the context of the narrative. As you ponder the following content, remember that Joseph referred to himself as Gazelem in an earlier revelation when it was expedient to conceal his identity-
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them THE WORKS OF THEIR BRETHREN, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
In previous posts we have shown how “Gazelem” is a prophetic code word for Joseph Smith, the latter day seer who will bring forth the brass plates and once again have in his possession the seer stone.
We know that when Joseph returns, he will reveal the shocking truth to those of us that choose to accept God’s messengers about the secret works of our nation’s leaders and the secret abominations and murders OF OUR BRETHREN!!!
That narrative informs us that the brass plates will reveal the secret oaths, covenants, signs, wonders and secret abominations that our brethren use.
What?
Our brethren?
Certainly among the evil leaders of this nation but certainly not among OUR BRETHREN!
Years ago I met a man by the name of Garn Baum. He had owned a cherry processing facility in Utah County. He filed suit against the church for being involved in a conspiracy to put him out of business. He soon found out what it is like trying to sue the Mormon Church in the state of Utah. 60 minutes did a report on his plight.
While he was going around speaking to people about his frustrations and concerns relative to how the LDS church conducts business, numerous people approached him and told him about the secret life of Gordan B. Hinckley. Initially he considered these accusations to be preposterous. However, over time, there were so many stories by unrelated people that all had the same narrative about the secret life of President Hinckley, that he began to entertain the possibility that they might be true.
He collected a rather impressive list of people who testified of their knowledge about the same narrative.
I had Garn Baum come and talk to a study group that I was involved in.
Of the many people testifying about the secret life of President Hinckley, was a person interviewed by Garn Baum, by the name of Charles Van Damme. Van Damme was interviewed by several people and part of one of his interviews was included in the anti-Mormon film “The God Makers“.
I began studying all of the evidence that was being presented. I shocked at all of the unrelated witnesses that were coming forward with similar stories… I even put a call into the law office that was representing the church.
I finally decided to withhold judgment.. I would never suggest that the accusations are true against Hinckley, however, I was extremely bothered by the fact that President Hinkley and the LDS Church refused to respond to the allegations or to sue the people who were defaming the character of President Hinkley. Instead, the Church chose to use their political power to do a state-wide news black out, even though a huge demonstration took place at Temple Square.
It is now a few decades later and as I look back on all of the very bizaare things that have taken place with regard to the church and how things are being run by those claiming to have the exact same apostolic keys that Joseph Smith held, I don’t think that anything would surprise me at this point.
Is it possible that the testimony of Charles Van Damme as he was lying on his death bedd dying of AIDS was actually credible?
Was Gordan B. Hinckley someone other than what he presented himself to be?
Could any of the conspiracy theories about the untimely deaths of modern presidents of the church could actually be true?
Is it possible that the real narrative about Joseph Smith’s death has been covered up?
Is it possible that Joseph could have been murdered by some of his trusted brethren of the Twelve after he informed them that he had led them into some forbidden practices that they needed to repent of?
Ancient Prophets foresaw a Conspiracy Among the Latter day Prophets
Ezekiel saw the restored church in vision and spoke about the abominations that would take place in it. He saw men in high places who had been sustained as prophets, defiling their neighbors wife and their daughter in law, etc.
“..in the midst of thee they commit lewdness. In thee have they discovered their fathers’ nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter. Ezek 22:9-11
After cataloging many of the sins that would take place among the apostate church Ezekiel makes the following observation:
“There is a CONSPIRACY of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things..” Ezek 22:25-26
Jeremiah also speaks of the conspiracy among the leaders. He sees similar things pertaining to his time that would by typological of the latter day “Jews” and “house of Israel” that would be united in Nauvoo.
In previous posts we have reviewed how Isaiah reveals that the America is the latter day Jerusalem and that remnants of the tribe of Judah began to flow into America to be reunited with Saints of of the restoration who were remnants of Joseph from the House of Israel. He notes that both groups break the covenant. Like Ezekiel, Jeremiah appears to see a conspiracy among the men of Judah.
And the LORD said unto me, A CONSPIRACY is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jer 11:9
The Alma narrative requires a logging of the secret oaths and covenants and agreements and abominations to prevent the same things from happening that had happened in past generations.
27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.
Will Joseph bring to light shocking things about those that preside over the modern saints when he returns?
Will he reveal shocking things that took place among the restoration saints of his first commission in Kirtland, Jackson County, Far West, Nauvoo and eventually Utah?
Alma informs us that there is a “CURSE” upon all this land that will remain until “all those workers of darkness” will be “fully ripe“.
28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe;
Apparently the workers of darkness who control this nation and the corporate church have not yet reached their fulness.
In a previous blog we reviewed the scriptural definition of this fulness as pertaining to wha it means to be ripe in iniquity and how it pertains to the rejection of the servants when they return.
Great secrets are currently being exposed about the leaders of this nation and the secret combination that controls it. When Joseph returns, he will be even more explicit in revealing their secret abominations.
Secrets are also slowly coming to light about those of our brethren and how they work in secret….. behind the scenes.
Should we be surprised?
Can the fact that church leaders have become obsessed with spending vastly more money on business investments and shopping malls than feeding the poor, be marginalized as an innocent oversight on their part, or a misunderstanding of what their stewardship is?
When Joseph returns to chastise church and nation he will be even more explicit about what has taken place with regard to church and state.
Few things presented in the cabalist controlled mainstream media are what they appear to be.
The Watchman on the Wall
If the Mormon Church was the true Church of Christ that it claims to be, the leaders of the Church would be acting as watchmen on the wall and warning latter day saints and the world about the everything from the Muslim Terrorist Training camp no-go zones to the secret combination that controls just about every major religious and comercial organization in the world, including all major governments. But instead of uttering the warning voice, they are participating in it.
It is understandable why some people find it truly embarrassing to be associated in any way with the modern corporate Mormon Church.
Thankfully there are numerous individuals and religious organizations that are attempting to warn the world about the secret society behind all other secret societies. Praise God for their efforts in our behalf.
Who is Barack Obama?
Barack Obama is not who he pretends to be.
We know precious little about this mysterious person.
The birth certificate that the white house placed on their website has been proven to be an electronic… fabrication.
His true lineage and heritage and history has been concealed.
Some have speculated that he is the reincarnation of an ancint pharaosh
In Ezekiel 28:11-19 there is a well known lamentation for rise and fall of the “King of Tyrus” who, in times past, had been an anointed angel in the Garden of Eden.
We are informed that he was “perfect” in the day he was created until “iniquity” was found in him. Because of this, he is to be cast out of the Mountain of God. Those that knew him among the people will be astonished when they see him cast to the ground for kings to behold.
Although it is easy to assume the above narrative is related somehow to the pre-existent fall of Lucifer, it is clearly speaking about a latter day ruler and about the latter day fall of Babylon America).
In the beginning of the chapter the Prince of Tyrus is lifted up in the pride of his heart thinking he is God even though he is just a mortal man. His pride is caused in part because of the riches that he spends and accumulates in his political office. Because of his iniquity he will be brought down to the pit by strangers who will draw the sword against him.
The latter end of the chapter informs us that at the time of the fall of King Tyrus, Israel will be gathered from among the people that they have been scattered among, to dwell in their own land.
23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
27 Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.
58 And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph: In thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed.
59 Therefore, let my servant Joseph and his seed after him have place in that house, from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord.
91 …that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right;
92 That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people,
93 That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
94 And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph;
31 But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
32 But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
33 For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me;
To be continued…
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
We are experiencing something that has possibly never been experienced in the history of the world.
Hidden things of darkness are being brought to light almost on a daily basis.
God is inspiring whistle blowers to divulge dark secrets and he is inspiring people to publish the truth to the world despite potential consequences.
Whistle blowers are pulling back the curtain and the grand wizard is being exposed.
Names like Edward Snowden and Julian Assange have become household names. What they have done has created a polarization.
Some political leaders believe these men should be tried on criminal charges while many Americans consider these people to be modern day heroes for exposing the truth at great risk to themselves.
The Wizard is pulling out all stops in an effort to confuse and derail the awakening public.
The mainstream media is not reporting on many of the amazing secrets that are being revealed and in some cases they are blatantly trying to cover them up with false narratives.
A relatively new phenomena referred to as citizen journalism has morphed into pockets of concerned citizens around the world who are synergistically working together as online investigative reporters on various issues that have been revealed through WikiLeaks and other sources.
Regular people from all over the world have become inspired to work tirelessly on coded and non-coded messages contained in hundreds of thousands of emails and documents that have been leaked.
These revelations are scaring the hell out of the powers that be.
Literally hundreds if not thousands of people have been data-mining the emails through the use of keyword search technology. The ongoing data dumps from Wikileaks are bringing topics that have otherwise remained taboo into the light.
Keyword searches of code words used by a nefarious global satanic cult is revealing a real time horror story that has been happening for a very long time.
If you are unfamiliar with what I am referring to you have been living in a freezer and you need to come out and smell the coffee.
Turn off CNN, ABC, Fox News and the rest of the mainstream news networks and find out what is taking place.
Check out the alternative media.
Search the following terms on google and youtube
Clinton Foundation Crime Syndicate
Pay to Play
Pizzagate
Spirit Cooking
Global Pedophilia Ring
Podesta hot tub parties
It is becoming increasingly obvious to many people who previously were skeptical, that there really is a murderous combination that is built up to get power and gain. They are associated with a global Satanic cult that is involved in unspeakable things.
Witchcrafts and Abominations
It is also becoming obvious why the Lord has said that the great latter day nation would be full of witchcrafts and abominations and that he would ultimately need to cut off witchcrafts:
11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
14 And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. Micah 5:11-15
4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
5 Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
7 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee? Nahum 3:4-7
It feels to me as if we have entered into the time when the Lord is commanding the inhabitants of this nation to awake to a sense of our awful situation because of a secret combination:
22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
The intensity of what has been happening relative to the controversial election that just took place is building rapidly as additional revelations come out and as people opposed to the transition of power plot to overturn the election results.
Donald Trump is probably given more credit than he deserves for his victory. Many people voted for what they considered to be the lesser of two evils, not because they had unwavering faith in the person they voted for.
It is looking increasingly questionable as to whether the inauguration planned for January 20th is actually going to take place.
The terrorist group ISIS has declared January 20th to be bloody Friday as they plan on disrupting or preventing the event.
Articles have been written predicting civil war regardless of the candidate that won.
Liberals like Michael Moore have openly encouraged revolt.
In a recent Twitter, Moore made the following chide-
Hey @realDonaldTrump — are you worried? I mean, you’re not president yet. Not until 12 noon, January 20, 2017. That’s FIVE long weeks. This must be driving you crazy! In “The Art of the Deal” you wrote about the importance of closing the deal quick. Give it too much time, people find a way to pull out, making you the loser. January 20th is a long way away! And there are millions of people right now who are saying prayers, asking Santa, making wishes, and putting their heads together to find a way to stop this madness. I think you should be worried. I think you are! Why? ‘Cause you’re not president yet! I mean, what on earth could possibly be the problem, Comrade Trump?
President Obama has now given the CIA the mandate to research and report back to him before the end of his presidency on the possible hacking of the voting terminals by Russia to influence the election. He may be setting the foundation for declaring martial law and retaining the presidency or for requiring a new election.
Republican politicians like John Mc Cain are adding credibility and fuel to Obama’s blatant positioning by supporting the measure.
Electors have now requested to have a briefing from the intelligence community on the likeliness of Russian interference of the election before the electoral college vote.
The “President Elect” Prophecy Conundrum
For years I have wondered why the prophetic narrative in Section 124 commands Joseph Smith to send the proclamation to the “President Elect” when it seems the appropriate person to send it to up until the official inauguration would be the standing president.
Is it because the proclamation will go forth before the inauguration at a time when there will not be a standing president?
Is it because the official term of the standing president will come to an end and the inauguration will be prevented?
Countless other questions and possibilities about the unusual context of the prophecy could be explored.
Only time will tell whether this is the appointed time for the prophecy to be fulfilled and why the curious wording is used.
If this is the appointed time, there are actually several prophetic reasons to question whether Donald Trump will actually become inaugurated as the 45th President on January 20th.
The Canonization of Modern Revelation
In 1833 the Book of Commandments was published. It contained revelations and commandments brought forth through Joseph Smith Jr. pertaining to the establishment of Zion and the law of consecration.
Two years after the Book of Commandments was published, (after the gentiles rejected the law of consecration and the fulness of the Gospel), a second canon of scripture was published called the Doctrine and Covenants.
The original Doctrine and Covenants was divided into two general parts as indicated below:
The first part of the book will be found to contain a series of lectures as delivered before a theological class in this place, and in consequence of their embracing the important doctrine of salvation…
The second part contains items or principles for the regulation of the church, as taken from the revelations which have been given since its organization, as well as from former ones. (Preface to the Lectures on Faith)
The first part of the Doctrine and Covenants was accepted as the official “doctrine” of the church which was a series of lectures written and taught primarily by Sidney Rigdon.
The Lectures were given to the “School of the Elders” that was held after the fullness was rejected. It is sometimes erroneously assumed that the Lectures were given at the “School of the Prophets” which was held while the fullness was on the earth.
The Lectures were given for the purpose of being a school master in helping the fallen church to repent of their transgressions and regain the fulness at the appointed time. If you are not intimately familiar with the content, you should become familiar with it. It contains doctrinal keys of knowledge requisite in accepting the fulness when the light shines forth again.
The Doctrine and Covenants was published in 1835 by a committee of four people who had been appointed by a general assembly of the church. Three of the four men involved in the publishing of the Doctrine and Covenants had been among the original stewards over God’s scriptures in the Book of Commandments.
The four men given the ominous stewardship of publishing the Doctrine and Covenants are as follows:
Joseph Smith, Junior,
Oliver Cowdery,
Sidney Rigdon,
F. G. Williams.
Those appointed by God and the Saints of the restored church to be the stewards over the revelations received by Joseph Smith and to publish them to the world are as follows-
Joseph Smith Jr.
Martin Harris
Oliver Cowdery
John Whitmer
Sidney Rigdon
William W. Phelps
Below is the revelation given concerning those who were to serve on the publication committee of the Book of Commandments:
1 Behold, and hearken, O ye inhabitants of Zion, and all ye people of my church who are afar off, and hear the word of the Lord which I give unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and also unto my servant Martin Harris, and also unto my servant Oliver Cowdery, and also unto my servant John Whitmer, and also unto my servant Sidney Rigdon, and also unto my servant William W. Phelps, by the way of commandment unto them.
2 For I give unto them a commandment; wherefore hearken and hear, for thus saith the Lord unto them—
3 I, the Lord, have appointed them, and ordained them to be stewards over the revelations and commandments which I have given unto them, and which I shall hereafter give unto them;
4 And an account of this stewardship will I require of them in the day of judgment.
5 Wherefore, I have appointed unto them, and this is their business in the church of God, to manage them and the concerns thereof, yea, the benefits thereof. (D&C 70:1-5)
F. G. Williams would be added to the above list of men who were commissioned to publish the revelations a few years later when the Doctrine and Covenants would be published.
After Joseph Smith was martyred, leaders of the church who did not receive direct revelation from God began tampering with the Doctrine and Covenants that Joseph Smith and his associates had brought forth. They began removing true revelations and inserting false revelations.
The latter day saints that followed Brigham Young to Utah began accepting his heretical doctrinal teachings as revelations and commandments from the Lord even though he had not entered in at the gate and been appointed by God through Joseph Smith to be a prophet seer and revelator. By so doing, they were taking lightly the warning and commandments of God contained in Section 43, as a result, they were deceived-
1 O hearken, ye elders of my church, and give ear to the words which I shall speak unto you.
2 For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church, through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations from my hand.
3 And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
4 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead.
5 And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments;
6 And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me.
A cursing was placed upon those that put their trust in the arm of flesh. They put their trust in a man who had not been duly appointed to have stewardship over the scriptures or appointed to receive revelation to the whole church in behalf of God. Brigham Young had not come in through the gate. He had not been called and ordained to be a prophet seer and revelator through Joseph Smith. That fact is clearly established in the history of the church and was publicly stated by President Marks in front of Brigham Young during the trail of Sidney Rigdon.
The Doctrine portion of the Doctrine and Covenants (Lectures on Faith) was eventually removed from the canon of scripture by uninspired leaders of the church although the name of the canon was not modified to reflect the change. The current Doctrine and Covenants is missing the doctrine for which it was named.
Eventually a very important section stating that polygamy was not to be practiced in the church was removed and replaced by section 132 which commands the principle of polygamy to be lived by certain priesthood holders. Section 132 is a false revelation.
Under the direction of Brigham Young, several false doctrines were incorporated into the Doctrine and Covenants.
According to the revelations Joseph brought forth, the seven men listed above, who were given stewardship over publishing the revelations to the world, are significant both from a historical perspective and from a prophetic perspective.
They will play a very significant role when the great calamity takes place and the servants of God go forth sealing up the wicked.
How do we know this?
Because modern revelation reveals this.
The purpose of this post is to document the prophetic evidence contained in modern revelation that identifies Joseph Smith Jr. and his contemporary associates as the servants that will be returned to the earth to prepare the saints for the return of Jesus Christ.
Long term readers of this post and my other blog posts, will be familiar with much of the documentation contained herein. New readers may be surprised by the wealth of documentation provided to support the prophetic premise being proffered. All readers will be left without excuse if they reject the true servants of the Lord.
I apologize in advance for the length of this post. It will be long because there is so much evidence, but I feel like it all needs to be contained in one post. Those who sincerely want to know for themselves who the true prophet is that will prepare the world for the final return of Christ will do well to invest an hour to read and ponder the prophetic evidences provided in this post.
Prophetic Evidence #1 Contained in Section One
The Lord gave an unconditional prophecy stating that the above mentioned men would be the ones that go forth with the voice of warning when the time of calamity comes in the 3rd watch:
1 Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together.
2 For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated.
3 And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.
4 And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
5 And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.
6 Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth.
7 Wherefore, fear and tremble, O ye people, for what I the Lord have decreed in them shall be fulfilled.
8 And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious;
9 Yea, verily, to seal them up unto the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure—17 Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments…
18 And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
19 The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—
20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
21 That faith also might increase in the earth;
22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established;
23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.(D&C 1:1-9, 17-19)
I believe that the calamity mentioned above is currently emerging upon an unsuspecting world right now. This is why we need to be searching and treasuring up God’s prophetic words about the time we live in.
On November 1st, 1831, the Lord made the above pronouncement in a revelation that was about the 66th or 67th revelation to be canonized. However the Lord commanded Joseph and others to place the revelation as Section One in the beginning of the Book of commandments as the PREFACE.
It would later also be placed as the preface to the Doctrine and Covenants with Section 133 (which was received two days after Section One) to be placed at the end of the D&C as the APPENDIX. Those two sections of prophecy act as prophetic bookends to the Marvelous Work and a Wonder narrative revealed in modern revelation.
According to the above passages from Section One, the time will come when God’s servants will go forth in so much power that no other earthly or Demonic power will be able to stay them and prevent them from going forth with the voice of warning.
At the approximate time when the servants of God go forth, the secret acts of the rebellious will be revealed and their iniquities will be spoken of on the house tops.
In a sense that already seems to be happening, however, I believe that when the Servants return, they will reveal even deeper secrets about what the secret combination has been doing.
During and/or after the final warning, the Lord’s servants will seal up the unbelieving and rebellious.
According to the above prophecy, the servants who will go forth in power for the last time, had already been called and ordained to fulfill this end times calling by the time this revelation was given in 1831.
Identifying God’s Servants
Indeed, in verse 6 of Section 1, the Lord identifies his end times servants that will go forth for the last time with the warning voice as those who published the revelations to the world that are in the Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covanants!
This is why it is so important to understand how we got the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants and who the men are, that God gave the mandate and commission to publish them to the world.
From the unconditional prophecy in section one of the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants we know that the following seven men will be among the “first laborers of the last kingdom” that will return with power and give the last warning:
Joseph Smith Jr.
Martin Harris
Oliver Cowdery
John Whitmer
Sidney Rigdon
William W. Phelps
F. G. Williams
If we accept the scriptural facts that God has all time, past, present and future continually before his eyes, and that he knows all things and cannot lie, then we must accept the fact that those servants that had been appointed by God in 1831 and 1832 to send forth the final warning at the time of calamity just before the coming of the Lord in glory, must return from the dead to fulfill their commission.
Unfortunately most latter day saints and their professed prophets, both inside and outside of the corporate church, do not take the above promise and prophecy by the Lord to be literally true.
They take it lightly.
They reject the unconditional promises and prophecies of the Lord.
They scoff at the idea of God returning his servants from the dead to finish the work they started.
They apparently take this revelation lightly either because they don’t have the faith to believe the miracles promised in God’s holy word or because they don’t feel there is an adequate “precedence” for such a strange act to take place.
Taking God’s word lightly is a very serious mistake because later in this section the Lord makes that following declaration:
37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
39 For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen
In my opinion, the Lord knew that people would scoff at the idea that He would return his servants from the dead and that is why he mandated that the revelation known as Section one be placed at the beginning of the canon as the preface and included in it the above assurance and warning that the promises and prophecies contained therein would all be fulfilled.
In March of 1829 the Lord explained that belief in the word of the Lord that was coming forth through Joseph Smith was the active ingredient in initiating the manifestation of the Lord’s Spirit and in receiving the spiritual rebirth:
16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit—
May I suggest that if you have not yet experienced the manifestation of God’s spirit as promised above, it may have something to do with the fact that you have taken His word lightly and do not accept the unconditional promises and prophesies contained therein. As long as a person rejects the literal interpretation of scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants, it will largely remain a sealed book to them and the manifestation of the spirit will be withheld.
In September of 1832, shortly after the Melchizedek Priesthood endowment had been given, the Lord chastised the high priests for not being acquainted with his voice.
He exclaimed that those that received not his voice were not acquainted with it.
He pointed out that those who took the Book of Mormon and the Revelations received through Joseph Smith “lightly”, had brought the whole church under condemnation:
52 And whoso receiveth not my voice [as contained in the written word that is coming forth through Joseph] is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me.
53 And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now.
54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
Most Latter day Saints refuse to take the revelations brought forth by Joseph Smith literally and therefore do not recieve his voice and are therefore not acquainted with his voice.
The above passage informs us that taking God’s word lightly in the Book of Mormon and the revelations Joseph brought forth caused the saints of the restoration to come under condemnation.
Over the years I have been contacted by main stream members of the church who have rejected the above prophecy in Section One because they think that the president of the corporate church holds all of the keys and will be the one to finish the work that Joseph started. For this reason they marginalize and take lightly what the revelations actually say.
Similarly there are usurpers outside of the corporate church that claim they have the commission to finish the work that Joseph and his associates began.
There is nothing in the scriptures to suggest that the presidents of the modern corporate church or the prophets of any modern day splinter groups will finish the work that Joseph began.
I have had followers of scholars like Avraham Gileadi as well as the followers of false prophets including Denver Snuffer, who have been assured by these human authorities (idols) they worship, that God’s prophecies about Joseph Smith returning from the dead to complete his mission should not be taken literally.
By rejecting the unconditional promises and prophecies in modern revelation, impostors and pretenders both in and out of the modern corporate apostate church are able to try and usurp the power and authority that has clearly been given to Joseph Smith and his associates back in the 1830’s.
Prophetic Evidence #2 Contained in Section 88
Within about a year after the prophecy in Section One was given, in December of 1832, the Lord reiterated the fact that those seven servants and others whom he referred to as the first laborers of the last kingdom would be called AGAIN when the Lord hastens his work.
Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.
74 And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;
75 That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.
76 Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.
77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
82 Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.
83 He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
84 Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
85 That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation. (D&C 88:73-85)
That is astounding. God told Joseph and his associates that they were going to be called AGAIN to the ministry
“That ye may be prepared in all things when I SHALL SEND YOU AGAIN to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you”
As you can see, Section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants provides a second witness to section One. God’s servants that had been called and appointed and commissioned back in 1831 and 1832 are the ones that will go forth for the “last time” to bind up the law, seal up the testimony, and prepare the saints for the hour of judgment that is mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
“When I Will”
A third witness in modern revelation that identifies the servants of the Lord that go forth for the last time to re-establish the covenant, gather the elect and redeem Zion is alluded to in verse 75 of the above prophecy:
75 That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.
That last great promise that had already been made to these servants in Sections 1 and 88 is contained in yet another prophetic Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. It can be found by doing a keyword search on the term “when I will” as contained in the passage above.
The keyword search leads us to another unconditional prophetic witness in scripture that informs us that Joseph Smith Jr and his associates will return from the dead to redeem Zion.
Prophetic Evidence #3 Contained in Sections 101 & 103
You can read it in Section 101 and 103. It is the parable of the redemption of Zion. The Lord explains in parable form how Joseph Smith will gather up the strength of the Lords house and return to the Lord’s vineyard to redeem Zion in the end times.
The parable states that the Lords servants will return and tear down the TOWERS of the enemy. I will not provide the narrative here. Please go to Section 101 and read it for yourselves.
When asked when the Lord’s Servants will return to tear down the towers of the enemy and redeem Zion, the Lord says “When I will“, using that same term that was in Section 88.
59 And the servant said unto his lord: When shall these things be?
60 And he said unto his servant: When I will; go ye straightway, and do all things whatsoever I have commanded you;
Please read the entire parable for significant keys about how Zion will be redeemed in the near future.
Shortly after giving the parable of the redemption of Zion in section 101, the Lord made it clear that it was Joseph Smith and his associates that are the servants that will fulfill the parable in what is now listed as Section 103:
15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.
18 And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
19 Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers: Mine angel shall go up before you, but not my presence.
20 But I say unto you: Mine angels shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land.
21 Verily, verily I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., is the man to whom I likened the servant to whom the Lord of the vineyard spake in the parable which I have given unto you.
22 Therefore let my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., say unto the strength of my house, my young men and the middle aged—Gather yourselves together unto the land of Zion, upon the land which I have bought with money that has been consecrated unto me
Prophetic Evidence #4 Contained in Section 90
Section 90 is remarkable in that it begins by proclaiming that Joseph Smith Jr., Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams “henceforth” jointly hold the “keys” of the “kingdom” that is coming forth for the “last time“!
It then makes the amazing declaration
Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come;
4 Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another, yea, even unto the church.
From the above we find that even though the church would eventually go through a period when they are only guided by the oracles (scriptures) received through Joseph Smith, the keys would remain with these three on the other side of the veil.
The Lord warns us that those that take the oracles lightly, that would remain with the church, would be brought under condemnation and would stumble when the great turbulence of the end times takes place-
5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house.
The revelation continues on to give detailed information about the future ministry of Joseph Smith and the ministry of Sidney and Frederick in the 3rd watch.
It informs us that Joseph will be responsible for establishing the school of the prophets which will apparently have to do with anointing the 144,000 high priests. Joseph’s ministry has to do with receiving the word of God.
Sidney and Fredrick are to receive the word of God through Joseph and take it to the ends of the earth. Following their ministry, “the arm of the Lord will be revealed in POWER”
In other words, when these three men return, it will not be obvious and apparent to the world that they are the servants of God. The same faith will be required in the 3rd watch that was required in the second watch.
After the great test, it will then be revealed in power who God’s servant is.
7 As also through your administration the keys of the school of the prophets, which I have commanded to be organized;
8 That thereby they may be perfected in their ministry for the salvation of Zion, and of the nations of Israel, and of the Gentiles, as many as will believe;
9 That through your administration they may receive the word, and through their administration the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the Gentiles first, and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews.
10 And then cometh the day when the arm of the Lord shall be revealed in power in convincing the nations, the heathen nations, the house of Joseph, of the gospel of their salvation.
I have just provided four different and distinct prophetic narratives from the Doctrine and Covenants that clearly Identify Joseph Smith Jr., and his associates as the servants of the end times that will usher in the final work and prepare the world for the final coming of Christ.
The scriptures inform us that “from the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established”
In my gospel study I have concluded that I needed at least two or three scriptures that clearly explain a doctrine before I can feel good about unconditionally accepting the doctrine.
It is interesting that the Lord saw fit to provide these four revelations in the D&C that identify Joseph and his associates by name as the final servants.
The above four prophetic messages from the mouth of God himself about the return of Joseph Smith and his associates provide a powerful witness. One that leaves us without excuse in knowing who the final servants are and many things about their final ministry.
In my opinion, four testimonies from God himself is sufficient and I don’t need to provide additional prophetic witnesses to validate the doctrine.
But I am going to anyway.
I am now going to provide 4 more additional prophetic witnesses from the Doctrine and Covenants. Two of these prophecies also clearly identify who the servants are. Two of these prophecies would not be totally clear regarding who the servants are, without the foundational prophecies that we have already covered.
Following a review of these additional four sections, I am going to provide numerous other prophetic witnesses from Joseph Smith himself and his associates.
Prophetic Evidence #5 Contained in Section 29 & 84
Section 29 is a revelation that was given to Joseph Smith and six of his associates during the early part of the LDS restoration movement:
“Revelation through Joseph Smith Jr. in the presence of six elders”
In the revelation these seven men are given the unconditional promise that they would be among the ones that would gather the elect-
1 Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins;
2 Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer.
3 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that at this time your sins are forgiven you, therefore ye receive these things; but remember to sin no more, lest perils shall come upon you.
4 Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump…
7 And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;
8 Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.
These same seven leaders of the church would be given a revelation two years later. The revelation is contained in Section 84.
“A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high” (D&C 84:1)
I have previously blogged about how I was led to this pearl of great price about who the “seven shepherds” of end times prophecy are by Mrs Watcher.
Section 84 provides some significant keys to understanding what the servants will be warning about when they return. It is advisable for those who are waiting and watching for the return of God’s servants to read these two sections very carefully.
Although the history of the church does not indicate with complete clarity who the other six people besides Joseph Smith are in Sections 29 and 84, it is not difficult to ascertain that they are composed of many of the seven individuals that are referred to in section one of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Prophetic Evidence #6 Contained in Section 65
Section 65 is an inspired prayer that validates that fact that the final warning will go forth from those who to whom the keys of the kingdom had already been given-
The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.
How much clearer can one get?
The gospel stone that Daniel prophesied about that will fill the whole earth, will go forth from “men on the earth“.
Which men?
Those who the keys of the kingdom had been given back at the time that the prayer was uttered!
They are the ones that will proclaim “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
Prophetic Evidence #7 Contained in Section 85
Perhaps Section 85 is one of the most well known passages containing a prophecy about the Lords final servant. It is also one of the most abused and tortured prophecies. Countless wingnuts have been inspired by this passage to declare their services to the world.
But in light of the other prophecies that are covered in this post, it is obvious who this prophecy is speaking about.
6 Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest, saying:
7 And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;
8 While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.
Isaiah spoke prophetically about the one mighty and strong, noting that he would make his appearance at the time of a destroying storm (Isaiah 28:1-2)
The narrative informs us that he and his associates would sit in judgment and err in judgment during their first ministry (Isaiah 28:6-9 see also D&C 1:25)
The result would be that the latter day saints would stumble and fall backwards (Isaiah 28:10-13)
Prophetic Evidence #8 Contained in Section 124
Section 124 provides a commandment for Joseph Smith to send forth a solemn proclamation to the leaders of the nations of the world, including the president elect. It provides an unconditional prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled.
It is my belief that we could be on the verge of seeing this prophecy fulfilled.
I have blogged about this prophecy before and will be making additional references to it in this series.
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth.
2 Your prayers are acceptable before me; and in answer to them I say unto you, that you are now called immediately to make a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted to be a cornerstone of Zion, which shall be polished with the refinement which is after the similitude of a palace.
3 This proclamation shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable president-elect, and the high-minded governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad.
4 Let it be written in the spirit of meekness and by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be in you at the time of the writing of the same;
5 For it shall be given you by the Holy Ghost to know my will concerning those kings and authorities, even what shall befall them in a time to come.
6 For, behold, I am about to call upon them to give heed to the light and glory of Zion, for the set time has come to favor her.
7 Call ye, therefore, upon them with loud proclamation, and with your testimony, fearing them not, for they are as grass, and all their glory as the flower thereof which soon falleth, that they may be left also without excuse—
8 And that I may visit them in the day of visitation, when I shall unveil the face of my covering, to appoint the portion of the oppressor among hypocrites, where there is gnashing of teeth, if they reject my servants and my testimony which I have revealed unto them.
9 And again, I will visit and soften their hearts, many of them for your good, that ye may find grace in their eyes, that they may come to the light of truth, and the Gentiles to the exaltation or lifting up of Zion.
10 For the day of my visitation cometh speedily, in an hour when ye think not of; and where shall be the safety of my people, and refuge for those who shall be left of them?
11 Awake, O kings of the earth! Come ye, O, come ye, with your gold and your silver, to the help of my people, to the house of the daughters of Zion.
The above prophecy could also have been included with the first four since it identifies Joseph Smith by name as playing a role in the final events.
Additional prophetic evidences
We have now examined eight prophetic narratives in the Doctrine and Covenants that identify the end times servants as Joseph and his associates. They provide critical information relating to the final restoration and the final ministry of Joseph Smith.
Forgive me for spending so much time documenting the fact that Joseph Smith continues to be the dispensational servant of the end times, however it is crucial to understand this in order to avoid being deceived by false prophets.
I am now going to highlight a few other prophetic evidences of the literal return of Joseph Smith from patriarchal blessings, visions, prophecies, revelations and conference talks from Joseph Smith and his associates.
Many of the testimonies that come from fallible human beings such as Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Parley Pratt, and Heber C. Kimball are included in this post not because I consider these people to have been infallible in their revelatory declarations, rather, I find the utterances below to be credible simply because they mirror the prophetic promises made by God in modern revelation.
Prophetic Evidence #9 Contained in Joseph’s Patriarchal Blessing from His Father
On December 9th 1834, Joseph Smith received a patriarchal blessing from his father, Joseph Smith Sr.
In the blessing Joseph was promised that although his first ministry he would be “marred” by what would take place, he would eventually “rise up” in the end times and “roar in strength”
Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 December 1834, Page 4
In the blessing it is verified that Joseph would hold the keys of the presidency of the Lord’s church during the end times. Indeed, the blessing prophesies that Joseph would cause the entire earth to tremble, change the course of rivers, and cause the lame to walk, the deaf to hear and the blind to see.
-thou shalt hold the keys of this ministry, even the presidency of this church, both in time and in eternity. Thy heart shall be enlarged, and thou shalt be able to fill up the measure of thy days according to the will of the Lord. Thou shalt speak the word of the Lord and the earth shall tremble; the mountains shall move and the rivers shall turn out of their course. Thou shalt escape the edge of the sword, and put to flight the armies of the wicked. At thy word the lame shall walk, the deaf shall hear and the blind shall see. Thou shalt be gathered to Zion and in the goodly land thou shalt enjoy thine inheritance
The blessing certifies that Joseph will be standing on the earth when it reels to and fro as a drunken man and is removed out of its place:
Prophetic Evidence #10 Contained in Joseph’s Patriarchal Blessing from Oliver
About a year after getting a patriarchal blessing from his father, Oliver Cowdery received a revelation concerning the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith which he referred to as a “Patriarchal Blessing”. In the revelation it is revealed that Joseph would gather the “strength of my house” and “build up the waste places”
..like Moses of old, shall he hear the voice, saying, I am the God of thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I have seen, I have seen, the affliction of my people and am come down to deliver them: go, thou, and say to the strength of my house, To your tents, O Israel: build up the wastes and raise up the foundation of desolation that this generation has made…
After likening Joseph to Moses, the revelation goes on to liken him to Joseph of Egypt in that he will “gather into store-houses and barns until they overflow.. that by this means shall the just be saved from famine..”
..For, like Joseph of old shall he be: he shall save the just from desolation, by the wise counsel of the Almighty; for by his direction shall they gather into store-houses and barns, till they overflow with the richness of the fruit of harvest: and by this means shall the just be saved from famine, while the nations of the wicked are distressed and faint.
In due time shall he go forth toward the north, and by the power of his word shall the deep begin to give way and the ice melt before the sun. By the keys of the Kingdom shall he lead Israel into the land of Zion while the house of Jacob shouts in the danse and in the song— Joy, O my soul, in that day, for thou shalt be with him and bear thy part in the keys which are confirmed <upon> thee for an everlasting priesthood, forever and ever..
His fame shall be sounded in foreign lands, even to the ends of the earth, as well as nigh at home: for in this the times shall change— a prophet shall have honor in his own country. His learning and wisdom shall astonish the great, for they shall acknowledge that by his intelligence he has far surpassed their learng <learning> and their science. In palaces of governors, rulers and kings shall he be honored, even in his person, for God shall give him power to prevail. He shall be a lawgiver to Israel and shall teach the house of Jacob the statutes of the Most High. His testimony shall shine like the sun, and the weight of his influence shall be like the great river that rises on the east of the lasting hills, and flows into the great deep— so shall his righteousness ever abound… he shall be welcomed into the presence of kings and the great ones of the earth; for he shall claim his place among the nobles of the earth and shall be reverenced by them.
Notice how this prophecy given in 1835 states that Joseph’s return to the earth will result in a fame that spreads to foreign nations.
Compare it to a similar statement that Christ would make a short time later about the fame of the Kirtland Temple spreading to foreign nations when the servants who get their endowment in it go forth for the last time.
8 Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.
9 Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house.
10 And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen.
Prophetic Evidence #11 Contained in Mother Smith’s Prophetic Dream
It is no secret that Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, was not a big fan of Brigham Young. She refused to accept him as the rightful successor to Joseph and Hyrum.
What many people don’t realize about Mother Smith is that she was a woman of great faith who also had the gift of prophecy.
During the commotion that took place after the martyrdom she had a series of three prophetic dreams in which her son Joseph appeared to her.
In one of those dreams Joseph made the following declaration:
“That day is coming when I shall wave the scepter of power over my enemies. Be patient my brothers and sisters, the day is coming when you shall have eternal life and be rewarded for all your troubles.
Joseph’s use of the term scepter is significant.
It should be remembered that Genesis 49:10 refers to the scepter that does not depart from the lawgiver until Shilo comes. Section 85 also speaks of the scepter in the hands of the one mighty and strong.
Prophetic Evidence #13 Contained in Heber C. Kimball’s Prophecy
It has been taught in Mormon fundamentalism that Joseph Smith will literally return in the flesh to gather the faithful and build the New Jerusalem.
Although most Mormon fundamentalists focus their study on the Journal of Discourses and are not very familiar with modern revelation and they take the scriptures lightly, their belief in this prophetic narrative comes primarily from the following prophecy by Heber C. Kimball and a declaration from Brigham Young that will follow it.
The following prophecy was made by Heber C. Kimball
“The western boundaries of the state of Missouri will be swept so clean of its’ inhabitants that as President Young tells us, ‘that there will not be so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail’.
Before that day comes , however, the Saints will be put to a test that will try the integrity of the best of them. The pressure will become so great that the more righteous among them will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes.
Then the Prophet Joseph and others will make their appearance and those who have remained faithful will be selected to return to Jackson County, Missouri and take part in the upbuilding of that beautiful city, the New Jerusalem.”
Prophetic Evidence #14 Contained in Brigham Young’s Declaration
Brother Brigham is not one of my favorite historical figures in Mormonism.
Although he was a masterful colonizer, I do not consider him to be the sharpest tool in the shed as a doctrinal scholar. Indeed, he introduced many heresies into the church.
By his own admission he was not a prophet.
I believe the following statement by him had been taught to him by Joseph and others. Nevertheless, I believe it is true and it is one of the primary reasons that Mormon Fundamentalists have believed in the literal return of Joseph Smith:
“I will now tell you something that ought to comfort every man and woman on the face of the earth.
Joseph Smith, junior, will again be on this earth dictating plans and calling forth his brethren to be baptized for the very characters who wish this was not so, in order to bring them into a kingdom to enjoy, perhaps, the presence of angels or the spirits of good men, if they cannot endure the presence of the Father and the Son;
and he will never cease his operations, under the directions of the Son of God, until the last ones of the children of men are saved that can be, from Adam till now…” (Teachings of Brigham Young)
Prophetic Evidence #12 Contained in Parley P. Pratt’s Prophecy
The following prophecy is contained in the dairy of Parley P. Pratt.
He was returning home from a mission after hearing about the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum when he had this revelation.
I personally consider it to be one of the most powerful non-canonized revelations about the literal return of Joseph Smith:
“How shall I meet an entire community bowed down with grief and sorrow unutterable? What shall I say? . . .
I walked onward, weighed down as it were unto death. When I could endure it no longer, I cried out aloud, saying: O Lord! in the name of Jesus Christ I pray Thee, show me what these things mean, and what I shall say to Thy people?
On a sudden the Spirit of God came upon me, and filled my heart with joy and gladness indescribable. . . . The Spirit said unto me:
“Lift up your head and rejoice; for behold! it is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfil that to which he is appointed.”
Having reviewed Joseph’s patriarchal blessings, the dream of Mother Smith, and some of the prophetic utterances of Joseph’s brethren, let us now review a few statements attributed to Joseph Smith about his knowledge of his future return:
Prophetic Evidence #13 Contained in Joseph’s “1st Commission” Prophecy
In prophetic evidence #2 we considered the Lord’s promise in Section 88 that the first laborers of the last kingdom would be sent out AGAIN at a future time with the final warning to the inheritance of the world.
Obviously the first missionary commission of the first Elders of the Church took place in New York and Kirtland during the early years of the church. Following that, Joseph declared that something new must be done for the salvation of the church and the Lord commissioned the quorum of the Twelve to take the knowledge of the gospel across the great waters.
But when did Joseph and the other first elders ever complete the second missionary commission that was to take place in the future as promised in Sectioin 88?
Obviously that final commission has not yet taken place.
One of the amazing pronouncements of Joseph Smith which showed his understanding of the fact that he and the other first elders still needed t0 fulfill another commission as stated in Section 88 is as follows. On January 16th 1836 he taught the doctrine of “second commission”:
“It is not necessary that God should give us all things in His first commission to us, but in His second. John saw the angel deliver the Gospel in the last days. The small lights that God has given are sufficient to lead us out of Babylon; when we get out, we shall have the greater light.” (TPJS 104)
Joseph clearly understood that he and his associates would have a second commission to preach the gospel and that during the time of the second commission, they would enjoy a greater light and power.
Prophetic Evidence #14 Contained in Joseph’s “I will Lead you Forth” Prophecy
Here is a prophecy attributed to Joseph Smith which he gave about himself regarding his return to lead forth the church;
“…But I will say, this you will be called the first elders of the church and your mission will be to the nations of the earth, you will gather many people into the fastness of the Rocky Mountains as a center for the gathering of the people and you will be faithful because you have been true and many of those who come in under your ministry, on account of their much learning will seek for high places and they will set up and raise themselves to eminence above you, but you will walk in low places unnoticed and you will know all that transpires in their minds and those that are your friends are my friends…
This I will promise you that when I come again to lead you forth, for I will go to prepare a place for you so that where I am you will be. I now dismiss you with my blessing to go home.” (Joseph’s last speech to the Nauvoo Legion; documented in the Life Story Of Wandles Mace, By Himself; Pages 131-132 also mentioned in the Autobiography of the William Byram PACE )
Prophetic Evidence #15 Contained in Joseph’s Last Dream
Here is the account of the last prophetic dream Joseph had:
“I was back in Kirtland, Ohio, and thought I would take a walk out by myself, and view my old farm [stake of Zion], which I found grown up with weeds and brambles, and altogether bearing evidence of neglect and want of culture.
I went into the barn [Temple], which I found without floor or doors, with the weather-boarding off, and was altogether in keeping with the farm.
While I viewed the desolation around me, and was contemplating how it might be recovered from the curse upon it, there came rushing into the barn a company of furious men, who commenced to pick a quarrel with me.
The leader of the party ordered me to leave the barn and farm, stating it was none of mine, and that I must give up all hope of ever possessing it.
I told him the farm was given me by the Church, and although I had not had any use of it for some time back, still I had not sold it, and according to righteous principles it belonged to me or the Church.
He then grew furious and began to rail upon me, and threaten me, and said it never did belong to me nor to the Church.
I then told him that I did not think it worth contending about, that I had no desire to live upon it in its present state, and if he thought he had a better right I would not quarrel with him about it but leave; but my assurance that I would not trouble him at present did not seem to satisfy him, as he seemed determined to quarrel with me, and threatened me with the destruction of my body.
While he was thus engaged, pouring out his bitter words upon me, a rabble rushed in and nearly filled the barn, drew out their knives, and began to quarrel among themselves for the premises, and for a moment forgot me, at which time I took the opportunity to walk out of the barn about up to my ankles in mud.
When I was a little distance from the barn, I heard them screeching and screaming in a very distressed manner, as it appeared they had engaged in a general fight with their knives. While they were thus engaged, the dream or vision ended” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p. 393)
The prophetic dream above is a great evidence of Joseph’s return.
I have broken this prophetic dream down in other posts. The Farm is the church, the barn is the Kirtland Temple, etc., etc., etc.
The use of the word curse in the dream is very consistent with the following statements of Joseph Smith when he spoke about the apostasy of the church and how curses would be put upon them for a season for rejecting the fulness.
“What are we to understand by Zion loosing herself from the bands of her neck; 2d verse?
We are to understand that the scattered remnants [of the apostate gentile church] are exhorted to return to the Lord from whence they have fallen; which if they do, the promise of the Lord is that he will speak to them, or give them revelation. See the 6th, 7th, and 8th verses.
The bands of her neck are the curses of God upon her, or the remnants of Israel in their scattered condition among the Gentiles.” (Section 113)
16 Modern Day Revelations That Testify of Joseph’s Return
We have now reviewed 15 modern revelations that testify and give greater clarity and detail to the literal return of Joseph Smith. They testify that Joseph and his associates will give the last warning, reestablish the law, gather the elect and establish Zion. There is one more that I will end this post with.
Some of these prophetic testimonies that we have reviewed have been in the canonized revelations that Joseph brought forth. Some have come through visions, dreams, patriarchal blessings and the inspired utterances of Joseph and his associates.
The prophetic evidence that Joseph Smith still holds the keys of the last dispensation and that he will return with his duly ordained and commissioned associates to prepare the Saints for the return of the Lord, is BEYOND OVERWHELMING.
It is truly amazing that out of 15 million Mormons living on the earth today, virtually none of them have even heard of this prophetic doctrine and even fewer believe it.
Just as amazing is the fact that out of the many factions of Mormonism that believe in the LDS restoration and are looking forth for the events of the end times to take place, virtually none of them, except for some of the polygamist fundamentalists, accept the doctrine!
Some are looking for a Lamanite to finish Joseph’s work.
Some are looking for a Jew to finish Joseph’s work.
Some are looking for John the Revelator to finish Joseph’s work.
Some are looking for a Hebrew scholar to finish Joseph’s work.
Some are looking for a Babylonian attorney to finish Joseph’s work.
The list goes on and on.
Truly there has been a curse placed upon latter day Israel. A veil of darkness has been placed over the minds of the Latter day Saints.
Added to the above fifteen testimonies from the Doctrine and Covenants and other inspired prophecies and utterances is the amazing “Joseph the Seer” prophecy that Joseph Smith brought forth. It is contained in both the Book of Mormon and the Inspired Version of the Bible.
Reading the two accounts side by side is quite interesting and illuminating.
I will not take the time to reiterate what has been shown in previous posts. I will simply point out that although most Mormons assume that most of the prophetic narrative in that prophecy is speaking about Joseph’s ministry in the 1800’s, in the 2nd watch, it is not.
Although Joseph had a preliminary ministry (first commission) in which he was used to laid the foundation of the Marvelous Work, his final ministry (second commission) will actually usher in the Marvelous Work and the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.
The following declarations from that narrative prove that the Joseph the Seer narrative is referring to his final commission in the third watch.
“A seer will I raise up…not to the bringing forth of my word only..but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth…” 2nd Nephi 3:11
“Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.” 2nd Nephi 3:12
“And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise..” 2nd Nephi 3:14
Clearly, Joseph Smith brought forth part of God’s word during his first ministry, although he only brought forth a portion of the record of the Nephites and although he failed to canonize and publish the Inspired Version of the Bible with other scriptures as commanded by the Lord.
But I ask you, did Joseph Smith truly CONVINCE people of his word that had already gone forth, during his first commission?
I don’t think so.
Did his work confound all false doctrines, END CONTENTION and ESTABLISH PEACE among the descendants of Joseph?
I don’t think so.
Did Joseph Smith truly CONFOUND those that were seeking to destroy him and the work he was involved in?
I don’t think so.
That all has to do with the final work of Joseph Smith.
The “Joseph the Seer” prophecy is speaking about Joseph’s final commission in the third watch. That is when he CONFOUNDS his enemies and CONVINCES the unbelievers.
It provides one of the most powerful testimonies that Joseph’s work is not finished and that it will be finished by him.
David Whitmer’s Testimony
The Book of Mormon agrees with modern revelation in testifying that Joseph Smith will return and that there still needs to be a final restoration. One of the greatest scholars of the Book of Mormon was David Whitmer.
He read and studied the Book of Mormon over and over again because his reputation depended on the truthfulness of the record and his witness of it was his life’s calling. Whitmer was one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon.
From his reading of the Book of Mormon and other scripture, Whitmer was convinced that there would be another restoration. He was convinced that there was a final work would have to be done. He realized that Joseph’s work was a preparatory work.
The following excerpts are taken from an interview with David Whitmer.
It was published in the Deseret News on August 16 1878;
Q- When will the temple be built? (referring to Jackson County Temple)
A- Right after the great tribulation is over.
Q- What do you mean by that?
A- A civil war more bloody and cruel than the rebellion. (first civil
war) It will be a smashing up of this nation, about which time the SECOND GREAT WORK has to be done, a work like Joseph did, and the translation of the sealed plates, and peace all over.”
Notice the chronology of the events he is referring to:
Tribulation, civil war, the smashing up of the nation, the coming forth and translation of the sealed portion, building of the Jackson County Temple, peace all over…
I would suggest that our generation is about to experience the civil war and the smashing up of this nation spoken about above. People are making preparations for it right now.
As far as I am concerned… good riddance to corrupt politicians, lawyers and religious institutions.
https://www.blogger.com/static/v1/jsbin/3032875878-ieretrofit.js
The declaration in the “Joseph the Seer” narrative in 3rd Nephi and JST Genesis that speaks of a time after the final restoration when God’s people will no longer be confounded is also spoken of in 1 Nephi 15
16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive-tree, into the true olive-tree.
17 And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel.
18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the restoration of the Jews in the latter days.
20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.”
As you can see, once all of the house of Israel, including the seed of Lehi has been restored again to the truth and to the gathering places, then at that time, they will no longer be confounded. That is what the “Joseph the Seer” prophecy is making reference to. That is how we know that it is speaking about the 3rd watch.
Biblical Evidences of Joseph Smith’s Final Return
Once the foundational truth about Joseph Smith’s return has been established by modern revelation and the Book of Mormon, it becomes quite easy to interpret the Biblical prophecies about the latter day servant(s) that return to restore the law, gather Israel and establish Zion.
It is not the purpose of this post to take the time to review all of the Biblical prophecies about Joseph Smith’s return in detail. I have already done that in previous posts. Nevertheless, I want to provide some references for those that would like to search out the Bible prophecies about the return of Joseph and his associates.
Many years ago, after identifying the true Biblical profile of Joseph Smith, I created a summary of about fifty keywords that the Bible uses to refer to the return of Joseph and his associates.
Mrs Watcher has that summary in her Bible to this day.
I am providing a screen print of that summary for those that would like to review these keywords and prophecies.
Obviously the above fifty keywords and scripture references is not exhaustive. There are numerous others.
Isaiah’s Cyrus Prophecy
One of the Davidic keywords listed above is “Cyrus“.
I have had several readers suggest that Donald Trump may be the latter day Cyrus or perhaps he will be a type of Cyrus.
There are also several articles by Protestants that claim Trump will act as a latter day Cyrus.
There is a popular prophecy circulating around the Internet by a fellow named “Mark Taylor” which claims that Trump will be a Cyrus.
“The Spirit of God says, ‘I have chosen this man, Donald Trump, for such a time as this… For I will use this man to bring honor, respect and restoration to America.
America will be respected once again as the most powerful and prosperous nation on Earth, (other than Israel). The dollar will be the strongest it has ever been in the history of the United States, and will once again be the currency by which all others are judged…for this next president will be a man of his word.
When he speaks the world will listen and know that there is something greater in him than all the others before him. This man’s word is his bond and the world will know this and the enemy will fear this, for this man will be fearless…”
The above prophecy is completely incompatible with the prophecies in the Bible. There will be no period of prosperity like the one mentioned above until the wicked have been swept off of the face of the land. We are facing a time of great judgment and calamity.
What most people don’t understand is that the Cyrus prophecy that was given by Isaiah in chapters 44 and 45 was not referring to the Persian King Cyrus that lived a few hundred years later and is spoken of in Chronicles and Ezra.
Although Cyrus was a vague shadow fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, he was not the literal fulfillment.
Historians inform us that King Cyrus was motivated to help the Jews gather and build their temple anciently because of the belief that he was the one spoken of by Isaiah, however, a careful reading of the Isaiah prophecy reveals that Isaiah was speaking about an Israelite shepherd of Israel not a pagan King.
Note that according to the Cyrus narrative in Isaiah, the end times “Cyrus” emerges at the time that God blots out the transgressions of Jacob and Israel and redeems them. That did not take place during the gathering of the Jews and the building of the temple anciently.
Isaiah is referring the the end times Messenger that lays the foundation of the Temple and builds Jerusalem.
21 ¶Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
According to Isaiah, the Lord will go before his latter day Servant to make strait the way:
1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
Notice the following passage in modern revelation stating that at the time that Jacob shall flourish, the Lord will go before Joseph Smith to lead the way
24 But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.
25 Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.
26 Behold, I say unto you, go forth as I have commanded you; repent of all your sins; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you.
27 Behold, I will go before you and be your rearward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded.
28 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly. Even so. Amen.
According to Isaiah-
1- The Lord will call this latter day servant BY HIS NAME
2- The servant will obtain treasures and hidden riches from secret places.
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
One of the unique signatures in modern revelation is how God calls Joseph “by name”.
Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord.. (D&C 3:9)
The above passage probably seems somewhat redundant and strange to those unfamiliar with prophecy, however, it is a cryptic way of confirming who Joseph is to those that search the Old Testament prophecies.
God called Joseph by his name as prophesied.
Joseph Smith is the servant who is anointed and commissioned to bring forth treasures out of the darkness and hidden riches out of secret places. Notice how Joseph ‘s patriarchal blessing identifies him as the one who will uncover precious things and hidden treasures in the sand.
He shall partake of the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the chief things of the ancient mountains, the precious things that couch beneath, and the treasure hid in the sand.
28. The records of past ages and generations, and the histories of ancient days shall he bring forth, even the record of the Nephites shall he again obtain, with all those hid up by Mormon, and others who were righteous; and many others till he is overwhelmed with knowledge.
29. No precious thing shall slumber from his possession, for he shall be covered with the most choice things of all ages, till his soul shall be satisfied and his heart shall say, Enough! Enough!
30. In his hands shall the Urim and Thummim remain and the holy ministry, and the keys of the evangelical priesthood also for an everlasting priesthood forever, even the patriarchal; for, behold, he is the first patriarch in the last days.
31. He shall sit in the great assembly and general council of patriarchs, and execute the will and commandment under the Ancient of Days, for he shall have his place and act in his station.
Joseph will once again obtain the record of the Nephites and other records hidden up by Mormon and others. He will use the Urim and Thummin to bring forth other ancient histories.
Joseph made the following declaration about himself:
“It has always been my province to dig up hidden mysteries—new things—for my hearers.” Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 364
Interestingly, the book of Mormon uses the code name of “Gazelem” to refer to Joseph Smith, the latter day Seer. The code name of Gazelem, was also used in place of “Joseph Smith Jr.” in one of the revelations.
The Book of Mormon informs us that when the servant Gazelem shows up in the end times he will use a seer stone to “bring to light all of the secret works of their abominations“.
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
When Joseph returns, he will bring to light the secret works and nefarious deeds of the sinister people that control this nation through corrupt politics and the corrupt monetary system.
King Cyrus of the Old Testament was no doubt inspired by God to do a work and he was no doubt a very vague type and shadow of the end times Cyrus spoken of by Isaiah, however, he is not the literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy nor is Donald Trump.
Joseph Smith is the latter day Cyrus prophesied about by Isaiah.
It is possible that Donald Trump could end up being a vague type and shadow of the Cyrus figure in the books of Chronicles and Ezra if he does in fact make it through the inauguration and does in fact pay heed to the messengers that return and send forth the proclamation.
This just about concludes our scriptural reality check regarding who the Lord’s servant is in the end times. I have left the 16th evidence for the end because it provides a very sobering warning for those that reject Joseph Smith when he returns again
Prophetic Evidence #16 Contained in Joseph’s May 12th 1844 Discourse
On Friday May 12 1844 Joseph Smith delivered a sermon in Nauvoo that speaks of the events that will be taking place at the time that God’s servants emerge an go forth for the last time.
I shall read the 24th. ch of Matthew and give it a literal rendering and reading, and when it is rightly understood it will be edifying (he then read & translated it from the German)
I thought the very oddity of its rendering would be edifying any how–
And it will preached be; the Gospel of the Kingdom in the whole world, to a witness overall people, and then will the end come.
I will now read it in German–(which he did, and many Germans who were present said he translated it correct)
the Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world, the keys of knowledge, power, and revelations, should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world;
Joseph Smith’s use of the German translation of the Bible to interpret Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24 is fascinating.
It reveals that Christ was not just warning about false prophets that will precede his return.
In Matthew 24, Christ was informing his listeners that there would also be a true prophet that rises up to prepare the way before Christ returns.
In the next declaration, Joseph Smith reveals himself as that prophet that would be the one to rise up and prepare the way!
it has always been my province to dig up hidden mysteries, new things, for my hearers– just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the keys of the Priesthood just at that time, I have the greatest right–
Joseph was responding to critics that were claiming he had lost the keys of the priesthood.
Directly after declaring that the last great prophet would be the final witness over the whole world who holds the keys of knowledge, power and revelations, Joseph identifies himself as the one who digs up hidden mysteries!
As we discussed earlier in this post, the ancient prophets identified the last great prophet as the great revealer of secrets and mysteries.
the old German translators are the most correct; most honest of any of the translators, and therefore I get testimony to bear me out in the revelations that I have preached for the last 14 years–
For fifteen years Joseph Smith had brought forth revelations that identified himself as the Lords mouthpiece who holds the keys of the priesthood and the mysteries. They had identified Joseph as the last great Servant of the Lord who would prepare the Saints for the return of Christ.
Joseph then reiterates that in the last days God was to commit the keys of the priesthood to a witness over all people and leads his listeners to two rhetorical questions that lead his listeners to the conclusion that Joseph is the last witness over the world:
the old German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew translations all say it is true, they cannot be impeached, and therefore I am in good company– all the testimony is, that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys of the Priesthood to a witness over all people–has the Gospel of the Kingdom commenced in the last days? and will God take it from the man, until he takes him, himself?
Joseph is making the astounding declaration that he, (Joseph Smith) is the great last witness of the last days that holds the keys of the Priesthood and will rise up at the time that false prophets are preceding the return of the Lord.
Joseph then justifies his interpretation and identifies himself as the angel John sees in the Book of Revelation that will be flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to the inhabitants of the world.
I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ–John the Revelator saw an angel flying thro’ the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, &c.
Joseph then provides further context so that one can identify the events that will be taking place in the future when Joseph returns-
the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth–John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood who should preach the everlasting gospel to all nations,–God had an angel, a special messenger, ordained, & prepared for that purpose in the last days–
Clearly, Joseph was identifying himself as the last great messenger that will return, flying in the midst of heaven with the everlasting gospel just at the time when the last great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress and judgments go forth.
The reason I left this revelatory evidence of Joseph Smith’s calling as the last great witness until the very end of this post is because it contains a very sober warning for everyone that rejects Joseph Smith when he makes his appearance.
Woe! Woe! be to that man, or set of men, who lift up their hands against God and his Witness in these last days.–for they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones–
Notice that the warning is to those that lift up their hands against “GOD AND HIS WITNESS”
One of the great mysteries revealed in JST Matthew 12:41 and other passages of scripture as detailed in my threewatches blog is that Christ returns in secret in all three watches prior to his coming in glory.
He actually returns in the 3rd watch with his Servant.
For, behold, he cometh in the first watch of the night, and he shall also come in the second watch, and again he shall come in the third watch.
Few details are given about Christ’s mystical return before his coming in glory.
Those that reject his Servant are rejecting Christ.
Those that reject Christ when he returns are also rejecting his Servant.
The sermon continues-
my apostate enemies say that I have been a true prophet–& I had rather be a fallen true prophet, than a false prophet;
when a man goes about prophesying and commands men to obey his teachings, he must be either a true or false prophet;
False Prophets false prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets, and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones–
This sermon was being preached at a time when many members of the church were accusing Joseph of being a fallen prophet. Joseph does not deny being a fallen prophet, rather, he emphasizes the difference between being a fallen prophet and a false prophet and points out that it is better to be a fallen prophet than a false prophet.
Fallen prophets can repent
In previous posts I have documented the fact that part of Joseph’s calling was to temporarily fall by acting as an intercessor for apostate Israel.
Joseph was alluding to the fact that he may have made some mistakes and even prophesied falsely about a few things and temporarily fallen from his calling, but that did not negate the fact that he had been a true prophet in the beginning and that God would allow him to complete his mission.
In this sermon, Joseph is revealing the fact that when he returns, there will be false prophets that have arisen to oppose him as the last great prophet!!!
Anyone who denies Joseph Smith as the last great prophet who will return to establish the covenant, gather the elect and redeem Zion, is opposing Gods true Servant.
Joseph is warning us that the false prophets that rise up to oppose him when he returns will be so convincing and deceptive that they will ALMOST deceive the very chosen ones.
So what are we supposed to be doing to prepare ourselves for the return of the Lord’s servants and the secret return of the Lord himself, prior to the final coming in glory?
The scriptures inform us that those who treasure up God’s word and who take the Holy Spirit as their guide will not be deceived.
This post has been treasuring up God’s word regarding Joseph Smith’s calling and commission.
What else should we be doing to prepare ourselves for the return of the Lord and His Servant?
Should we be arrogantly trying to get the second comforter, even though the whole world is in a fallen state and we don’t have the full priesthood keys for the saving ordinances?
I think not.
Shortly after the keys of the patriarchal priesthood were restored by John the Baptist (Elijah the Prophet) and the preparatory gospel was being sent forth, the Lord made the following declaration-
12 And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation. (Doctrine and Covenants 35:12)
I would suggest that that is the admonition that applies to us now.
We need to humble ourselves and acknowledge that we do not have the fulness and that we have inherited a state of darkness and apostasy from previous generations.
The light is about to shine forth for the last time.
We will not see it if we are blinded by the prideful assumption that we already have the fulness or that we do not need the final restoration that has been prophesied in scripture.
Although there are some who make great claims about seeing God and having the second comforter, the truth is that NONE DOETH GOOD EXCEPT THOSE WHO ARE READY TO RECEIVE THE FULNESS.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[Editorial Note: During the last session of LDS General Conference Elder Bednar gave a talk titled “Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins”. It was a remarkable and refreshing departure from the traditional conference talk. In it he refrained from using emotionalism and from telling shallow stories mingled with quotes from secular poets and philosophers.
He spoke about King Benjamin and quoted many scriptures and spoke of the importance of becoming a new creature in Christ. Much of the content of his talk about the importance of saving ordinances and retaining a remission of sins interrelates to the topic of this series. He actually spoke of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
Some people consider him to be the modern version of Bruce McConkie and that he is going to become the new doctrinal scholar among the brethren as the church self corrects and becomes more scripturally oriented.
I had mixed emotions as I listened to the talk. On the one hand, I was rejoicing that he was speaking on such an important topic and that he was quoting scripture.
On the other hand, I found it disconcerting that he was using scripture and some true gospel principles while making false truth claims about the authority of the modern church. As usual, he spoke of the mythical “constant companionship of the Holy Ghost” that Mormons claim to get after baptism and then they explain how to get it back when it leaves….. what is constant about the Holy Ghost if he keeps leaving and you need to keep repenting to get it back? LOL ] ( he phase, “constant companionship of the Holly Ghost” which is always used in the church, never shows up in all of scripture. A variation of the phrase shows up once in section 121 on the topic of priesthood but does not have reference to what the church claims it has reference to )
Part Three
The Book of Mormon Clearly Answers Questions the Bible Does Not
Previously in this series we discussed how significant the Book of Mormon is, not only because it is a second witness of Christ with the Bible as to the birth, ministry, crucifixion and atonement of Christ, but also because it explains the Doctrine of Christ and contains the fullness of the Gospel. It provides a clear explanation of the saving principles and ordinances of the gospel and how one can be saved in the kingdom of God.
In the previous parts of this series we have presented contextual and circumstantial evidence that the Bible does not clearly document what the fulness of the gospel is. However I want to provide a few passages from 1 Nephi 13 in the Book of Mormon that pretty clearly spells it out.
“And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.” (verse 24)
As you can see, it was when the Bible first proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew that it contained the fulness of the Gospel. It initially went forth in PURITY. (verse 25)
However, AFTER it went forth from the Jews to the Gentiles the great and abominable church “have taken away parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.” (verse 27)
“..there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book..” (verse 28)
“..because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, ye, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.” (verse 29)
The above passages show that the Bible is deficient in clearly showing what the fulness of the gospel is.
Nevertheless, once a person becomes familiar with the plain and simple doctrine of Christ as clearly and succinctly presented in the Book of Mormon, it is possible to extract the general points of the doctrine of Christ and what the Fulness of the Gospel is from the New Testament. Those who do not have the blueprint to begin with are left to struggle with vague and conflicting New Testament passages and a less than clear declaration of what the Doctrine of Christ is.
All of the Great Controversies Answered
In addition to providing a bullet point listing of the Doctrine of Christ, the Book of Mormon answers many of the other questions that the Bible does not answer. Alexander Campbell, one of the great protestant Bible scholars and early critics of the Book of Mormon mockingly but accurately declared that:
This prophet Smith, through his stone spectacles, wrote on the plates of Nephi, in his book of Mormon, every error and almost every truth discussed in N. York for the last ten years. He decides all the great controversies – infant baptism, ordination, the trinity, regeneration, repentance, justification, the fall of man, the atonement, transubstantiation, fasting, penance, church government, religious experience, the call to the ministry, the general resurrection, eternal punishment, who may baptize, and even the question of freemasonry, republican government, and the rights of man. All these topics are repeatedly alluded to… He prophesied of all these topics, and of the apostacy [of the New Testament Church]..”
Campbell was right. The Book of Mormon does decide many of the great controversies that have plagued Protestantism. Are we foolish and naïve to think that a merciful God might provide an ancient record that clears these things up and provides a second witness of the ministry of Christ?
The Bible is essential in documenting and testifying of the life, ministry, and atonement of Christ. It provides a witness that Salvation begins with faith in Christ. Sadly, one cannot easily identify the fact that saving ordinances by servants of God having authority is also required because of the ambiguity in the current content of the Bible. It is not easy to see the complete doctrine of Christ and understand the plan of salvation from the Bible alone. The Book of Mormon provides documentation of what the Doctrine of Christ is and what the salvation protocol is.
Interestingly, one cannot obtain salvation simply from reading the Bible or the Book of Mormon and exercising faith and attempting to mimic the scriptural protocol of salvation. Salvation requires more than reading the written word. Priesthood authority is essential.
Both the New Testament and Book of Mormon verify that priesthood authority from God is required to administer the ordinances of salvation that result in the spiritual rebirth.
Book of Commandments
The Book of Commandments which was the canon of scripture for the restored Gentile “Church of Christ” documented the restoration of priesthood authority to the earth at the time of the LDS restoration movement during Joseph Smith’s ministry. It explained how priesthood authority was to be used in administering the protocol of salvation and it identified living people who had been commissioned by God to hold the priesthood keys and authority. Living priesthood holders were required to officiate in the ordinances of salvation that enable the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
Doctrine and Covenants
Finally, the Doctrine and Covenants which was the canon of scripture for the “Church of the Latter day Saints” which was composed of both Gentiles and the House of Israel, documented the condemnation and ultimately the Rejection of the saints as a church. It Documents the fact that the highest priesthood power necessary in actuating the fullness of the Gospel was taken from the earth.
In my book and in previous posts I have endeavored to differentiate between the “Book of Commandments” and the “Doctrine and Covenants” because an understanding of this is essential in understanding the scriptures Joseph brought forth and the true history of the church. Some of those articles can be views at the following links
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/commandments-doctrine-covenants/
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/commandments-doctrine-covenants-part-two/
The Book of Commandments is composed of about 65 revelations. The earliest was received in July of 1828 and the last one was given in December of 1831 (although not all of the revelations were printed chronologically according to date.) The last revelation printed in the canon was given in September of 1831.
The last published revelation in the Book of Commandments, which is chapter 65, is published in our current D&C as Section 64. There are some significant differences between the two texts and seven additional passages are in the D&C version of it. It is claimed that part of the last revelation and possibly other revelations were not printed because of the mob that cast the Mormons out of Jackson County. I am of the belief that all things that happen are according to the divine providence and foreknowledge of God. Everything that needed to be in the Book of Commandments was in it.
Interestingly, even though the last revelation included was given in September of 1831 and the first formal conference on publishing the Book of Commandments was held in November of 1831, publishing did not begin until June of 1832!
Why is this significant?
Because numerous additional revelations were received between the time that the last revelation in the Book of Commandments was received and the date that it was published.
Some of these revelations that were intentionally excluded from the Book of Commandments but later included in the D&C are highly significant. One example would be Section 65 which reveals that the kingdom of God that had already been set up on the earth, would have to come forth at a future time.
Another would be Section 76 which contains the vision about the pre-existence and the three degrees of glory and which prophesies that Satan would make war against the saints at a future time.
The primary source for creating the Book of Commandments was the “Book of Commandments and Revelations” that had been kept. According to historical sources-
“ a committee of three individuals—William W. Phelps, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer—“to review the Book of Commandmants [that is, the “Book of Commandments & Revelations,” or Revelation Book 1] & select for printing such as shall be deemed by them proper, as dictated by the Spirit & make all necessary verbal corrections.”12 The committee acted upon that instruction by both selecting and revising manuscripts, using Revelation Book 1 as their primary source text.The committee did not include all items found in Revelation Book 1; some items therein were explicitly marked for exclusion from the Book of Commandments, and some others bear no such mark but were nonetheless excluded.”[1]
Although most of the revelations received after section 64 were not included in the Book of Commandments, the revelation now known as section 1 in the D&C was specifically included as the “preface”. It was received in November of 1831 and would have been the last revelation in the Book of Commandments chronologically by date.
When the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants was eventually published a few years later, the Lord again required Section it to be the “preface” and section 133 (which was received just 2 days after section 1), to be the “appendix” of the D&C even though it had been entirely excluded from the Book of Commandments.
I am providing this information to show how exacting and intentional the Lord was in what he was doing. Clearly, the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants were very distinct canons of scripture with differing agendas.
Differentiating the Book of Commandments from the Doctrine and Covenants
The content in the “Book of Commandments” was focused on the saving ordinances and the “Law of the Gospel” which included the law of marital monogamy and the law of consecration. It was focused on the establishment of Zion. It was addressing God’s people who had the FULNESS of Gospel/Priesthood. It provided the necessary COMMANDMENTS for them to establish Zion.
Conversely the revelations in the “Doctrine and Covenants” were modified and expanded. In conjunction with undeniable historical events, they document the apostasy and condemnation of the saints and to show that after the restored church was condemned, resulting in the name of Christ being taken out of the church, the KNOWLEDGE of the gospel going forth across the great waters to remnants of the House of Israel.
That was the fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy in 3rd Nephi 16 wherein he foretold that after the Gentiles reject the fullness of the Gospel, the KNOWLEDGE of the fullness would go forth from the gentiles to the House of Israel.
The Doctrine and Covenants in conjunction with the history of the church, documents the rejection of the saints as a church with their dead. Revelations from the Lord in that canon of scripture document the fact that the fulness of the gospel and the redemption of Zion would need to be postponed for a “little season” of “chastisement” until they “learn obedience”:
And now I give unto you a word concerning Zion. Zion shall be redeemed, although she is chastened for a little season.[2]
And that those who call themselves after my name might be chastened for a little season with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not hearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I gave unto them.[3]
But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them… And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer.[4]
Hence, the primary focus of the content was to provide a knowledge of DOCTRINE and the COVENANTS that would pertain to the future restoration and rolling forth of the Kingdom of God on earth. As covered in previous posts, the “doctrine” portion of the Doctrine and Covenants was the Lectures on Faith that originally made up the first half of the Doctrine and Covenants. The revelations that followed provided essential information about the gospel COVENENTS.
Seeking the Manifestation of the Spirit Vs Trusting in the Arm of Flesh
When people experience a crisis of faith, they often end up going down one of two paths which are spoken of in scripture. The path they opt to take is determined by whether or not they desire to believe[5] or not. Those that desire to believe, opt to search out the truthfulness of the restored gospel by searching the scriptures. God has promised that those who sincerely search the scriptures and believe them will be blessed with a manifestation of his spirit[6].
Those who do not desire to believe rely on the learning of other men. Modern science and the learning of mortal man becomes their god. The promise from our creator is that those that trust in the arm of flesh will be cursed.
Taking Away Their Stumbling Blocks
What skeptics of the Book of Mormon and the restoration don’t realize is that the scientific evidence against God and the restoration which appears to be so overwhelmingly compelling to the natural man, has been ordained by God.
He has allowed those stumbling blocks to be put there to test our faith. The Book of Mormon informs us that when the marvelous work begins, those that hearken to the Lamb of God will have the stumbling blocks removed:
1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks—
2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.
3 And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell—yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.
I will try their Faith
The reason that scientific stumbling blocks exist is to test our faith. They force the candidate to choose between spiritual validation from the word of God and the manifestation of the spirit vs what the five senses and modern science are confirming, as the skeptic analyzes the natural world around us. It is important to remember that Satan is the God of this world and that things of this world are not always as they appear as we wrestle with the powers of darkness in the unseen world[7].
God often offers greater knowledge if greater faith is shown, but knowledge is withheld when a lack of faith is demonstrated. God intentionally limits the amount of information that we have access to, to try our faith.
10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.
11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people.
Cleansed from the “Blood and Sins of this Generation”
Section 88 informs Joseph Smith and others that their names had been entered into the book of the names of the sanctified and they are given “another comforter”.
“Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.” (88:2-3)[8]
This section also notifies those who are not the first elders of the church that they have not yet become sanctified and that they are to tarry in the vineyard preaching the gospel until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, to declare they have become sanctified-
“Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation.” (88:85)
The Lord commands the first Elders to establish a school of the “prophets” referring to those of the High Priests that had become sanctified before the Lord and were clean from the blood of that generation.
Clear instructions were given that those of the elders who had not yet become sanctified and cleansed from the blood of that generation were not to be allowed into the school of the prophets. A school of the “elders” would eventually be established for them-
“And ye shall not receive any among you into this school [of the prophets] save he is clean from the blood of this generation” (88:138)
As you can see, the Lord had made it a matter of public record that some of the sanctified high priests such as Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon stood on different ground than elders like Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball stood on. The unsanctified elders like Brigham and Heber who had not yet become clean from the blood and sins of that generation were commanded to continue laboring in the vineyard until further notice from the Lord.
Joseph, Sidney and others would not go forth into the vineyard in power, for the last time, until after the little season of learning and chastisement.
A few years after section 88 was given, in conjunction with the intercessory atonement offering that would take place, the church and its leaders would be pronounced condemned by the Lord and in need of a “reformation in all things”.
After that condemnation, the witnesses to the Book of Mormon would finally fulfill their commission to call twelve apostles who would preach the gospel to both the Gentile and the Jew.
Despite being condemned by the Lord, this quorum would fulfill the prophecy given by Christ in 3rd Nephi 16. After the fullness of the gospel had been rejected by the Gentile church, the knowledge of the fullness of the gospel was to be taken by them across the “great waters” to the Jews (House of Israel).
Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball and others of their fellow apostles of that quorum were had never been allowed into the school of the prophets because they had not been cleansed from the blood of that generation. They were to continue laboring in the vineyard until the voice of the Lord should call them.
Other Points of the Doctrine of Christ
In part one we discussed how it was shown in 2 Nephi 31 that there would be more “doctrine” taught to the Nephites once Christ visited them in the flesh. One could interpret that statement to mean more “doctrine of Christ” or they could interpret it to simply mean more “doctrine” in addition to the “doctrine of Christ”, perhaps referring to the doctrine pertaining to the kingdom of God on earth, covering a broader range of topics than the principles and ordinances of the gospel necessary to get into the narrow path.
I don’t have a strong opinion on that although it appears to me that the Doctrine of Christ seems to be limited to the process of salvation while the doctrine of the kingdom addresses a broader range of topics. Regardless, it is crucial to obey all of the words of Christ and all of the doctrine that he teaches since we take an oath to do so when we are baptized.
The next amazing event in the Saviors visit to the Nephites in 3 Nephi is the introduction of the partaking of the Savior’s flesh and blood through the sacrament ordinance of blessing bread and wine. This was done as a testimony that they would always remember him and always have his spirit to be with them. The ordinance of the Lord’s supper which, as I previously pointed out, is an ordinance that enables the disciple of Christ to endure to the end and “more fully keep themselves unspotted from the world”.
the ordinance of the Lord’s supper further enables a person to endure to the end and retain a remission of their sins by always having the spirit to be with us.
In part four of this series we shall discuss why the Lord seems to treat the Gentiles slightly differently than the House of Israel in their cannon of scripture. Please be pondering the fact that the Gentiles have a different role than the House of Israel and the spiritual gifts that have been given to them differ slightly yet very significantly
[1] http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/book-of-commandments-1833
[2] Doctrine and Covenants 100:13
[3] Doctrine and Covenants 103:4
[4] Doctrine and Covenants 105:3, 105:6
[5] Alma 32:27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
[6] Doctrine and Covenants 5:16
16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit—
[7] Ephesians 6:12
[8] Interestingly, this section later informs the first elders that they still need to “sanctify themselves” by organizing a “solemn assembly” indicating that modern revelation, like ancient scripture sometimes uses the same word to refer to differing things.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[Editorial Note: I get many emails from readers of my blog sharing their thoughts and asking my opinion about historical and doctrinal matters. This series provides selected email exchanges that may be of interest to the general readership. I do not share email conversations if you request that I don’t. I can be reached at onewhoiswatching [at] gmail dot com ]
Email Exchange #1: “Why do we need prophets and apostles
when they refer us to scholars for doctrine
and church history understanding?”
My Response
amen bro
Email Exchange #2: “Are we left to seek Justification?”
“I have a question about the Doctrine of Christ regarding our time in history. If we don’t have the true baptism, and can’t enter in at the gate, than are we left to seek justification until the Lord returns his servants to the earth?
Thanks,”
My Response
Great question.. In this series I will be addressing mercy… grace…justification …. sanctification … and election 🙂
Email Exchange #3: I give him 2 1/2 Brownie Points
My Response
Before I address the snippet you asked about from one of Snuffers lectures, I want to address what he said in the previous paragraph. Note the following:
“The hand of Joseph is still the hand we ought to be looking at if we want to know what God’s word was for our generation. You have no clue how thoroughly we have supplanted the words given at the hand of Joseph Smith”
Denver is exactly right about that.
And yet, when asked by his followers how to baptize, he directed them to a protocol in the Book of Mormon instead of the protocol given from the Lord to our generation through Joseph Smith!!!!!!!
In part two of my current series I am going to show that despite how important and profound the Book of Mormon is in detailing the points of the Doctrine of Christ to the Nephites, there are a few very significant modifications that the Lord has made for the dispensation of the Gentiles during Joseph’s time. I will show how modern revelation ALWAYS TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THE BOOK OF MORMON ANY TIME THERE IS A VARIATION.
I have previously shown the significance of the listing of the spiritual gifts given to the House of Israel compared to the listing of gifts given to the Gentiles.. In the two listings there are some very significant differences. This is why it is critical to always use gospel protocols from the D&C over any protocols in the Book of Mormon with regard to the gentile church.
The fact that Denver gives lip service to the importance of following the words and revelations of Joseph Smith and modern revelation, he blatantly disregards the protocol in section 20:37 in favor of the Book of Mormon protocol.
My guess is that he doubts the veracity of 20:37 and therefore disregards it as a thing of Naught just like he has discarded section 110.
It is somewhat understandable. Denver is basically doing what Oliver Cowdery did when the saw section 20:37 and commanded Joseph in the name of God to take it out of the D&C. It is one of many HUGE indicators that Denver picks and chooses what parts of modern revelation he wants to accept and often questions or rejects modern revelation in favor of the Book of Mormon…
Ok, the bottom-line of what Denver is saying in the first part of the snippet that you sent me, as I read it, is that the restored church that Joseph Smith was and will be instrumental in bringing forth out of darkness is going to inherit a terrestrial inheritance.
In other words, the passage in section one, according to Snuffer is referring to terrestrials that according to the section 76, are deceived by the craftiness of men.
As a general principal, when the Savior speak of “his people”, and to “my own”, he is often referring to those that will inherit a terrestrial inheritance. For instance, the following passage is a good example:
3 The same which came in the meridian of time unto mine own, and mine own received me not;
4 But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons.
As you can see, “my own” refers to the Jews that rejected him, and yet after their pain, he will own them and reign over them as they inherit a terrestrial glory.
Hence I give Denver two and half brownie points for dancing around a true principle. HOWEVER, he is completely torturing the passage that he is speaking about in section one. And he completely gets it wrong.
Denver says:
“And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness
—
clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.
”
This description will show up another time in the dedicatory prayer to the Kirtland Temple in section 109. It is a description of the Lord’s Church. The Lord’s Church is
“
clear as the moon, fair as the sun.
” The words
“clear the moon” means they meet the description that is given in Doctrine and Covenants section 76describing those who have the glory of the moon as their inheritance. “
The Lord is NEVER “well pleased” during this probation with the actions of the terrestrials.
The passage being addressed is referring to the elect of God.
The revelation was given during the revelatory sweet spot during the short 3 ½ years that the fullness was on the earth. Joseph and others had just received the Melchizedek priesthood and were in the process of getting their callings and elections made sure and being sanctified.
Furthermore, the passage in question has a dual fulfillment and is referring to the return and rising up of the elect when the Marvelous Work begins. When I get time I will break these passages down using some keyword searches etc.
Denver totally missed the boat on that one.
Don’t have time to respond to the rest of his statement… I am off with Mrs Watcher to jog off some of the fat I have acquired as a result of my lazy gentile lifestyle…
Whether or not Denver gets some things right or not is not the point. False prophets teach lots of truth.. according to some accounts they teach nine truths for each falsehood they teach.
Denver reads the words of lots of other people voraciously and then modifies them for his own purposes. and puts his spin on them…
He got himself into a lot of trouble years ago by stealing what i was saying in blog about the church being rejected with their dead in Nauvoo… He began blogging about it and included it in his book, as a possibility, but then began to back off of it because he realized that if the church had been rejected with its dead in Nauvoo, there would be no restoration to preserve and he would be exposed as a false prophet.
Some concepts he gets correct some he gets wrong… the question is, did he see and converse with God 15 years ago. Has he continuously been taught by Christ during the last 15 years, and if he has, how come he waffles back and forth on so many issues and gets so many doctrinal issues wrong and why does he reject the doctrine of the three watches that is so clearly demonstrated in the scriptures if the Savior is personally, continuously teaching him all of the time? He is a wannabe.
Got to run… keep sending me the Suffer heresies to debunk.. LOL
Email Exchange #4:”Does one need to be rebaptized in order to receive the baptism of fire…?”
“Watcher,
I just read your most recent post on the doctrine of Christ. Quick question:
Does one have to be rebaptized in order to receive the baptism of fire and enter through the gate of the straight and narrow path? If so, by what authority? If the previous baptism in the LDS church is valid (whether at age 8 or in the form of a convert baptism), what steps are required to be born again and experience the baptism of fire?”
My Response
It is my opinion that when the servants come and bring in the last restoration, every one of us will be required to be baptized by the proper authority before we can receive the full baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost.
Section 125 was received in March of 1841. In that revelation Joseph asks the following question to the Lord:
“What is the will of the Lord concerning the saints in the Territory of Iowa?”
In reply to Joseph’s question, the first thing the Lord does it correct Joseph Smith and note that those who had been rejected as a church and were now on probation. The Lord notes that they call themselve by his name and points out that the rejected church were only “essaying” to be his “saints“!
“Verily, thus saith the Lord, I say unto you, if those who call themselves by my name and are essaying to be my saints..”
Here is what the word essaying means:
“Trying; making an effort; attempting”
Continuing on,
if they will do my will and keep my commandments concerning them, let them gather themselves together unto the places which I shall appoint unto them by my servant Joseph Smith, and build up cities unto my name, that they may be prepared for that which is in store for a time to come”
As you can see, the saints were on probation. First they had to keep his commandments concerning them. Only after they repented and became obedient could they gather to the cities that Joseph would appoint. It becomes apparent that the saints at that time were no longer worthy of being calling by his name or being called saints. It also becomes apparent that the passage will be fulfilled in the third watch when God’s repentant saints become “prepared for that which is in store for a time to come”
Email Exchange #5:”Those who repent are Christ’s church?’
My Response
His follow up
The biggest turn off from Denver is his hard sell.
If you close your minds to my message and harden your hearts, you’ll be held responsible at a later day when God comes to judge this world. You’ll be left behind wanting, knowing that you could’ve accepted this offer to come unto Christ today, by one of his chosen and called servants. I didn’t choose this, but God asked it of me and I must obey. Just as he’s asking it of you and yet you won’t.
There’s some pretty sophisticated language patterns being used to intimidate and bully people into accepting his message. Nothing that a trial lawyer worth his weight wouldn’t already know and use in his chosen vocation.
My Follow up
where does that quote from Snuffer come from his blog? his book? an email to you?
His Reply
It’s an amalgamation from all of his talks combined. I kept hearing the same pattern over and over at the end of each talk.
My Response
yes I remember some of those statements now but I had forgotten how desperate sounding he is. He is pulling out all the stops to get people off the fence. It must be frustrating to have thousands of listeners and readers of the books but very few who will actually commit and get baptized again.
Hi Watcher,
I saw this post on Facebook:
Serious question for Mormon scholars and historians.
D&C 22:1 states that “Old covenants” are “done away” with the advent of the new and everlasting covenant. Faithful LDS historian Brian Hales uses this as a way to justify polyandry, considering those old worldly marriage covenants to be null and void once temple marriage/sealing arrived – that way Joseph is not considered to be married to other men’s wives.
Joseph Smith original marriage to Emma would have been done away in this manner too, then.
D&C 132:61 states that under this new and everlasting covenant:
“if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified;”
So, since Joseph’s marriage to Emma was “done away” – then the spouse from whom Joseph was required to get consent for subsequent marriages was his first wife under the new and everlasting covenant.
This means that Joseph would have had to have the consent of 16 year old Fanny Alger to take on any subsequent wives (were it not for the Law of Sarah exception)
Critics seem to be astounded that Joseph didn’t tell Emma about his numerous plural wives. It turns out that it was none of her business because until May 1843 – she wasn’t technically his wife under the new and everlasting covenant.
What was Emma during the period up until Joseph’s sealing then? A woman he lived with and had carnal relations (and children) with, but unmarried. A concubine. Also allowed in D&C 132:37-39
Thoughts?
My Response
Bless his heart.
The JST would provide clarification to the statement that the “new and everlasting covenant of baptism” WAS FROM THE BEGINNING by pointing out that Adam received the new and everlasting ordinance of the baptism of water fire and the Holy Ghost and preached the gospel to his posterity from the beginning. (Adam was not a polygamist according to the Standard Works BTW)
Email Exchange #7 “Did you see Log’s “F bombs on JustandTrue?”
Did you see that exchange on the justandtrue website the last few days…hours? That guy Log is way out there! The stuff he was saying to an Adam and a Johny was unbelievable. And they responded pretty well. Just went to send you the link in the comments section but seems the website owner just took off all the comments. F-bombs all the way. Who is this Log??! Holy &@/€!!
Wish there was a way to see thise comments…hilarious stuff!
My Response
WOW.. although the comments were taken down, I was able to see them through the following site. This is a guy who is instructing everyone else how to become sanctified like himself LOL
it is vintage Log
Email Exchange #7 “What are the Odds?”
[A response I got in response to part one of the Doctrine of Christ series]
“Let’s just assume, for purposes of discussion, that Mormon temple worship is the very highest form of worship and earthly progression toward God that one can aspire to on this earth.
Email Exchange #8: “Which day is the Sabbath”
Watcher we have friends that think we should worship on Saturday, have you written anything on this?
My Response
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/12/19/which-day-is-the-sabbath/
Email Exchange #9:
“I believe I can do more good from within the LDS Church than I can from outside the Church. I miss the temple. Of course I recognize it will probably be years before the First Presidency decides I am worthy to have my temple blessings restored.”
My Response
Hey it is great to hear from you. It sounds like you are adjusting just fine and still spreading the good word! Tht is an amazing post by Tim WOW.. I agree that the temple really does provide a great clue as to has a clue and who does not. That said, I respect a person that can reconsider things and I respect that he wants to be where he can be of more service and that he wants to try and salvage his marriage etc.
Listing of Past Notable Emails
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[Editorial comment: Please send any comments, observations, questions, criticisms and death threats to onewhoiswatching [at] gmail [dot come] ]
.I recently got into a pissing match with a few apologists over at the Interpreter regarding an article that I felt presented a flawed defense of the modern temple endowment. My responses are here, here, here and here.
After realizing that I had worn out my welcome and had met my weekly quota for antagonizing the “scholars”, I decided to withdraw from the dialogue but I returned once or twice to check on the collateral damage and see if there were any additional comments of interest. In doing so I noticed an unrelated comment from someone who took the advice of the moderator in changing the direction of the comment topics that I had initiated.
Being the curious individual I am, I did a search to see who the guy was and if he had written anything.
To my delight, I found that the guy has done extensive research regarding many of the deeper issues pertaining to modern day Mormonism.
While I do not agree with his conclusions, I find him to be refreshingly intelligent and sound in his thinking. Of the few youtubes I listened to I found him to be well spoken in his defense of his faith. Some of his research even borders on being compelling.
I realize that many of my readers are still trying to believe in the teachings of Brigham Young and in polygamy and in Section 132 and in the veracity of the modern temple ceremonies and other teachings of modern day Mormonism.
That is why I am highlighting the research of this person in this blog post. I sincerely think his research and conclusions could be helpful to those who still want to believe in the modern teachings and rituals of the modern church.
You see, my ultimate goal is not to get anyone to believe the way I believe unless their own research and the spirit testifies to them that something I am presenting is true. My ultimate goal is to get people thinking for themselves and searching the scriptures and the history of the church for themselves.
I want people to empower themselves by getting a relationship with God’s written word as they develop their ability to receive personal revelation and discern truth from falsehood. Their conclusions are between them and God.
One of the wonderful things about defending truth instead of defending an institution is that I don’t feel threatened by those who disagree with me. I get sometimes get somewhat impatient and snarky, but not threatened. Back when I was in the club and had tunnel vision, I did feel threatened when people were critical of the church. I only wanted input from people that validated my world view and my religious heritage.
I am now fine when people arrive at different conclusions than I have arrived at because I am a strong believer in agency and in the fact that I am fallible in my beliefs and that I am on a learning curve and always evolving in my understanding of history, doctrine and prophecy. All you need to do is go way back in time and read some of my early posts and then compare them to some of my recent posts. I am evolving all the time and I don’t have the time or inclination to constantly go back and clean up and update old posts.
Anyone who believes something solely because I believe it is an idiot.
I frankly don’t want the burden of having anyone believe something simply because I believe it. That is an eternal weight of pressure that I don’t need. It is pressure enough working out my own salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord.
In the spirit of encouraging any of my readers who are skeptical about my seemingly heretical suppositions, and desiring to prove me wrong, to hear both sides of the issue and to find high quality research that might support their beliefs, I am providing links to some of the research this fellow has done. I think this information may be helpful for those that want some well thought out research in support of the modern institution.
Here are some youtube presentations that he has done. I love how he keeps his topics relatively short and to the point instead of doing hour long yawners like I do.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeyoxlbYsyo_0PmOjdQ2Awg
Here is a website that he has created with a listing of articles and resources on it that support his religious world view and the teachings of the modern church. He is one of the most impressive LDS apologists that I have come across. Sadly his work in doing youtubes and reviewing articles by scholars does not appear to be well known as he does not appear to be trying to promote his research beyond family and friends.
If you feel his research would be of value to someone you know, you might want to refer them to it-
http://www.vworthtemplestudy.net/
Enjoy
BTW
I have been distracted in doing my youtube series on the secret history of Mormonism and I apologize for that. Hopefully I will overcome my ADD and get back in the saddle in the near future.
For new subscribers who are interested in the history of the church and unfamiliar with the series, I am providing the youtubes below.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Sometime ago I was having an exchange with a high profile LDS apologist in the comments section of an apologetic blog-site. As I recall, he had written something on the topic of polygamy, justifying Section 132 and defending the concepts relating to the need for men to be sealed to multiple wives for eternity during times when God commands it, etc.
I was taking issue with him about the doctrinal legitimacy of Section 132 and the doctrine of celestial polygamy.
After a few exchanges back and forth, I took the time to provide what I thought was a very detailed, exhaustive, and compelling argument showing that the LAW spoken of in section 38, and ultimately given in section 42, represented the law of the Gospel and the law of Zion and it was never meant to be simply a temporary, lesser law of the Gospel which would eventually be replaced by a higher law of the gospel.
I pointed out that sections 37, 38 & 39 had warned the saints that the law that was eventually given in section 42 needed to be received and lived in order to protect the saints from the enemy in the secret chambers that was already potting the destruction of the newly restored church.
I pointed out numerous things including the fact that since section 42 was the law of the fulness of the gospel, and since the marital law of monogamy was an integral part of the law of the gospel, one could not accept the marital law of celestial polygamy set forth in section 132 without denying the celestial law of marital monogamy in section 42.
I pointed out that since God had declared the fulness of the gospel to be in the Book of Mormon prior to 1831, the law of celestial polygamy would have to have been clearly proclaimed in the Book of Mormon, yet the Book of Mormon condemns the practice of Biblical polygamy and NEVER even mentions the law of Celestial polygamy.
I also pointed out that since God declared that the fulness of the gospel had been restored to the gentile church shortly after the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood at the Morley Farm in June of 1831, the doctrine of celestial marriage in section 132 would have to have been publicly declared and set forth in a revelation that was accepted by the law of common consent and lived by the saints by the time that God had made that declaration in 1831.
I provided lots of information from history, ancient prophecy and from the revelations that Joseph Smith had brought forth documenting the rejection of the fulness of the gospel by 1834, showing a change in the trajectory of the church after the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham was secretly ushered in in 1836 and pointed out that if polygamy had been restored by God sometime after 1834, it would have had to have been a lesser law of the gospel, not a high law of the gospel. Indeed, it would have to have been a cursing upon the saints for having rejected the fulness of the gospel.
I showed from section 124 that God had warned the saints that anything more or less than what had been published in the Book of Mormon and the revelations that Joseph had received up to that time in 1841 “cometh of evil“.
After attempting to post my response I noticed that my blog comment was not showing up.
Sadly, I had neglected to save what I had taken a long timeto write.
In one sense I was not surprised because the apologists at that particular blog had blocked my comments before. On the other hand, I was a little bit surprised because my previous comments had been accepted and responded to and we had established an ongoing dialogue.
Sometime after my last attempt to post my comment, I noticed a personal email in my email box from the apologist that I had been having that exchange with.
What he told me in the email shocked the hell out of me.
He informed me that he appreciated the exchange that we had been having but that he had decided to block my last comment because the doctrinal, historical and prophecy related topics that I had brought into the discussion were “outside of his area of expertise” and therefore he was not qualified to respond to them.
What!?!?
Outside of his particular area of expertise?
First of all, why shouldn’t my response be posted and viewed by others regardless of whether he felt qualified to respond or not?
Secondly, and more importantly, how can he be an expert on just one doctrine without having an extensive knowledge of virtually every doctrinal, historical and prophetic issue that could possibly be related to the topic he was presenting himself to be an expert on?
I have thought quite a bit about his comment and how impossible it is for anyone to be an “expert” on any gospel or religious historical topic without having an extensive knowledge of many other doctrines and historical topics.
The thought that a lay person could have a desire to become an “expert” on the topic of polygamy by hyper-focusing onhistorical documentation regarding the modern day practice of polygamy without becoming knowledgeable in other related gospel topics, is preposterous.
It is true that a person that collects all of the historical data about who lived polygamy and how they lived polygamy can become proficient in that specific information. However such a person could NEVER be qualified to make a credible interpretation as to whether the doctrinal practice of celestial polygamy was of God.
The Lord has commanded us to search all of the scriptures to become approved of God.
We have been admonished to become approved of God through gospel study. Not just the selective study of one narrow historical issue.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2 Tim 2: 15-16)
Anyone who is not knowledgeable in the gospel, that has a predetermined bias about a gospel topic, that decides to invest a lot of money to have a controversial religious practice researched simply is not qualified to provide a credible interpretation on whether the practice was inspired of God or not. It is not possible to have a valuable opinion on such a topic without the context that is needed from understanding a lot of other issues.
Without spending years searching the whole word of God, such a person would have little other than vain babbling to offer those who seriously want to determine how such a practice inter-related to the true gospel of Jesus Christ and their personal salvation.
Although a wealthy person can spend his resources to have a researcher document every known historical fact about how polygamy was lived in the church, that does not qualify them to be able to interpret the true spiritual implications behind the documentation that is collected, much less understand the truthfulness behind the doctrine and why various people chose to accept the practice as being a valid part of the fulness of the gospel.
It is disconcerting but par for the course that the institutional church embraces and promotes incompetent individuals as “experts” on various topics of doctrine.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Email #1
Watcher,
In the Lecture 7, last verse in the Lectures on Faith it states “for God must change otherwise faith will prevail with him. And he who possesses it will, through it, obtain all necessary knowledge and wisdom, until he shall know God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, whom He has sent — whom to know is eternal life. Amen.”
What does it mean “for God must change”? Previous lectures teach that God is perfect and unchanging. I’m havin a hard time wrapping my head around this one.
I read online where it means that God changes his reward or blessings for those that don’t have faith, but that doesn’t make sense since it would be the same unchanged God who withholds the blessing because faith wasn’t present.
This lecture was eye opening to the awful state we’re in — no blessings or very few as a people because of the lack of faith.
Thanks!
Response
The language is very confusing for sure. It is somewhat typical of the way Rigdon and others of that day communicated, almost a quasi shorthand or abbreviated form of communication.
The topic being focused on is the principle of faith being an essential character trait of God and on the necessity for us to obtain faith in order to know God. The unchangeable character of God has already been addressed in a previous lecture.
Email #2
Hello Watcher!
Could you send me the link to the site that shows the changes between the Book of Commandments and D&C?
Thanks!
Response
There are numerous webpages that address this. Virtually all of them are done by anti-Mormons. It is unfortunate that the LDS church does not provide an accurate and faith promoting explanation for the changes on line along with all of the changes.
This particular page link that I am providing is for BofC chapter 4/D&C 5
Email #3
[Look at the following thesis] Looks like another nail in the coffin for section 132.
Reply
Where is the rest of the document? Do you have it? I would like to review it for any historical data that it might provide.
The supposition that Orson Hyde or, more probably Brigham Young wrote it makes a lot of sense. I am of the opinion that Brigham Young oversaw the project but I suspect that he had some help. I think it may have been a group project and that some snippets from other unpublished revelations were used as well. The general narrative feels quite disjointed and does not flow well in my opinion.
Regarding the lady that did the research, I was struck by the number of illogical and erroneous historical assumptions contained in her thesis.
Just off the top of my head, here are some that jumped out at me.
She attributes the writing of section 76 to Joseph Smith when it is a known fact that Rigdon wrote it
She attributes “The Seer” to Orson Hyde when it is well known that Orson Pratt wrote it.
By falsely attributing the authorship of those writings she corrupts and invalidates some of her analysis and research and destroys her own credibility as a competent historical researcher on this topic.
She initially considers Oliver Cowdery and Hyrum Smith as a top suspects. Both are illogical and absurd.
Oliver had left the church many years previous to the time in question. and he was violently opposed to the doctrine of polygamy and had charged Joseph with indiscretion relating to the Alger affair.
Hyrum was a late adapter of the principle who had been on a crusade against the principle well into the time that it was being received by many.
Had she been familiar with the general history of the church she would not have spent time and energy focusing on those two historical players.
Using the Journal of Discourses to analyse the language style of Brigham Young seems questionable to me as the discourses were hastily written by scribes who at worst used short hand and at best were reducing long complex sentence structures into shorter narratives often using their own vocabularies to reconstruct succinct thoughts. Simply look at the side by side comparisons of the Nauvoo Discourses by Joseph Smith from the various journals to see a huge difference between what various note takers are hearing from the speaker not only in style but uses of words.
She does not seem to be able to differentiate inspired “word of wisdom” revelations in the D&C that were clearly written in the style of mortal authors from “thus sayeth the Lord” first person narratives in the D&C and she attributes the writing style of the “thus sayeth the Lord” revelations to Joseph Smith instead of to the Lord.
Overall, her knowledge of history is very lacking. I think she was way out of her depth in studying and researching this topic. This lady is largely ignorant about much of church history. She makes egregious historical mistakes repeatedly.
She could have only gotten away with submitting such a mistake ridden thesis at a university where the committee is completely unfamiliar with LDS church history.
Nevertheless, her analysis did uncover some interesting things. I loved how she observed how section 132 uses certain phrases in an inconsistent way that they had been used in previous revelations. One great observation she made was that
“When Joseph [the Lord] used “as touching,” [in other revelations] it meant “agreed.” As used in Section 132, “as touching” meant “in relation to.” This is a very significant observation. I had pointed several other changes in the use of established scriptural terms in my
The bottom line for me is that if a person treasures up the word of God and searches the scriptures and the history of the church under the influence of the spirit, they will find that content, context and consistency in the prophetic narrative is what demonstrates the fallacy of section 132 not the research of an RLDS secular linguistics expert who has an ax to grind with the principle of polygamy.
Thanks for sending the document, it was an interesting read.
His reply
That [portion of the thesis] is all I came across.
I don’t know what her agenda or reasoning was in doing this paper but I found it interesting and some of it pretty compelling. I skimmed through parts of it.
It isn’t definitive but it does add to the case against 132.
I do think she made a pretty good case for this not being written through JS either by revelation(whether she thinks he received any) or on his own, since it was so different from other things he wrote(revealed) and that it was so similar to stuff BY wrote or said. I believe BY wrote it and have thought that for a long time. King Brigham, imho was the driver behind polygamy from the start. It was his thing and he wanted to get as many people doing it as he could to justify his own desires.
No way God would reveal His crowning doctrine in such a convoluted, illogical and dubious manner supported by no other scripture in recorded history.
There is no credible second let alone third witness of it anywhere.
The fact that she has an axe to grind against polygamy isn’t necessarily a negative. Because, even if BY was the one who wrote it(her conclusion) and that was proven somehow, LDS corp wouldn’t back off from it since he was a prophet, right? They would just change the narrative.
The SLC suits have way to much invested in 132 and getting rid of it means the whole eternal marriage procreation scam would be in jeopardy.
Email #4
[editorial note: this was in response to the amazing ice melt in the North Pole youtube that was mentioned in one of my posts]
Watcher,
Response
Yep
This may also apply
“Wherefore, I will that all men shall repent, for all are under sin, except those which I have reserved unto myself, holy men that ye know not of.”
Email [comment in the about section of my blog] # 5
Hello Watcher. I recently awoke or at least have begun to awaken. Since August I’m no longer blindly following the brethren and traditions of the church. I’m still active at church, but I’m very confused. I was raised in the church, served a mission, married in the temple, and have always been active. Though I’ve committed my fair share of sins and am at best an unworthy servant of Christ, I have always tried to do what’s right. I never questioned or wavered in my belief that the church was the Lord’s true church and that the brethren were true prophets and apostles, but now I’m not so sure. Something is off. I recently found your blog and I’m thankful I did. I admit I have been reading your recent posts and have kind of bounced around through different posts of yours and haven’t read through all your blogs in order on your sister blog, but I plan to as I have time. I have a few questions for you and I don’t know how to get a hold of you except for in this comment section.
I have four kids, the oldest is 9 and I baptized him when he was 8 before I woke up. My next child turns 8 in the spring. In your opinion is it ok to baptize her? I’m not sure what priesthood authority, if any, I actually possess. I’m also very concerned about my children and even myself being mislead by corrupted and false doctrine at church, but I don’t know if leaving the church and the support system of fellow believers of Christ. It’s very frustrating.
For the most part I find your blog very enlightening, but I have questions about a few of the things you teach. One question from a recent post of yours is about John the Baptist and Elijah. You say they are the same person, but the JST of John 1 says that they aren’t the same person. It also appears from the D&C that Joseph Smith understood them to be different people since he refers to them by theit seperate names. Any thoughts? I have other questions too, is there a better way to reach you?
My Reply
Praise God that you are no longer blindly following the brethren and the false traditions of the church. As Paul says, you need to prove all things, hold fast to that which is good. Obviously, that includes anything you read on my blog.
You can contact me anytime by email at onewhoiswatching [at] gmail dot com.
Not everyone responds the same way when they begin to wake up and it is a long process. Many people react in anger and make rash decisions. I hope you will take things slowly and not jump to conclusions or make radical life changes without taking it slowly and counting the cost of your actions. Please realize that there is still much to learn and that you don’t want to make major life-changing decisions based on a very small portion of the relevant information that you need in order to make informed decisions.
As a matter of policy I try to never give counsel and tell people what they need to do since we have been commanded not to give counsel ( man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh— D&C 119)
Nevertheless, I do share my opinions regarding what I would do in certain situations and what I have seen others do.
You have asked whether I think it is ok for you to baptise your child. I think the answer to that question probably varies from person to person that begins to wake up and has to do with a multiplicity of things, including your level of doctrinal understanding which, by your own admission is not great.
As I implied at the end of my last blog post, I think we all sin relatively cheaply during this little season of learning and chastisement since we are actually in the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, NOT the dispensation of the fulness of times (which is erroneously taught in the church.)
Since we do not currently have the fulness of the gospel on the earth, we cannot be held to that level of accountability. I believe our generation of latter day saints have inherited the apostasy from our forefathers and I think God has mercy on us for that reason.
I have stated before that I believe that the authority to promulgate the gospel that was given to the “condemned” and “unconverted” quorum of the Twelve during Joseph ministry is still on the earth today among the current “condemned” and “unconverted” quorum of the Twelve. It is up to each member of the church to determine for themselves how to navigate the waters based on how these men are presenting the preparatory gospel of Christ.
When the fulness is ushered in, in the near future, we will all be held accountable to accept or reject the light at that time.
The process of waking up is a long process for most people. I have been studying the apostasy and trying to wake up for about 30 years now and I continually am learning things I did not understand before and am currently finding areas where the false indoctrinations I have inherited still have a strong hold upon my mind.
I think God will judge your actions according to the intent of your heart. If you prayerfully determine that the best thing for your family is to continue active in the church and to baptize your children, I think the Lord will bless you in that effort as long as you continue to learn and grow in the gospel and continue earnestly trying to wake up and teach the truth to your children. The ultimate goal for all of us to to treasure up the word of God and seek to take the Holy Spirit as our Guide as we WATCH for the return of the first laborers of the last kingdom.
You said:
“For the most part I find your blog very enlightening, but I have questions about a few of the things you teach. One question from a recent post of yours is about John the Baptist and Elijah. You say they are the same person, but the JST of John 1 says that they aren’t the same person. It also appears from the D&C that Joseph Smith understood them to be different people since he refers to them by theit seperate names. Any thoughts?”
Actually, the first chapter of the Gospel of John according to the JST has John the Baptist admitting that he is Elijah the Prophet. It is the KJV that indicates otherwise
Please read the following article very carefully and I think you will see that the evidence is overwhelming that John the Baptist represents the literal transmigration of Elijah the Prophet
The Secret Return of Elijah the Tishbite
I wrote that article to demonstrate that section 110 is a true revelation in response to a false prophet that is trying to sway people into believing that it is a false revelation.
Email #6
My Response
One of the many insidious reinterpretations of scripture by the modern church is the non-literal interpretation of Zion, reducing it to some non-geographical definition. Yes a Zion society consists of those that are pure in heart and of ONE heart and ONE mind, but it is a very real geographical location. A closely related doctrine that has been watered down by the apostate church is the concept of the gathering. The latter day saints are NOT a gathered people. They are a scattered people. There is still going to be a geographical gathering of Gods elect (see D&C 29)
Your observation about the Father using Christ to cast down Satan is a great observation. We learn from scripture that the Father created the Son in a tabernacle of element for the purpose of creating all other things including the earth we live on. Christ created all things in earth and in heaven. Indeed, if Satan was organized from unorganized matter or intelligence, it was the Son who did it.
The father seems to do all things through the Son. Even in the few instances where scripture credits the father as doing something, it has reference to him doing it through the son. IMO
Email #7
My Reply
There are several possible interpretations
His reply
The way I read it “today” is the end of the first watch when the saints were given the fulness which they rejected. The window of time to be tithed was limited and it came to an end on sometime between april 3 1836 and September 11 1836 when “tomorrow” began with the gospel of abraham and the opportunity to tithe and sacrifice was taken away with the fulness. The burning takes place sometime after today (first watch)
Email #8
Hey Watcher,
My Response
I enjoyed reading the article. He does a very good job of making a compelling case that Joseph Smith did not practice polygamy, in part, by sprinkling Joseph Smith’s public denials throughout his article. For those that want to believe the testimony of Joseph Smith and protect his reputation there certainly is good reason to view the situation through the lens that he provides. Particularly if you believe that Joseph Smith, as a true prophet of God could not have committed any serious sins.
On the other hand, there is another lens that one can view the topic through. It is such a compelling and powerful historical lens that it toppled the RLDS church and caused them to reject Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and the LDS restoration. Indeed, the overwhelmingly compelling research that has come forth regarding Joseph Smith’s polygamy that has come out during the last few decades is so compelling that it caused the RLDS church to rename itself and to reinvent itself as a protestant church.
What is the basis of this lens? It is that VIRTUALLY EVERY INTIMATE FRIEND OF JOSEPH SMITH, AND EVERY HIGH LEVEL MEMBER OF THE FIRST PRESIDENCY AND THE NAUVOO HIGH COUNCIL AND THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES AS WELL AS COUNTLESS WOMEN THAT JOSEPH INTRODUCED INTO THE RELIEF SOCIETY, BELIEVED THAT JOSEPH SMITH WAS A POLYGAMIST.
.
While the anonymous author of the article is attempting to preserve Joseph’s credibility as a true prophet, by claiming that he did not lie about his involvement in polygamy, it seems to be lost on him that the scenario he is painting also destroys the credibility of Joseph Smith’s character and prophetic abilities.
Think about it.
The people that Joseph Smith surrounded himself with as his closest friends and confidents all lied about him and threw him under the bus, claiming he was a polygamist when they knew perfectly well that he wasn’t, according to the theory being presented.
Really?
So much for Joseph’s ability to attract and choose good, loyal people with integrity, as friends.
According to the theory being presented, by revelation Joseph called men like Sidney Rigdon, and William Law into the First Presidency and people like William Marks and Austin Cowles into the Stake Presidency and others into the highest positions positions of authority in the church, that got amazing endorsements from God in section 124, and yet they all apparently lied in unison about Joseph’s involvement in polygamy and unitedly threw him under the bus.
Really?
Does Joseph Smith credibility look any better when we accuse virtually everyone except Joseph Smith of being liars and perjurers?
To the credit of this particular author he does not make the mistake that others have made in trying to blame the problem on a Brigham Young led conspiracy. The fact of the matter is that it was not just Brigham Young and the Utah saints that credited the doctrine of celestial polygamy on Joseph Smith. EVERYONE of the various factions that split from the church in Nauvoo, including those that chose not to follow Brigham Young, saw Joseph Smith as the author of the spiritual wife-celestial polygamy doctrine, not Brigham Young.
Some of the factions even practiced polygamy to some degree, but it was not because of the influence of Brigham Young. Lyman Wight eventually had a stint with celestial polygamy but he certainly did not learn the practice from Brigham Young who he personally despised. James Strang integrated polygamy into his new order but his motivation had nothing to do with Brigham Young who he very possibly never even met.
And what about the women who all put their own reputations at risk while supposedly lying about Joseph Smith? Are we to believe that all of these noble women lied about Joseph Smith, knowing that such a lie could put their eternal relationship with God at jeopardy?
Really?
“There’s a very good article that attempts to debunk or challenges a lot of the evidence out there that JS practiced polygamy. He takes them all head on, except OC’s account with Fanny Alger.”
I really don’t think that Oliver Cowdery’s testimony is the only damning piece of historical evidence that is missing from the essay. There is a lot of evidence that is missing. One of the most compelling and powerful missing evidences is the testimony of William Marks. Marks was not mentioned once in the article that I am aware of.
Marks was considered by most to be one of the most honest men of personal integrity in Nauvoo. Apparently the Lord was impressed Marks. He made Marks the President of the Church in Far West and Nauvoo. Here is the testimony that Marks actually published in 1853 in the Zions Harbinger and Baneemy’s Organ:.
“When the doctrine of polygamy was introduced into the church as a principle of exaltation, I took a decided stand against it; which stand rendered me quite unpopular with many of the leading ones of the church…
Joseph, however, became convinced before his death that he had done wrong; for about three weeks before his death, I met him one morning in the street, and he said to me, “Brother Marks… We are a ruined people.” I asked, how so? He said: “This doctrine of polygamy, or Spiritual-wife system, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow.
I have been deceived,” said he, “in reference to its practice; it is wrong; it is a curse to mankind, and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down and its practice stopped in the church.
Now,’ said he,’ Brother Marks, you have not received this doctrine, and how glad I am. I want you to go into the high council and I will have charges preferred against all who practice this doctrine, and I want you to try them by the laws of the church, and cut them off, if they will not repent and cease the practice of this doctrine.”
As an interesting aside to this response, you might find the following exchange between me and one of the top LDS apologists (and his wife) about the principle of polygamy. At the 52:32 point of the youtube, I ask Brian Hales “are you open to the possibility that Joseph Smith could have been a true prophet but that he was not justified in everything that he did regarding polygamy”?
The responses from him and his wife are entertaining if not enlightening. When I bring up the above testimony by Marks about Joseph Smith admitting that he had been deceived, Brian Hales incoherently deflects the question by associating the topic with the “Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy” series by Richard and Pamela Price which of course rejects the premise that Joseph was deceived by postulating that he never practiced it. I fail to see the logic in associating William Mark’s accusation of Joseph Smith’s polygamy with the Price’s contention that he never practiced it!
Ultimately, Hales claims that the testimony by Marks is “not credible” and “highly improbably”, although he does not explain why they would not be credible. He then follows up with another incoherent declaration that William Marks statement “fit the RLDS needs at the time” which makes absolutely no sense at all because the declarations of the Emma Smith and her sons, denied Joseph’s involvement in the practice polygamy. The official stance of the RLDS church when it was formed was that Joseph did not practice polygamy. Therefore, Hales statement that Marks reminiscence that Joseph confessed to his involvement and was deceived “fit the RLDS needs at the time” seems somewhat illogical to me. (Perhaps he is referring to some of the other key players in the RLDS organization like Marks, who did believe that Joseph was the originator of the principle despite the official storyline of the church.
The Nauvoo High Council Minutes
Another perhaps even more compelling evidence that was conspicuously left out of the anonymous essay has to do with the minutes of the Nauvoo High Council and the Nauvoo City High Council which documents that fact that Hyrum presented a revelation on polygamy to both councils, stating that his brother Joseph Smith had received the revelation and that the members of the High Council would be damned if they did not accept it.
Sadly, the anonymous author of the paper deceitfully only provides the “damage control” statements of Hyrum Smith that were made AFTER the high council rejected the revelation. But he neglects to provide the whole story and the testimony from multiple sources of what was really said to the High Council. Here is what the anonymous author has to say using selected quotes from the a book by John Dinger:
“At the time William Law made his accusations in the Expositor regarding this alleged revelation, Joseph and Hyrum did not deny the existence of a revelation but flatly denied that it permitted plural wives.
In the City Council minutes of June 8, 1844 Joseph and Hyrum give us a glimpse into the revelation according to them: “[Hyrum] referred to the revelation [he] read to the [Nauvoo Stake] High council — that it was in answer to a question concerning things which transpired in former days & had no reference to the present time
— that W[illia]m Law[,] when sick[,] [confessed and] said ^he had been guilty of adultery &^ he was not fit to live or die, had sinned against his own soul….[The mayor said]…They make [it] a criminality of for a man to have a wife on the earth while he has one in heaven —
according to the keys of the holy priesthood, and [the mayor] read the statement of W[illia]m Law in the Expositor, where the truth of God was transformed into a lie. [He] read [the] statements of Austin Cowles — & said he had never had any private conversation with Austin Cowles on these subjects, that he preached on the stand from the bible showing the order in ancient days[,] having nothing to do with the present time...
C[ouncillor] H[yrum] Smith — spoke to show the falsehood of Austin Cowles in relation to the revelation referred to — that it referred to former days [and] not the present timeas stated by Cowles. [The] Mayor said he had never preached the revelation in private as he had in public — had not taught it to the highest anointed in the Church ^in private^ which many confirmed.
[The mayor said][,] on enquiring [of God regarding] the passage in [the Bible that in] the resurrection they neither marry &c[:] I received for [an] answer, Men in this life must be married in view of Eternity, [and that] was the [full] amount of the [content of the] revelation, otherwise [in the resurrection] they must remain as angels only in heaven, and [the mayor] spoke at considerable length in explanation of the[se] principles[.] 56 I”
It is shocking that the author would only provide part of the evidence provided from John Dingers book “The Nauvoo City and High Council Minutes“. Did he really think that nobody has the book?
Prior to Hyrum Smith’s above mentioned attempt to backpedal and try to deny having presented the doctrine of polygamy as a contemporary doctrine that needed to be accepted and lived, he had apparently made quite a different declaration according to multiple testimonies contained within the book.
According to documentation within the book, on one occasion Councilman Dunbar Wilson “made inquiry in relation to the subject of plurality of wives as there were rumors respecting it, and he was satisfied there was something in those remarks and he wanted to know what it was.”
At this time, Hyrum Smith, who was probably relieved to just get the secret practice out in the open, read the revelation on polygamy to the High Council.
After reading it, he made the following declaration: “Now, you that believe this revelation and go forth and obey the same shall be saved, and you that reject it shall be damned”
That hardly sounds like Hyrum was simply informing the high council about an ancient principle that did not need to be lived anymore.
Much more evidence is provided in the book by multiple witnesses that contradict the later attempt by Hyrum Smith to do damage control. It is truly unfortunate that the anonymous author of the article would mischaracterize Hyrums statements to the High Council by only relating a small part of the evidence that supports his own contentions.
I will not go into further problems with the anonymous essay on polygamy because it does not matter to me if people choose to believe that Joseph never lived polygamy. For those who have a serious interest in this topic, I will refer you to the following link where I address a few more issues and also suggest that those interested in this topic consider purchasing the book by Dinger.
What was the Great Sin the Joseph Committed?
You asked me a question that several others have asked me over the years. Is there a different sin beside polygamy that Joseph Smith might have committed that could have fulfilled the atonement statute- 2nd Samuel 7 prophecy?
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Boy is he in for a surprise!
Elder Jeffery R Holland declared in February of this year that the Church is immune to error and will not fall into apostasy.
“Ours is that fail-safe, inexorable, indestructible dispensation of the fulness of the gospel… Unlike every other era before us, this dispensation will not experience an institutional apostasy; it will not see a loss of priesthood keys; it will not suffer a cessation of revelation from the voice of Almighty God. Individuals will apostatize, they may turn a deaf ear to heaven, but never again will this dispensation collectively do so. What a secure thought that is! What a day in which to live! What a way to cut through fear or faintheartedness”
I have no problem accepting Joseph Smith as a Prophet
An evening with margaret Barker and Stephen Webb
When was the last time you heard a high profile Catholic theologian state that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he brought important information to the earth?
Paris
Humility & Sweetness Soundly Defeats Arrogance
I am not a huge fan of extreme fighting, particularly female extreme fighting, I think it is wrong.
I must admit however, that I found the shocking victory of Holly Holm over Ronda Rousey extremely inspiring. I love it when the overwhelming underdog wins a decisive victory.
Warning for Violence
A Female Smackdown on Feminism
Obamacare
Think You Are Going to Skate by With a Cheap Obamacare Penalty in 2016? Think Again! Penalty Shock Fine Just Released
Folks. The 2014 $75 penalty was just another Obama ruse to get his horrific ‘health care’ law in place. The purpose is to collapse the health care system and get our citizens to BEG for single payer, Bernie Sanders style health care.
That is when your taxes go up to 75-80% of your income. You can take the pennies you have left over from your paycheck and spend any way your little heart desires.
2016 penalty for those who are not enrolled in Obamacare is a minimum of $695 dollars or 2.5% of your gross income, which ever is higher.
For a family of four who has two working parents and a combined gross income of $100,000 will pay $2500 per year for the privilege of NOT having Obamacare insurance.
With $5000-10,000 per year of up front payments (deductibles) before your coverage even kicks in…when will single payer insurance start in America?
2017? 2018? or 2019? We can’t go on much longer than this as the fines and penalties will continue to skyrocket every year until people are all tapped out.
Congratulations Barack. You won again. You beat Congress and the Supreme Court on the way to national tyranny.
Logs Logs
Has anyone been keeping a log of Log’s logs? on other people’s blogs?
On one particular post, I counted 23 out of the 66 comments which is roughly 38.8%
Whose blog is this?
Is there no limit to how many logs a person can lay on another person’s blog?
I disabled the comments section on my blog to prevent two things from happening. One was to stop the paid LDS shills from trying to do damage control, the other was to prevent people from hi-jacking the thread. The comment section of two of the most popular LDS blogs have been ruined by a guy that is so incredibly divisive and critical of others and yet he plays the victim every time anyone calls him on it.
Invasion by Immigration
Large scale mass migrations become invasions and this actually appears to be a hijrah as he describes it. This is NOT going to end well. It appears the policies of the liberal socialist leaders in Europe and the US do not want to keep these lands from being overrun. Why???
I couldn’t figure out why other Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, etc.) weren’t taking in refugees, so I started digging.
Hijrah is jihad by emigration.
It means moving to a new land in order to bring Islam there and is considered in Islam to be a holy and revered action:
“And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many locations and abundance, and whoever leaves
his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah.” (4:100)
“To me, it seems that he sees the same basic problems with the corporate church that we all do, but he takes it in a whole different direction. From a “fruits” point of view, when I read his stuff I don’t get nearly the same enlightenment or sense of understanding my own place in the grand scheme of things. I’m wondering, though, if this is just a result of my own lifelong conditioning for heartsell. From a scriptural viewpoint he certainly has a new perspective on things. While I can see where he gets to conclusions, I think that he sees many things that the verses he cites just don’t support He tends to wrest the scriptures quite a bit, in my opinion..”
Do I wrest the scriptures? Or is it that you have been so brainwashed by the corporate church, and void of the true spirit of revelation that you don’t know how to accept the literal interpretation of the scriptures?
Peer Reviewing the Interpreter
http://interpreterpeerreviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-treason-of-geographers-part-1.html
The Smoking Gun of Book of Mormon Geography
http://www.firmlds.org/feature.php?id=38
Finding the Temple Endowment “Disturbing”
What went through your mind the first time you went through the temple endowment? Many people have been shocked at their first experience.
Marlin K Jensen: “ I think my little daughter was quite worthy, but she was so disturbed, I’ll say..”
“I think I understand from this article that binding doctrinal announcements are those sanctioned by the First Presidency in unison. If so, when and where did Presidents Sidney Rigdon and William Law line up in support and implementation of Celestial Marriage in its fullness as presented in Section 132?”
I believe that the concept of “progressive revelation” originally had to do with “continuous revelation” and the belief that the Lord’s church enjoys continuing revelations that remain consistent with previous revelations, and that all new revelations are congruent and harmonious with the past revelations, generally providing additional details and clarifications to past revelations.
Sadly, I think that for many Saints, the term “Progressive revelation” has come to mean “Revisionist Revelation”, or the belief that past doctrines that were presented by a past First Presidency as being true, can legitimately be overturned and revised by the current First Presidency.
Was Jesus Married?
Suffer the Little Children.. and the Gays?
The latest policy controversy is so frustrating that it makes those of us that resigned many years ago so angry that we want to join again to have the privilege of resigning again. Nevertheless, there are two issues that have been messed together. One has to do with stifling the agency of innocent people from making their own decisions. The other has to do with the successful attempt by a special interest group in making their lifestyle generally accepted which, according to Chuck Missler, is a sign of the times.
http://seventhsola.blogspot.com/2008/06/chuck-missler-on-gay-issue.html
Here is a recent comment from someone who is responding to a gay person
“I have never been able to swallow this implicit contention that your sexual abnormality is any different or more privileged than my daughter’s congenital birth defects. Do we have to create entirely new categories of humanity and tell her there isn’t actually anything wrong (as she struggles to walk…seeing every minute that other can without effort) in order for her to lead a psychologically healthy life?
She isn’t going to get to do a lot of things she would like to in life. How are you any better than her? Why do we have to change the Plan for you and not for her? There are plenty of physically disabled folks who will never get to have sex or have children in this life.
Why are you so much better than them? Why is it supposed to be such an impossible burden for gays to live a celibate life when so many others, disabled and not, manage to pull it off however hard it may be? You aren’t God’s special little revelation, you’re just one more human with divine potential and human challenges.”
Miscellaneous Musings #17 “For it was the woman that sinned not the man”
Miscellaneous Musings #10 Ferguson is Close to the “Center Place”
Miscellaneous Musings #9 The Mystery of the Shemitah
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The Delayed Response in Calling of the Quorum of the Twelve
“And now, behold, I give unto you, Oliver Cowdery, and also unto David Whitmer, that you shall search out the Twelve, who shall have the desires of which I have spoken” (Commandment and commission given in June of 1829 but not fulfilled until February 1835 D&C 18:37)
One of the many “apparent discrepancies” (but not really a discrepancy if you understand the true history of the church) within the official history of the church has to do with the fact that the witnesses of the Book of Mormon were commanded by the Lord in 1829 to search out the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, yet they waited nearly five years to at on that commandment. This missionary quorum was to take the message of the gospel to the Gentiles first, and then to the Jews.
Why would they wait so long to fulfill such an important commission?
Missionary work commenced before and after the above commission to Oliver and David to search out the Twelve.
Missionary work took place for several critical years without the involvement of this very important missionary quorum. Missionary work continued without them for the better part of five years after this commission was given.
Some LDS apologists might suggest that the delay is because it took that long for twelve qualified individuals to convert to the church and demonstrate their faithfulness before they could be called.
But that is not correct.
All of the original members of the quorum of the twelve that were eventually called and ordained to that office and quorum, were members of the church by 1832. Even Brigham Young who took two long years to consider his options after hearing the message of the gospel had joined by 1832. Indeed, most of these twelve quorum members had proven their faithfulness and been ordained to be high priests in 1831 and 1832. Indeed, virtually all of them were involved in taking the gospel to the gentiles prior to being called and ordained as apostles in 1835.
The Prophetic Narrative Provides the Answers
One of the incredible benefits of understanding the prophetic narrative behind the LDS restoration movement and the 15 year public ministry of Joseph Smith is that it provides lots of answers to many doctrinal and historical dilemmas.
The answer to this particular dilemma regarding the strange delay in calling the quorum of the Twelve has been provided in previous blog posts and is explained by the prophetic narrative set forth in the secret history of Mormonism series, hence, I will not go into great detail on this at this time.
Suffice it to say that the mission of the Twelve was to take the knowledge of the gospel to the house of Israel AFTER the gentiles rejected the fulness of the gospel and the fulness of the priesthood, as prophesied by Christ in 3rd Nephi 16. Therefore it would not have made sense to call and send forth the Twelve to the “Jews” (house of Israel) until after the Melchizedek Priesthood had been restored in 1831 and rejected by the gentiles by the end of 1834.
Furthermore, it would be the Quorum of the Twelve that would be used in secretly re-establishing the ancient kingdom of Israel. It would be this quorum that would take over the leadership mantle of the saints once the church was rejected as a church with their dead during the Nauvoo era. This had been prophesied by Christ when, speaking about the House of Israel he foretold that “the Gentiles shall not have power over you”
You Can Acquire a Better Understanding than Most Historians
Those who are new to this blog and are not familiar with the prophetic narrative that explains many of the bizarre things that took place during the ministry of the prophet Joseph Smith are encouraged to view the video series titled The Secret History of Mormonism. After spending just one hour viewing the first installment, you will have a better contextual understanding of the history of Mormonism than any LDS scholars, authors, historians and general authorities that are not familiar with this work.
I know that sounds pretty sensational, but I am dead-dog serious.
I believe that you cannot fully understand religious history without understanding prophecy and vica versa. You may view the first four videos at the following links. Within the next few months I hope to have the series completed.
Part 1- Summary of The Secret History of Mormonism
Part 2 The Secret History of Mormonism: Period One
Part 3 The Secret History of Mormonism: Period Two
Part 4 The Secret History of Mormonism: Period Three
Seriously, just one hour watching the first part of the series that summarizes the prophetic narrative of Joseph Smith’s ministry and you will be light years ahead of both pro and Anti-Mormon historians like the ones listed below.
My intent is not to make disparaging characterizations about the above historians or the books they have written. I believe all of the above mentioned historians are honorable and sincere in their efforts to flesh out the history of Mormonism. The research they do is excellent. Most of their books are very good as far as providing accurate and credible historical references for historical events. These secular historians are good at researching and documenting raw historical facts. Unfortunately, they simply don’t view history through a prophetic lens and therefore they cannot provide an accurate prophetic context to the historical events that they write about.
Yes my use of the term secular historian is calculated. I consider even those above mentioned historians that claim they believe in the LDS restoration movement, the Book of Mormon and the calling of Joseph Smith to be secular historians.
I consider them to be secular in their research and writings because their research and conclusions are without an accurate foundational spiritual basis and prophetic context. They are all grasping at straws to understand what appears to be a strange and disjointed string of events that took place.
The faithful LDS historians are blinded by their own inability to recognize what the fulness of the gospel is and the rejection of it that has taken place. This creates a conflict of interest that often results in just blindly following the false prophets that lead the modern church.
Conversely, the anti-Mormon historians are blinded by their hatred of Joseph Smith and their rejection of the Book of Mormon and the LDS restoration movement. They are void of the spirit because they have rejected God’s word and they believe God’s work through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith was a fraud.
High Priests may Officiate in all Lesser Offices
Another one of the countless dilemmas found in the storyline of the official history of the church is created by the fact that there was no apparent reason why most of the original members of the quorum of the Twelve needed to be ordained as apostles.
According to section 107; “..a high priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices”. Therefore, no ordination appears to have been necessary for 10 of the 12 men that were called to be apostles. Section 84 proves this fact by informing the several high priests that they are also apostles, even though there had been no formal ordination as apostles.
Section 20 informs us that “ An apostle is an elder, and it is his calling to baptize; And to ordain other elders, priests, teachers, and deacons”
History verifies that it was not necessary for a high priest like Martin Harris (who had never been ordained an elder prior to being ordained a High Priest), to be ordained an elder or an apostle, in order to do the responsibilities of an elder or apostle. He could ordain other elders, priests and teachers, etc. without having to be ordained an apostle or elder. This is because the office of High Priest already has the authority to officiate in all the lesser offices.
It is therefore curious that the those who were called to be apostles in 1835, that had already been ordained High Priests, would need to be ordained to the lesser priesthood office of Apostle.
Again, the answer to this dilemma is found in previous posts and in the Secret History of Mormonism series so I will not go into great detail on this.
Bottom line: the fulness of the gospel had been rejected and the fulness of the priesthood had been lost by 1835 so the office of High Priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood no longer held the authority to officiate in all lessor offices. Hence, those of the Twelve that had previously been ordained as High Priests needed to be ordained to the office of Apostle by the authority of the keys of the Abrahamic Priesthood which had been restored by John the Baptist.
Brigham Young and Heber C Kimball had Blacker Hearts?
Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, was well known for being filled with the spirit of prophecy. Those not familiar with her life and the tremendous faith that she had would be blessed by reading about her life. The autobiography of Joseph Smith done my Lucy Mack Smith is a wonderful documentation of Joseph Smith and his family as well, although the official version by the church has been sanitized.
Few latter day saints are aware of the fact that shortly after the martyrdom, Lucy Mack Smith had a series of three visions. In one of them Joseph appeared to her and assured her that he would return to fulfill his calling. In that vision he declared: “That day is coming when I shall wave the scepter of power over my enemies”
In one of her visions another thing that was revealed to her had to do with two members of the quorum of the Twelve. She declared that:
“Two amongst them had blacker hearts than the rest and I know who they are .. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball know it is so and dare not deny it..”
The interesting thing about her ominous and accusatory declaration directed at Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, is that Brigham and Heber were apparently the only two members of the quorum of the Twelve that Joseph had declined to ordain as high priests.
When William McLellin brought to the attention of Joseph Smith that Brigham and Heber had not been previously ordained High Priests like the other newly called apostles had been, Joseph declined to have them ordained.
Of course it is my contention that the fulness of the priesthood had been lost by 1835 when the quorum of the Twelve was called, and therefore in a sense it was a moot point, however, the prophetic narrative of the secret history of the church seems to indicate that Joseph was not immediately aware that the fulness had been lost by December of 1834. It appears as if it would be a few years later before he would be aware of this. Therefore, Joseph’s refusal to have Brigham and Heber ordained as High Priests when they were called to the apostleship in 1835 may be significant.
The official declaration from the Lord that the fulness of the priesthood had been lost would not come until section 124 given in 1841.
“For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.” D&C 124:28
As pointed out in the last post, Joseph intentionally took a vital passage out of the Book of Mormon in the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon. In my opinion, he did this for the same reason that he and Oliver did not tell the saints about the vision behind the veil and the secret ushering in of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham on April 3rd 1836. Joseph was obscuring the fact that the fulness of the gospel had been rejected by the Gentiles during his ministry.
“…If this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan..” BofC Chapter 4
Since it was not common knowledge in the church in 1835 that the fulness of the priesthood had been withdrawn, William McLellin voiced his concern to Joseph Smith that Brigham and Heber had not been ordained High Priests. He suggested that they be ordained High Priests so that they could fully function in their callings as Apostles but Joseph Smith declined to have Brigham and Heber ordained as High Priests.
This would created somewhat of an embarrassing situation for Brigham Young years later when he would wrest the leadership of the kingdom away from those who had been called and sustained to positions of authority and place himself above all of the quorums of the church including those who had been ordained high priests and who continued to maintain a quorum of High Priests.
In defense of his precarious situation Brigham Young would make the following claim after the saints arrived in Utah:
“Now will it cause some of you to marvel that I was not ordained a High Priest before I was ordained an Apostle? Brother Kimball and myself were never ordained High Priests. How wonderful! I was going to say how little some of the brethren understood the Priesthood, after the Twelve were called.
In our early career in this Church, on one occasion, in one of our Councils, we were telling about some of the Twelve wanting to ordain us High Priests, and what I said to brother Patten when he wanted to ordain me in York State: said I, brother Patten, wait until I can lift my hand to heaven and say, I have magnified the office of an Elder.
After our conversation was over in the Council, some of the brethren began to query, and said we ought to be ordained High Priests; at the same time I did not consider that an Apostle needed to be ordained a High Priest, an Elder, or a Teacher. I did not express my views on the subject, at that time, but thought I would hear what brother Joseph would say about it.
It was William E. McLellin who told Joseph, that I and Heber were not ordained High Priests, and wanted to know if it should not be done. Said Joseph, “Will you insult the Priesthood? Is that all the knowledge you have of the office of an Apostle? Do you not know that the man who receives the Apostleship, receives all the keys that ever were, or that can be, conferred upon mortal man? (The Temple Cornerstones—The Apostleship, &c A Sermon by President B. Young, Delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1853, at the General Conference. Reported by G. D. Watt.)
There is a wealth of evidence to challenge Brigham Youngs interpretation of what Joseph Smith was saying.
In my opinion, Joseph Smith was obviously deflecting the issue by speaking about priesthood keys. As pointed out in a previous post, a person can possess the key to enter a house without entering it. Possession of the key does not mean it has been used to open the house and enter therein. scripture informs us it was not Joseph Smith’s prerogative to choose who was ordained to be a High Priest. It had to be revealed to Joseph Smith from heaven.
It appears that the point Joseph was making to Brigham and others is that the priesthood keys of Abrahamic priesthood that had been restored by John the Baptist and the office of apostle within that order of priesthood that had been restored by Peter James and John contained the keys to unlocking the heavens upon faithfulness. Just because a person was ordained to be an apostle did not guarantee that the candidate would see the face of God. Faithfulness and sacrifice was requisite.
Once determined faithful by God, the directive was then sent to the Lord’s mouthpiece on earth to ordain someone a High Priest. Even then, there was no guarantee that the High Priest would see the face of God prior to obtaining the favor of Heaven through sacrifice and obedience.
Hence, Brigham and Heber needed to wait until God found them worthy to be ordained as High Priests. At that point, they would be called by the voice of God out of heaven through Joseph Smith to be High Priests.
We learn from the inspired version of the Bible that the calling to be a High Priest is not determined by man, rather it is determined by the voice of God out of heaven to his servant who is to be ordained to that highest priesthood office.
“And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will…” (JST Gen 14:29 (This pattern was upheld during the special conference at the Morley Farm. We learn from the events of the special conference at the Morley Farm that even though a person is called to the Melchizedek priesthood by the voice of God out of heaven, It is done through a prophet of God. Furtermore, God still has his anointed servants do a physical ordination. In section 36:2 we learn how God literally, but mystically, lays his hand on a person through the physical hand of his anointed servant during the ordination.)
In a revelation given to Joseph Smith and others who had been called by the voice of God to be High Priests we are informed that there is a great “wo” in store for those that have the opportunity to accept the fulness of the gospel and yet never ascend to the office of High Priest.
“And wo unto all those who come not unto this [Melchizedek] priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the heavens; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you.” (D&C 84:42)
A word search of the word “wo” will bring up numerous scriptures that explain what is instore for those that come not unto the Melchizedek Priesthood that Joseph and his associates had received, which was documented in section 84.
It is apparent that if Brigham’s recollection of Joseph’s response is accurate, (some 20 years after the fact) what Joseph was really saying to Brigham and Heber is that they have the patriarchal priesthood keys by which they may progress in faithfulness until God calls them to be High Priests.
Joseph Smith and the scriptures clearly teach that the Melchizedek office of High Priest holds greater power than the office of Apostle.
As previously noted, section 107 teaches that the office of High Priest “has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices” while the office of Apostle has limited authority unless the apostle is also a high priest. Prior to the calling of the quorum of the Twelve in 1835, the Lord had revealed to some of the first laborers of the last kingdom had indeed become both high priests AND apostles:
Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.
And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends; (D&C 84:62-63)
Of course the above declaration was given during the revelatory sweetspot when the fulness of the gospel was on the earth, before the saints had collectively rejected the fulness. In that revelation the Lord detailed the full priesthood commission that would ultimately be fulfilled during the third watch.
The commission given at that time, when the fulness was on the earth was much greater than the limited commission that the quorum of the Twelve would later be given in section 118 after the fulness had been rejected.
Notice the amazing commission that the Apostle-High Priests spoken of in section 84 will fulfill during the Marvelous Work and a Wonder in the 3rd Watch:
64 Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost.
65 And these signs shall follow them that believe—
66 In my name they shall do many wonderful works;
67 In my name they shall cast out devils;
68 In my name they shall heal the sick;
69 In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
70 And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
71 And if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them;
72 And the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.
73 But a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation.
74 Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who believe not on your words, and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall not come into my Father’s kingdom where my Father and I am.
Compare the above priesthood commission to the limited commission given to Brigham Young and the Twelve several years later as contained in section 118:
And next spring let them depart to go over the great waters, and there promulgate my gospel, the fulness thereof, and bear record of my name. (D&C 118:4)
Notice that in section 118 given in July of 1838 the commission given to the condemned and unconverted quorum of the Twelve said nothing about the reception of the Holy Ghost accompanying their ministry or the seven spiritual signs that follow those that believe when the fulness is on the earth in power.
There is a clear differentiation between the priesthood commission of the High Priest- Apostles mentioned in section 84 in 1832, when the fulness of the gospel was on the earth, vs. the limited commission of the patriarchal apostleship mentioned in section 118, given in 1838.
Section 107 informs us that:
“The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church—
To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. (D&C 107:18-19)
Furthermore, contrary to the teachings of Brigham Young, Joseph Smith taught that Melchizedek Priesthood represented a greater power than that of an apostle who had not been ordained a High Priest:
“That of Melchizedek who had still greater power even power of an endless life of which was our Lord Jesus Christ which also Abraham obtained by the offering of his son Isaac which was not the power of a Prophet nor apostle nor patriarch only, but of King & Priest to God to open the windows of heaven and pour out the peace & Law of endless Life to man &No man can attain to the Joint heirship with Jesus Christ with out being administered to by one having the same power and authority of Melchizedek.” Words of Joseph Smith 245
It should be noted that the power to hold the spiritual blessings of the church and to receive the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and commune with the church of the firstborn and enjoy communion with the Father is greater than the power to command the elements like Enoch did. Enoch clearly enjoyed the above spiritual blessings. He clearly communed with God and held all of the spiritual powers noted in section 107. The power to command the elements comes from and is subordinate to the above relationship with God and associated spiritual powers.
False Prophets Preach False Doctrine
The interesting thing about Brigham Young’s false teaching that the patriarchal apostleship is equal to or greater than the Melchizedek office of High Priest, is that virtually all of the false prophets that have risen up in the church during the last four generations, claiming to be the “one mighty and strong” or the “Davidic Servant”, or the “servant” spoken of by Isaiah that begins the last work, etc., have continued to teach the heretical gospel of Brigham Young. They all teach that section 132 is a true revelation and promote the heretical doctrine of celestial polygamy. They also promote the false notion that the Patriarchal Priesthood is greater than the Melchizedek Priesthood.
In fulfillment of Christ’s warning to us in the 24th chapter of Matthew about the rising up of false prophets during the end times, there are several that have emerged in recent times. The one thing that they all have in common is that they all teach many of the heresies of Brigham Young. There is even one that denies revelation, suggesting that section 110 is a false revelation. He has now publicly declared through the testimony of one of his disciples that the Lord has set his hand a second time to restore the truth through him.
Some of these false prophets, in their attempt to justify their elevation of Abraham’s power to the highest position of priesthood, reject or blatantly misinterpret and reinterpret what Joseph Smith taught in his Nauvoo Discourse on the three orders of priesthood. They claim that Joseph Smith did not rank the three priesthoods in a specific order
Nevertheless, there are five independent journal entries from people that witnessed the discourse that all clearly identify the Melchizedek Priesthood as the highest priesthood and four of them clearly list the three orders of priesthood in the exact same order. All four of these dairies are in agreement about the order of the three priesthoods spoken of.
Here is what the Burgess Notebook entry says:
“Paul is here treating of three different priesthoods, namely the priesthood of Aron, Abraham, and Melchizedek, Abraham’s priesthood was of greater power than Levi’s and Melchizedek’s was of greater power than that of Abraham…”
All of the other three entries that list the order of the three priesthoods are consistent with the above declaration.
You cannot get more specific than that in clarifying that the Melchizedek Priesthood is the highest priesthood and that it is higher than the priesthood of Abraham. All five of the independent diaries clearly testify that the Melchizedek priesthood is the highest. Of those four entries that list the order, three of them list the three orders from lowest to highest while the Smith Diary lists them from highest to lowest. But the order is consistent in showing the highest and lowest priesthoods.
There is absolutely no question about the fact that the Melchizedek Priesthood was the highest one spoken of by Joseph Smith.
Below I am providing snippets from all five journal entries. You can read them in full at the following link.
| Smith Diary | Franklin D Richards | Clayton Dairy | Burgess Notbook | Levi Richards Diary |
| Read 7th Hebrews….
I never have found the man who claimed the priesthood of Melchisidek…. 3 grand orders of priesthood referred to here. 2 1st. King of Shiloam–power & authority over that of Abraham holding the key & the power of endless life.–angels desire to look into it, but they have set up to many stakes. 3 god cursed the children of Israel because they would not receive the last law from Moses.– by the offering of Isaac.–if a man would attain–he must sacrifice all to attain to the keys of the kingdom of an endless life What was the power of Melchisedick twas not P. of Aaron &c. a king & a priest to the most high God. a perfect law of Theocracy holding keys of power & blessings… 2d Priesthood, patriarchal authority finish that temple and god Will fill it with power. 3d Priesthood. Levitical Priests made without an oath but the Priesthood of Melchisedek is by oath and covenant.
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There are 3 grand principles or orders of Priesthood portrayed in this chapter
1st Levitical which was never able to administer a Blessing but Only to bind heavy burdens which neither they nor their father able to bear Must have Ordinance to be with God 3d That of Melchisedec who had still greater power even power of an endless life of which was our Lord Jesus Christ which also Abraham obtained by the offering of his son Isaac which was not the power of a Prophet nor apostle nor Patriarch only but of King & Priest to God to open the windows of Heaven and pour out the peace & Law of endless Life to man & No man can attain to the Joint heirship with Jesus Christ with out being administered to by one having the same power & Authority of Melchisedec
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He spoke concerning the priesthood of Melchisedek shewing that the sectarians never proposed to have it consequently never could save any one and would all be damned together. He showed that the power of the Melchisek P’d was to have the power of an “endless lives.” he showed that the everlasting covenants could not be broken, and by the sacrifice requeired of Abraham the fact that when God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man and he refuses to receive it he will be damned.–mentioning the case of the Israelites praying that God would speak to Moses & not to Them– in consequense of which he cursed them with a carnal law | Paul is here treating of three different preisthoods, namely the preisthood of Aron, Abraham, and Melchizedeck, Abraham’s preisthood was of greater power than Levi’s and Melchizedeck’s was of greater power than that of Abraham. | J. Smith who afterwards preached from Hebrews 7 upon the priesthood Aaronic, Patriarchal, & Melchisedek. |
To suggest that no specific order was given and that the journal notes are vague and not definitive on this issue is simply not true and the claim appears to be made with the hope that the reader is functioning without a brain.
Furthermore, the scriptures and other teachings of Joseph Smith all bear a collective witness of the truthfulness of what Joseph Smith clearly taught in that discourse. Indeed, Section 107 is completely consistent with the three orders contained in the Nauvoo Discourse.
The three orders given in the Nauvoo discourse, consisting of Melchizedek, Patriarchal (Priesthood Keys of held by Aaron) and Levitical, mirror the two orders given in section 107 wherein the highest order of Melchizedek is followed by the second order of Aaron (Abrahamic Priesthood) which contains the third order of Levitical:
THERE are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.
In the above passage, the third order of priesthood is simply described as being contained in the second order.
It is truly amazing that the false doctrines of Brigham Young keep resurfacing each time a new self proclaimed leader emerges.
Thankfully, an understanding of the correct context of church history and doctrine through a prophetic lens can provide additional clarity. without this clarity given by the prophetic lens, many historical and doctrinal issues are difficult to understand. Once a person begins to understand the prophetic narrative behind the strange events and ultimate apostasy that took place during Joseph’s ministry, it becomes easier to understand the true context of the historical events and it is easier to detect the false teachings of the false prophets that are currently going forth in the land. Obviously, the most important keys in discerning truth have to do with treasuring up the word of God and taking the Holy Ghost as ones guide.
According to Revelation, the Quorum of the Twelve were Condemned and Not Converted
The calling of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835 was preparatory to the fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy in 3rd Nephi 16. Shortly after the Twelve were called, the Lord would give a revelation in 1835 declaring that they were all under condemnation.
Following that, the Lord would declare that none of the Twelve were converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ (section 112).
A year later, after more members of the quorum, including the president of the quorum, had apostatised from the church, while the Twelve were still unconverted and under condemnation, the Lord would commission them to take the message of the gospel to the House of Israel.
Finally, during the Nauvoo era, the Latter day saints would be “rejected as a church with their dead” and yet they were established as a tribal kingdom.
To this very day, the condemned and unconverted quorum of the Twelve hold the lesser priesthood commission from God to take the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel to the House of Israel. This is why the modern corporate church has been unexcelled in publishing the Book of Mormon and taking it to the world.
Praise God for the mercy and long suffering which he displays.
Dear God almighty please return thy servants soon that the believing among the Gentiles might repent of their iniquity and receive the greater things that have been withheld from the Book of Mormon.
Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.
Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.
And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh. (Ether 4:4-8
Below is a listing of the original members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Note that virtually everyone of them except Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball (with the possible exception of John Boynton) had been ordained high priests long before they were called to be apostles during the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham:
Lyman E. Johnson, Ordained an elder and then a high priest within a month of September 12, 1831
Brigham Young Never ordained a high priest
Heber C. Kimball Never ordained a high priest
Orson Hyde, Ordained a high priest by Oliver Cowdery, 26 Oct. 1831.
David W. Patten, On September 2, 1832, he was ordained a high priest by Hyrum Smith.
Luke S. Johnson, ordained to the office of high priest by Joseph Smith on October 25
William E. M’Lellinn Ordained a high priest by Oliver Cowdery, 25 Oct. 1831
John F. Boynton ??????? could not document his ordination as a High Priest however the concern of M’lellin over Brigham and Heber and that fact that he did not include Boynton in his concerns, would indicate that Boynton was likely ordained a high priest.
William Smith Ordained a high priest, 21 June 1833
Parley P. Pratt ordained a High Priest June 6, 1831, by Lyman Wight
Thomas B. Marsh ordained a high priest in 1831
Orson Pratt ordained 2 May 1835 On February 2, 1832, he was ordained a High Priest by Sidney Rigdon
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Book of Mormon Geography
I noticed the folks over at Firm Foundation are having another conference. I have never been to one. I may attend this one. It has been nearly 30 years since I wrote A Mystical Look at the LDS Restoration Movement” and a few years since I did the blurb about Zarahemla.
The intellectuals over at MormonInterpreter are so insecure about their position regarding Book of Mormon geography that they are up to their shameful tactics again
Mormon Scholarship and Apologetics winning the Battle
Against Evangelical Scholarship and Apologetics?
Carl Mosser and Paul Owen are two evangelical scholars who are warning their fellow evangelical scholars that they are losing the battle against LDS scholarship. The article is really quite interesting and frightening. The thought that our highly educated scholars could actually use their worldly learning and sophistry to promote and justify occult temple worship and other heresies of modern day Mormonism is disconcerting.
Kerry: Rejection of Iran Deal Will Lead to U.S. Dollar Not Being the World’s Reserve Currency
Dow dropped over 350 points yesterday.
Dow futures heading south this morning.
CHINA – Shanghai Composite-4.27%
JAPAN – Nikkei-2.98%
FRANCE – CAC 40-3.23%
GERMANY – DAX-1.20%
HONG KONG – Hang Seng-1.54%
KINETIC RETALIATION
As America is sleeping, (according to prophecy we are sleepy, blind, and drunk) war with China has already started. A currency war has been going on and the latest devaluing of China’s currency was followed by a mysterious explosion in China that many are claiming was a military response from the global Banksters in America
“On August 11, China’s central bank devalued its tightly controlled currency, causing its biggest one-day loss in two decades. Gerald Celente of Trends magazine appeared on Ground Zero to announce that China has been rigging the game all along and that any kind of devaluing of currency or stocks or an economic sputter in China could plunge the United States economy as well.
The Chinese devalued their currency stating that the change would help drive the currency toward more market-driven movements. The move also signaled the government’s growing worry about slow growth.
In the past, we have seen the rigging of the system by the world’s flawed and fraudulent banking system at the expense of entire populations. Bank manipulations and money devaluing have sent economies into the bowels of hell, and poverty has been known to spark wars, fully funded by the banking systems that launder the money for criminal regimes.
A day later a terrible disaster struck China...” Read entire article here and another one here
Urgent Message from Jonathan Cahn
IT’S 460 AD IN ROME: THIS WON’T BE FIXED
Another American election cycle is upon us, and large numbers of people are lining up to pour their time and money into the sewer of politics, to be lost forever.
This system will not be fixed. Period. This is Rome in 460 AD. The rulers, as in Rome, are liars, mad, or drunk (these days, drugged)… or all three.
The “fall of Rome,” of course, was far more… Read the whole article
What Progressive Mormons Want with Julienna Viegas-Haws
John Dehlin’s latest interviewee calls herself a progressive. In an article in the SL Tribune, she provides the following ten things that she thinks progressives want in an ever changing church
1. Increase gender equality
2. Apologize for the racist past and mistreatment of LGBT members
3. Accept married gay couples at all levels
4. Permit members to openly question the authority, teachings and decisions of LDS Church leadership
5. Provide financial transparency in the use of tithes
6. Address the mistakes of polygamy and de-canonize Doctrine & Covenants 132
7. Teach the truth and troubling facts of church history (specifically surrounding Joseph Smith)
8. Speak openly of Heavenly Mother
9. Use tithes and offerings more to help the poor and needy and less on capital projects (temples, churches, commercial buildings, etc.)
10. Stop excommunicating people for openly questioning or expressing doubts
Number six is what caught my eye. Some time ago I stated in a comment on the MormonInterpreter that the Church needs to repent and de-canonize section 132. (because it contradicts the law of the gospel in section 42 and because it is a revelation from hell) I didn’t think anyone would take my comment seriously, however, I am beginning to see this theme being picked up in social media repeatedly. I LOVE IT! (of course the progressives want it removed for different reasons than I, but that is ok as long as it is removed)
Three Passages about Eve’s Transgression that are all Congruent?
In the New Testament as Paul was teaching the saints about the order that was to be adhered to in the church, he noted that it was Eve that sinned, not Adam:
“9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
” 1 Timothy 2:9-15
The Book of Moses
The Book of Moses narrative characterizes the transgression as being a joint transgression and puts a positive spin on Eve’s transgression. Fittingly it is Eve that has the ah ha about the reason transgression needed to take place and the part she and Adam jointly played in the transgression in the garden:
10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
12 And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.
One could argue that Eve sinned first, forcing Adam to sin in an attempt to stay with Eve and obey other commandments that required them to be together, however, there is another way to interpret what is being said. Adam my have been referring to the sin of Eve as HIS own personal sin.
There is a passage of scripture in modern revelation that I think is very revealing and perhaps even more blatant with regard to how God views ADAM. It is found in section 29
34 Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.
35 Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual.
36 And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency;
37 And they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels;
38 And, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell.
39 And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet—
40 Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation.
41 Wherefore, I, the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked when I shall say: Depart, ye cursed.
42 But, behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I, the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son.
Did you notice what the Lord said about Eve in the above narrative?
NOTHING!
Was Eve’s participation so insignificant that no mention of her was necessary?
According to the above narrative by God himself, it was Adam that was tempted by the devil, and partook of the fruit and sinned and got kicked out of the garden. Eve is not even mentioned..
..or is she?
Is it possible that God views Adam and Eve jointly as ADAM?
“In the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them, and called THEIR name ADAM, in the day when they were created and became living souls in the land upon the footstool of God.”
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Insightful Profundities
There have been some really good articles written lately. One is about the Alma 39 and the sin second only to Murder. You can read it on Tim Malones site http://latterdaycommentary.com/2015/07/28/most-abominable-above-all-sins/
It has some commonality with the article that Michael Ash wrote for Sunstone years ago but also has some significant variations https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/143-34-43.pdf
Another article that is a very well thought out and documented by an attorney who is apparently a member of the church, develops the historicity of how the determination of “official doctrine” has been altered. It is found on rational faiths http://rationalfaiths.com/is-the-lds-church-in-apostasy/
Related to that topic, although my friends over the Mormon Interpretor often block my comments, every once in a while they surprise me and let some through. This one relates to the topic addressed in the above rational faiths article.
http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/sustaining-the-brethren/#comment-15804
(I have noticed however that when they allow a comment, they usually go back after a few months and delete it.. they have done that several times… LOL)
Lastly, for those who suffer from addition or have friends that suffer from addition, this is a must read
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6506936?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063
Chemical imbalances
Do you have a chemical Imbalance? Only if you are taking pharmicudical drugs
I was really impressed with this guy
The Voice of Warning and Warning Voices
The the final authoritative voice of warning will go forth when God’s servants return to His vineyard.
That warning voice would be going forth right now if the true church of God was on the earth.
Even the apostate church would be sounding the voice of warning right now if their “prophets” had any inspiration and would grow some goners. It baffles me that we need to rely on scientists, rock stars, and protestant prophecy scholars for what little warning we are getting right now.
Marital Gender Role Issues
If you are having gender role issues in your marriage you might enjoy listening to this interview with one of my favorite philosophers- Russell Means (and his soul-mate)
I am really sad that Russell has passed away. Below is a great video he did where he informs us that Americans are the new Indian.
Timeline Graphic
The time line graphic that I am using for the youtube series has been corrected and I have sent it to those who requested it. If you requested it and did not get it or would like to request it, please email at onewhoiswatching@gmail.com
The 3rd Watch Marvelous Work
I have recently come upon an amazing website by a guy that also believes in the doctrine of the three watches. He has done an incredible amount of research and he postulates when the various events of the third watch will take place. To me that is an important aspect of the spirit of watching.
He does not profess to be a prophet and he acknowledges that his projections are conjecture and speculation. In my opinion, pondering these things is an important part of the spirit of watching.
enjoy
http://the3rdwatchmarvelouswork.com/
The Prophet Worship link to Breaking the Law
Many of the great Old Testament Prophets looked forward to the amazing events that took place in Kirtland Ohio and Nauvoo Illinois and the LDS restoration movement.
They were aghast at what they saw.
Some of the Old Testament events and prophecies relating to the casting away of the law of God are typological to the LDS restoration movement while others are prophetically referring directly to it.
A reoccurring prophetic theme that they all spoke about was that God’s people would break the LAW of GOD.
In my opinion, Isaiah 5 is a literal prophetic exposé on the events that would take place in Kirtland Ohio. When shone these events, Isaiah exclaims ” they have cast away the LAW of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” He observes that “… the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them..” but provides that message of hope: “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”
Praise God that he still labors with us after we have rejected his law!
In chapter 24 Isaiah explains why the curse will devour the earth
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the LAWS, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.”
We know that the curse was delayed because of the return of Elijah with the priesthood in 1829 and the keys of an ancient dispensation delivered by Father Abraham in 1836 which made possible an intercessory offering by a latter day High Priest. One of the responsibilities of the Old Testament high priests was to annually enter into the holy of holies and offer up an offering in behalf of the sins of Israel. This annual offering was typological of the great last offering of Christ, but it was also typological of the intercessory offering of a Davidic Servant living in the last days that would offer an intercession like Moses did anciently.
The intercessory offering that Joseph Smith and his associates made delayed the curse that is now beginning to go forth again in the earth four generations later.
In Chapter 30 of Isaiah, it is commanded that prophetic notes be written in a book about and for the benefit of future generations.
“Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the LAW of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.”
Isaiah 42 prophesies about the return of the Lords servant of the final dispensation, Joseph Smith.
“I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.”
Realizing that Joseph’s ministry would be a two part ministry and that the first part would appear as a failure with regard to firmly establishing the law and gathering Israel the Lord proclaims that Joseph’s work will not be finished until he has completed his assignment and set judgment in the earth:
” He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his LAW.”
The reason Joseph needs to return with the LAW is because we have rejected it.
The Lord reminds us that the Davidic servant who made an intercessory covenant with the Lord in behalf of apostate Israel was called in righteousness and was given as a covenant and that in the darkest time of the storm he will triumphantly come forth and open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners from the prison:
“I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
verse 19 in the King James says ” Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’s servant?”
It is corrected in the JST
” For I will send my servant unto you who are blind; yea, a messenger to open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf”
Who are the blind and deaf?
That would be us.
It is the latter day saints who have rejected the LAW
It is the latter day Saints who became famous for living celestial polygamy after the Lord had the saints flee to the Ohio so that they could escape from the enemy who was combined, by recieving the LAW of God.
What was the LAW that was given that would protect the saints from the enemy?
Was it the celestrial law of polygamy?
apparently not.
Of course the law that was given to the Latter day Saints is clearly documented and canonized in Section 42 for all the world to see. The law of God that was given contains the law of consecration and the law of marital marital monogamy.
Of course the latter day saints eventually rejected the law of Monogomy but Isaiah informs us that when Joseph returns ” he will magnify the LAW, and make it honourable.” once again.
You see, the current corporate church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is a polygamous church RIGHT NOW. They have never repented of their polygamist past. They continue to have section 132 sustained in their canon of scripture and they continue to seal multiple wives to men for eternity. The Church has not and will not admit that they are still a polygamist cult and that they have departed from the LAW of God.
Jeremiah asks the question, were God’s people ashamed of themselves when they committed the abomination of polygamy?
“Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my LAW, but rejected it.
The amazing thing about what has happened to the latter day saints as they rejected the law of God that was given to them is that they were only doing what ancient Israel had done in the past. Reading about ancient Israel’s rejection of the law is like reading about the events that took place in Nauvoo.
Notice the following passage in Ezekiel:
“And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.”
Those are literal narratives that actually took place in Nauvoo!
Willard Richards nailed down the windows, and fired off his revolver in the street after dark, and commenced living with Mrs. Nancy Marinda Hyde, in the rooms we had vacated in the printing office building, where they lived through the winter. The Return 2 (October 1890): 346–47
A few passages later we are informed that it was the violation of the law by the priests that was associated with the fall of God’s people:
“Her priests have violated my LAW, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them…”
“The priests are involved in the shedding of blood and of dishonest gain:”
“Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.”
Ezekiel associates all of this with the use untempered morter:
“And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.”
It is probably just a coincidence that the foundation and walls of the Salt Lake Temple had to be rebuild after being laid because of the use of untempered mortar.
Hosea looked upon the great controversy that would take place during the Latter day restoration movement beginning in Kirtland and ending during the dark days of Nauvoo. He notes the “swearing” that took place in secret danite and masonic oaths and the secret lying and murders and committing of adultery that ensued:
“HEAR the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood”.
He attibutes the destruction of the saints to the fact that they rejected knowledge by rejecting the law that had been given
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the LAW of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.”
The keyword “reject” in the above prophecy is significant. Hosea informs us that God’s people rejected knowledge therefore God rejected them. The narrative in Kirtland is that the saints REJECTED the fulness of the Gospel and because they did not reform and repent after being given the chance, the Lord REJECTED the latter day saints as a Church with their dead.
Moving forward to chapter 8 the prophetic historian Hosea who was telling about things in the past that were typological of the future, notes that the latter day saints have transgressed the covenant and the law and because they cast off the thing that was good the enemy will chase them away from Nauvoo just as he chased them out of Kirtland, Jackson and Far West.
“SET the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.”
A few passages later we are told why all of this happened to the children of Ephraim:
“I have written to him the great things of my LAW, but they were counted as a strange thing.”
If you read the writings of Brigham Young and the Pratts and others of the Utah apostles defending the practice of polygamy and mocking the silliness and folly of monogamy, during the administration of Brigham Young you will have an increased appreciation for the above declaration. The Utah saints really did consider the law of monogamy to be a strange thing.
Amos documents the same problem among God’s people. They despised the law:
“Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the LAW of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked”
Zephaniah has a few choice things to say about the treacherous priests that have done violence to the law
“WOE to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.”
Malachi notes that Joseph Smith was given the covenant of life and peace in the first part of his ministry as he administered the true law of God and brought forth section 42
“My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
The LAW of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”
Sadly the happy narrative takes a dark turn and provides a message of doom as the the true latter day servant departs out of the way and causes the Lords people to stumble
“But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.”
How many people were caused to stumble at the law when a new secret celestial marital law was introduced?
To be partical in the law is to pick and choose which parts of the law you want to live.
After being given the law in section 42, the saints were unable to continue living consecration. It was just too hard. The Lord warned that he would withdraw his spirit from the saints if they departed from his law. Once the spirit begins to be withdrawn from a people, a veil of darkness descends and they are turned over to Satan and to seducing spirits. They are no longer able to discern “sound doctrine”.
Paul saw the latter day saints and prophesied that they would not be able to endure “sound doctrine”
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Because the latter day saints rejected the law, their religion is now built upon fables.
It only makes sense that after the saints broke the law of consecration, they eventually began practicing the depraved and damning law of polygamy.
The latter day narrative shows us that there is a direct link between prophet worship and breaking the law of the gospel.
When God decides to deliver his people over to Satan he sometimes uses His prophet to do it.
God’s idolatrous apostate people usually turn to prophet worship once they loose the light. This is what enables people to rationalize breaking the true law that God has established.
It is doubtful that many of the saints in Nauvoo would have begun departing from the celestial marital law of monogamy on their own. They needed the sanction of their prophet to make the rationalization.
They did not think to weigh the words of the prophet against the law of God because to them, whatever the current prophet says is the law of God.
But what is the process by which God has his prophet turn the people over the God?
I would suggest that Ezekiel 14 provides the narrative by which the Saints are turned over to God through the Lords prophet.
In that chapter we are informed that the process begins by the elders of Israel coming before the Lord’s prophet with idolatrous hearts. They ask a question that they should not be asking. They ask a question based on their impure hearts.
In this situation the Lord commands his prophet to give an answer based on the impure question.
This is how the Lord delivers His idolatrous people over to Satan.
Section 132 is really quite remarkable because it begins by asking an improper and idolatrous question.
It asks a question that had already been answered in the Book of Mormon
The revelation begins:
VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines—Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter.
It is highly unlikely that Joseph Smith was asking that question on his own behalf because the Lord had already revealed through him that David and Solomon were NOT Justified in their practice of polygamy as the above question claims.
“But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.”
It is therefore not unreasonable to assume that the petition upon which the revelation in section 132 was given was being asked by one of the elders of Israel other than Joseph Smith. Joseph was simply asking the question in behalf of that elder.
Joseph may have been winking at the Lord while doing so, realizing the question was inappropriate, or he may have been prepared by the angel with the sword to depart from the LAW of God.
The question is, what would cause one of the elders of Israel to ask Joseph to petition the Lord based on a question that had already been answer in the Book of Mormon.
It would appear as if the petitioning elder either had not read the Book of Mormon or they were taking it lightly.
Brigham Young, in my opinion, is a possible example of someone that did not read the Book of Mormon and who seemed to take the Book of Mormon very lighly. After reading virtually every sermon by him that is available, I was struck by the fact that he rarely made reference to it and virtually never gave sermons using it.
Of course I am not saying that Brigham Young is the person that asked Joseph Smith to petition the Lord with the question upon which section 132 was based.
But what would motivate someone to approach Joseph Smith with the question in the first place?
It is interesting to note that Brigham Young claimed to have had a personal revelation on polygamy before Joseph did:
“While we were in England, (in 1839 and 40), I think the Lord manifested to me by vision and his Spirit things [concerning polygamy] that I did not then understand. I never opened my mouth to any one concerning them, until I returned to Nauvoo; Joseph had never mentioned this; there had never been a thought of it in the Church that I ever knew anything about at that time, but I had this for myself, and I kept it to myself. And when I returned home, and Joseph revealed those things to me, then I understood the reflections that were upon my mind while in England. But this (communication with Joseph on the subject) was not until after I had told him what I understood—this was in 1841. The revelation [Section 132 in the Utah Doctrine and Covenants] was given in 1843, but the doctrine was revealed before this.; (The Messenger of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1 [June 1875]: 29; Deseret News, July 1, 1874)
Notice that Brigham Young says that Joseph did not reveal the revelation on polygamy to Brigham Young and the church until AFTER Brigham Young told Joseph that the doctrine of polygamy had already been revealed to himself (Brigham Young).
Again, I am not claiming that Brigham Young is the culprit that asked Joseph to ask the idolatrous question upon which section 132 was predicated. It could have been anyone of the apostles or anyone else in the church.
I am simply speculating on how this process took place in which the revelation from hell was produced. In doing so, I am showing that there were leaders of the church that appear to have taken the Book of Mormon lightly and that had claimed personal revelation regarding polygamy BEFORE Joseph produced a revelation on it.
Nevertheless, it is the principle of prophet worship that empowers the larger body of saints to depart from the law of God
We need to beware of those that put Joseph Smith on the pedestal of infallibility and claim that he was not capable of ever teaching or doing anything seriously contrary to the law of God.
There is a popular author and blogger that keeps reminding people that Joseph Smith was God’s anointed servant and the he was always being falsely blamed for doing things he should not have done. He always seems to be harping on the “false claims against Joseph Smith”.
It is because of this mentality and the principle of prophet worship that people get sucked into the spiritual wife- celestial wife doctrine.
Virtually every fundamentalist fringe group that breaks away from the church practices polygamy because they worship Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as being infallible and therefore they accept section 132 as a true revelation that trumps the LAW of God given in Section 42. . This is how they justify departing from the LAW that God has given us in Section 42 in favor of a revelation from hell.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
There is an interesting snippet of scripture found in the New Testament in both Matthew and Luke that speaks about the fact that the time will come when everything that has been spoken in secrecy will be revealed.
” for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, preach ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops[1].
The general theme, even including the use of the word “housetops” is continued in the Book of Mormon:
“I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops—”[2]
Finally, another variation of the concept shows up in modern revelation in relation to the events of the last days when the servants go forth warning the inhabitants of the earth for the last time
“And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.”[3]
the interesting thing about this “house-tops” keyword thread in the scriptures is that it appears to cut both ways with regard to good secret information and bad secret information.
In other words, it appears that many secrets that God has shared with his elect in the past will someday be revealed to the world, perhaps to the condemnation of the wicked.
Conversely, the secrets of the wicked will also be revealed upon the roof tops.
Some people interpret the roof tops characterization in these prophetic passages of scripture to be referring to modern day communication technology such as TV antennas, satellite dishes, Internet routers, etc. They feel that it is through such technology that these secrets are made available to the masses.
Frankly, I think the ultimate and literal fulfillment of those prophecies are still future, taking place in the 3rd watch, after the Marvelous Work begins.
Nevertheless, I think that a type and shaddow is in play right now and I do see the general concept being applicable to what we have seen within the last several decades and particularly within the last several years. It is amazing how many things are coming to light. Much of this is made possible through technology in general and the the advent of the Internet.
The truth is that very few things are kept secret anymore for a multitude of reasons and once they are revealed, they often travel like wildfire.
The LDS church is currently experiencing a huge challenge with regard to the veracity of their truth claims because the Internet has made access to information and the sharing of information to the average person so quick and easy. The result is that tens of thousands of people are experiencing a crisis of faith. The Internet has been a game changer for many Mormons
TED
I enjoy watching TED presentations from time to time because there really are many ideas worth sharing and now through technology they can be brought to light and countless people can hear these ideas very quickly. A few weeks ago I was intrigued to see that a presentation done by Monica Lewinsky. I couldn’t help but begin watching and once I began watching I couldn’t turn the presentation off.
Video seen here http://www.ted.com/talks/monica_lewinsky_the_price_of_shame?language=en
I confess that my perception of this individual was not very good, partly because of how she was portrayed in the media. As I was listening to the experience that she shared and how she spent a portion of her life wanting to commit suicide because of how the media had revealed her secret acts with President Clinton and forever destroyed her reputation, I began feeling great empathy for her and the situation she got caught up in.
I am not justifying her actions nor do I think it is my responsibility to judge her as a person. The way she conducts her own life and her relationship with God is her business not mine. What got me about the presentation had to do with the topic of compassion and how the viral transmission of information can have such a huge, and in some cases, devastating impact on people lives.
It got me thinking about how my blog plays into the transfer of information and what my motivations are in making information available. I admit that I do promote information that is embarrassing to the modern corporate church and in some instances about individual personalities.
I do so because I believe it is the time for much of this information to come to light.
I feel compelled to provide much needed context to those that are searching and trying to make sense out of things. Nevertheless the TED video caused me to re-evaluate my deepest motivations. Do I get joy out of embarrassing people or am I sincerely motivated by the desire to push for transparency and truth in history and doctrine?
Do I make available controversial things about General Authorities because I am angry about the current situation with the apostate church and feel betrayed, and therefore want to embarrass them and make them squirm or do I sincerely want to bring to light, things that have been hidden in darkness and obscurity to help those that are looking for answers?
I hope my desire is to help those that are searching to find the answers they are looking for. Every piece of the puzzle that is found and put in place makes it that much easier to find and place other pieces of the puzzle. I believe that is what is happening now. The appointed time for God to take the partial blindness off of Israel is quickly approaching.
The Lord has promised that blindness in part will be upon Israel UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles:
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom 11:25)
Section 45 also assures us that the light is about to break forth during the last generation when the times of the Gentiles comes in again. I feel we are extremely close to that event and that is why God is beginning to bring hidden acts of darkness to light and perhaps beginning to take the blindness off of his elect.
“And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.
And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (D&C 45:28-30)
It is amazing to me how God seems to be slowly taking blindness off of those that that have contracted the spirit of watching.
Little by little information that has previously been kept hidden is coming to light.
I remember years ago wondering how Neal A Maxwell found his way into the leading quorums of the church since he was not a descendant of the Nauvoo saints. His parents were converts to the church. It was extremely unusual for someone without the “divine Nauvoo pedigree” to be elevated to the apostleship.
Sometime after that, it was brought to my attention that he had worked for the CIA and that he and the Church had tried to hide that bit of his work history by simply stating that he had “worked for the government“. Below is a snippet on Wiki which also reflects his bio on the church website.
“From 1952 to 1956, he worked in Washington D.C., first for the US government and then as an assistant to Senator Wallace F. Bennett.”
That piece of the puzzle led to other pieces of the puzzle linking the very close connections between the combination that has infiltrated the church and the combination that has infiltrated the government.
Going Viral
It is interesting how some information goes viral and other information does not.
Of course anything can go viral if it is juicy and controversial enough, even without the help of digital media and social networking platforms.
Even before the Internet was invented, controversial things would find their way into the public domain.
I learned an amazing marketing lesson from Bruce R. McConkie back in the 80’s. He taught me that if you want something controversial to go viral, simply write a letter to someone, then make a few copies and stamp “DO NOT REPRODUCE” on them, and give them to a few of your trusted associates at the church office building.
Before long everyone will have the opportunity to read it.
In that particular case, there were many people that got and read the letter even before it reached Eugene England, the person that it was addressed to.
Page one of the letter began with:
“Dear Brother England, this may well be the most important letter you have or will ever receive”
How is that for an attention getter? Some of the Advertising giants on Madison Ave could have used his skills.
I think Brother McConkie may have missed out on his calling in life. He really should have been in marketing and advertising.
I have already blogged about the amazing content of the letter which is so important for people to be familiar with as they try to work their way through the Mormon Maze, so I will not beat that dead horse again, however the circumstance behind the exchange between Apostle McConkie and brother England is really quite a fascinating and important story as related by the daughter of Eugene England.
In the letter, McConkie explains why he is condescending to deviate from his usual protocol of blowing off nobodies, to write a personal letter to a lowly member of the church:
“I have now reached the conclusion that it would be wise for me to depart from usual custom and send you an answer to your letter. I do so out of respect for your parents, G. Eugene and Dora, and for your own personal well being..”
It is a good thing that McConkine knew Eugene’s parents. That is probably the only reason the time was taken to construct the letter.
The arrogant and condescending nature of that letter has shocked and entertained countless people.
The point I want to make about brother McConkie’s letter is that false doctrine has been a huge problem in the church not only from regular members of the church, but also from General Authorities, such as Brigham Young and Bruce R. McConkie. In the letter McConkie accurately accused Brigham Young of teaching false doctrine about the nature and character of God and said that he would have to answer to the Lord for such a monumental faux pau. McConkie himself would one day tell people to forget everything he (McConkie) had ever taught about blacks and the priesthood.
Another letter from a General Authority has just gone viral. This particular one is from Apostle Oaks to a gal that appears to be a Snufferite.
Although the letter was written quite a long time ago, she just released it. It appears that she has waited for a long time for the perfect oopportunity to let it go viral and the Boise Rescue created the perfect moment.
The content and condescending tone of the letter has some degree of similarity to McConkie’s letter to Eugene England. No Doubt, Oaks had seen the McConkie letter to England. Oaks had apparently learned well from the senior apostle how to conduct himself as an Apostle when communicating to lowly members of the church.
In the letter, Brother Oaks explains why he is condescending to write to a lowly member of the church:
“I write in response to your letter of May 15 2011, which I have given special attention because of my high regard for your parents..”
Wow, does that sound like the McConkie letter all over again?
I suspect the Apostle Oaks may well be very embarrassed and perhaps even sweating bullets about how he is viewed by the general public regarding his comments in Boise and how he responded to the Snufferite gal.
One of the take-aways I got from the two GA letters is that if you don’t have parents or a close friend that is known and well thought of by the General Authority that you are writing to, they are not going to waste their precious time patronizing peons. They may be the servant of all, but not everyone gets served the same way.
The content of the letter is not quite as juicy as the letter to Eugene England, but it is just as authoritarian, fear based and condescending. Again, hopefully my motivation in talking about these things is to bring hidden things to light in an effort to awake the sleeping virgins, not some morbid desire to embarrass people, even if some of them are dead.
The point of bringing up the TED presentation and the two letters from General Authorities is that we live in a time when communication goes viral quite easily and effectively, and information that might otherwise be kept somewhat contained is being revealed on the house-tops, so to speak.
Apostle Oaks once made an authoritative declaration that has now gone viral-
“It is wrong to criticize the leaders of the church, even if the criticism is true”
The Lord provides a protocol for excommunicating the president of the church and other authority figures, if they ever make grievous errors that are leading the church astray, however, since it is impossible to ever hold a disciplinary council on leaders without being somewhat critical of something they did or said, the Lord’s protocol could never be used, according to the divine council of Apostle Oaks.
Frankly, that statement of his should go viral. For someone in such a high position to make such a false and damning declaration is almost beyond belief.
The remarkable thing about that statement many years ago is that Oaks probably still believes what he said.
Those two letters, the declaration that general authorities should never be questioned even when wrong, and Lewinsky’s affair with President Clinton would have all remained somewhat private and confidential in an earlier time when TV, Radio, Newspapers and the Internet were not in existence.
Letters from General Authorities just seem to emerge into the court of public opinion even if it takes a few decades for them to be brought to light. Many years ago my cousin George Romney got a fascinating letter from Delbert Stapley regarding the topics of how Blacks should be treated-
http://thoughtsonthingsandstuff.com/george-romney-and-the-delbert-stapley-letter/
While that letter is quite revealing about the views of Delbert Stapley, I am curious to know if Romney responded to it and if so, I am still awaiting for someone to leak the response.. LOL
Regarding the Boise Rescue, I want to share another example of information going viral that would otherwise remain hidden.
Although many people have heard the recording of Apostle Oaks address in Boise, few people know what the circumstances behind the visit are. The Church PR department has told us one thing, however, the secret communication of an insider living in Boise tells quite another story.
Some very interesting context about the Boise Rescue event has now been released because one of the participants in a private chat forum on the Internet decided to leak the confidential information being shared.
As that content was being electronically shared from one person to another, it somehow ended up in my email box and I am now sharing it with you.
Here is what the participant in the private forum who lives in the Boise area had to say about why the fireside was held.
“Satan’s attack in Idaho/How to keep a ward safe
“Some have requested this information, hopefully many of you will benefit from it.
There is so much information here, that I don’t want to chase you away. I’ll try to keep it to what is really needed and facts.
I stated earlier that the “Boise Rescue” was called that by the apostates. In fact apostates attended this meeting and did a sneak recording of Elder Oaks and Brother Turley. They published the recording and of course the apostates had a hay day with negative and degrading comments.
These three stakes have had a very difficult time with members associating with apostates moving into many wards like a fast growing cancer. We were told that friends and family outside these three stakes were not invited to the fireside and please do not ask them to come with you. Bishops did know that the topic was going to be about church history and false prophets. However it was not publicized that way. Which was fine.
Elder Oaks and Brother Turly, handed the baton back and forth sharing and teaching how apostates at the time of the early church worked. Forged Signatures, telling lies and other sorts, noting that nothing has changed much.
My personal experience has been a very close friend how he started looking several months ago. We talked on the phone, emails, FB, and texting all the time. Each time I patiently heard him out and then would challenge his thinking. But my voice fell upon deaf ears. He has slowly come to the point that we do not have living prophets and apostles on the earth today. He now believes that President Monson has failed in his calling and that the church is under condemnation. Apostates use the same scriptures that you and i use to weave their web of lies. If I showed you the emails that he has sent me, it has been a very slight twist to the truth, which if you are not a student of the scriptures and have NOT the Holy Ghost with you, it looks really good. They prey on the weak, those who do not study and those who may not pray as they should, fall short.
I have had days of tears all day long, and spent much time upon my knees pleading with Heavenly Father to preserve this brother. But, he has his own choice, to choose right from wrong. Since we are not in the same ward anymore, I went to my bishop with this issue. He wrote me a very tender email and advised me to call his stake president. In which I did. The evidence is all over his FB account. My friend asked me to keep it quiet because he still wants the temple privileges, but the bishop is right, he should not have a recommend and it is possible there is other church action that needs to be done.
There are many people my friend likes, but I am not willing to share all the blogs that I have read. I DON’T want anyone to go to these blogs and lose their eternal reward. It is not worth it. No names means I am protecting you. Just know there are many….
I plead that you study the word, daily. That you pray daily. That you serve daily. That you ponder daily. That you seek the Holy Ghost, daily. Then you’ll be fine.
How to keep a ward safe.
Our story is similar to many others when it comes time to move. We searched, we pondered, we inquired and we listened and the end result is we landed where He wanted us to be. This particular ward, has had many, many members tell of this exact experience. The Lord has brought to this ward some very elite and strong testimony driven Latter Day Saints. I am not one to believe that the testimony I have is ALL MINE, it is on loan from Heavenly Father. The day will come when I will have a perfect knowledge. The Lord has done some mighty miracles in our family of nine (Started with 2 and now we are 33) and it is has caused some serious thinking and testimony building. This is not the place to get into that… however, we have felt honored and humbled to witness the miracle that is taking place in our ward.
Now the rest of the story. Our bishop took Elder Anderson’s challenge (Find it at LDS.org) for the youth to do family history search very seriously. Last October, (Before we moved into the ward, we moved in January of this year) he organized a Ward Family History Committee. That committee consisted of 2 adult family history consultants, (One for the YM and one for YW. He release the YW,YM presidents and put them as history consultants) the Bishopric, one young woman, who is 15 and one young man who is 15, the High Priest Group leader and they were looking for a couple to be the Family History Coordinators. (He was looking and praying for 4 months until he found them).
The committee met and decided that they would set a goal for the youth to find 500 names this year in 2015 to do baptisms for in the temple. 2 temple trips were scheduled and they anticipated of doing 250 names each trip. It was a very nice goal.
The first meeting was a combined YM/YW meeting with computers and passwords for all the youth in the ward. (By the way our ward is large, about 500 members) They began the meeting as usual, song, prayer, spiritual thought and then digging in on the computers. However, after 15-20 minutes no one had found any ancestors to take to the temple. One of the YOUTH leaders, stopped everyone from what they were doing, and explained that they needed to get upon their knees and plead with Heavenly Father for help. No adults interrupted but allowed the youth to do as what they felt they needed to do. So, they stopped, everyone got upon their knees and a prayer of pleading was offered. After the prayer, they began again, except this time, a name was found, then 2 then 3 and so on. That night 86 names were found. THE FIRE WAS NOW LIT.
The youth became so excited they could not contain themselves. They went home and did more research, they taught their parents, and their brothers and sisters. In February, they wanted to do a Ward Family History Search night. The committee organized it and the youth advertised it by telling the adults, they could find an ancestor with in 30 minutes of searching for anyone. The cultural hall was full as well as several other class rooms with families searching. It was youth teaching adults AND It has exploded.
The last count of names in the ward found……….”
There you have it. The secret scoop on the Boise Rescue. More hidden information being brought to light
Here are a few of my takeaways-
1- Influence of “Apostates” Growing Like a Cancer
“Apostates” are moving into the Boise area and influencing members of the church. The effects of this indoctrination are growing like a cancer. Apparently LDS inc was concerned enough to take drastic measures in sending an apostle to do damage control.
2- The way to keep the youth in the church during these troubled times is the temple!
It really is amazing how the temple does have a powerful impact on some people, particularly when they are young and impressionable. The Church is using the temple rituals and covenants to try and keep people blinded to the pure and simple gospel of Christ. Instead of focusing on a covenant with Christ, lets get the sheeple to make a covenant with hell. That should keep them in line.
3- The Church Attempted to Keep the Topic of the Meeting Secret
It was supposed to be a low key fireside that only individuals from three stakes were invited to.
Friends and relative from other stakes were not to be invited and the topic of the fireside address was not made known to anyone other than the local bishops, who were instructed to not let people know what the topic of the fireside was. This was done in an effort to keep the event low key and not attract the attention of any evil apostates
Somehow those precautions were supposed to keep this event under the radar. LOL
Don’t they realize that some of the Bishops are probably questioning the truth claims of the modern church and possibly even sympathetic to many of the fringe groups and bloggers?
Secret Recording
Somebody in the audience came prepared to secretly tape the meeting. That would indicate that either a Bishop was the whistleblower or a Bishop let the cat out of the bag about what the meeting was going to be about to others after being instructed not to.
Sending the recording to Mormonstories is tantamount to sending confidential information to the National Enquirer.
The truth is that there are 100 times more dissenters that are still active and in good standing in the church than there are dissenters that have openly gone public or been outed.
Did Apostle Oaks really think he could keep that damage control meeting a secret?
What can I say? All things must be revealed upon the house–tops!
The Brethren and Their Minions are Closet Fundamentalists
I am going to close this post with one last little secret that was revealed to me recently. I suspect that one day this information will be brought to light in a big way.
As you know, during the last few year in Nauvoo, Joseph Smith was publicly claiming that he was a monogamist while secretly taking on plural wives. What I am going to suggest to you is that such doublespeak and duplicity is taking place by people in high places in the LDS church right now, regarding the same topic.
I became appraised of this situation the other day when a reader of my blog forwarded an email to me that really surprised me. It was from a very high profile LDS apologist that has published many books on polygamy and fashions himself to be the worlds greatest expert on the topic. He was also used as a doctrinal and historical “consultant” by the church in drafting their new articles on polygamy that have been posted on the official church website.
I have recently heard the man speak about his books and I have had a few brief exchanges with him.
He appears to be very down to earth, honest and sincere. He also publicly presents his personal opinion that polygamy is something from the past that he hopes will not return. He acknowledges that it has brought unhappiness to everyone involved and that it has a devastating impact on the women that get involved with it. Nevertheless, I now think he is being somewhat disingenuous in his public persona.
The reason the email written by this apologist to a friend of mine surprised me, is because despite his public rhetoric, in the email, he claims that ALL of the passages of scripture in modern revelation that command the saints to live monogamy, are really not saying what they are saying!!!!
He obviously takes this view because he continues to accept the celestial polygamy doctrine that is taught in Section 132 as being essential in being exalted in the highest kingdom, even though he publicly denies that belief or at least skirts the issue.
In his email, he denies that section 42, 49, and the “Article on Marriage” that Brigham Young replaced with section 132 are really saying that monogamy is the Lord’s standard of marriage!
What? “Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else” is not revealing that God’s celestial marital law is monogamy?
What? “Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation” is not revealing that God’s celestial marital law is monogamy?
What? “Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.” is not revealing that God’s celestial marital law is monogamy?
That is right. According to this “scholar” the Lord was cryptically saying just the opposite of what He appears to be saying.
I am not going to show the content of his email at this time as this post has already gone too long and you would loose countless brain cells if you tried to comprehend his logic and reasoning. I simply want to point out that LDS general authorities and some of their apologists are presenting one thing in public while believing something quite different in secret.
I was utterly shocked at the level of sophistry and wresting of the scriptures employed in this apologist’s email. I was going to contact him and confront him on it and ask him how he could contradict the public declarations that the church has recently made on this most important issue in their essays on polygamy.
Before contacting him a little voice in my head said, ” you better go back and read those historical essays on polygamy again, perhaps they were not saying what you thought they were saying”, so I did. I went back and re-read the two essays on polygamy. And sure enough, they appear to be saying one thing, but if you pay attention to the wording, and particularly to the footnotes, it becomes apparent that a deception is in play.
One of the articles on the church website is called Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo
Here is what the opening declaration says:
Latter-day Saints believe that monogamy—the marriage of one man and one woman—is the Lord’s standing law of marriage.1
Notice that it does not say that monogamy is the Lord’s standing law of marriage, it says that “Latter-day Saints believe” that it is the Lord’s standard of Marriage!
Very clever.
Furthermore, a “standing law of marriage” could be referring to the masses, not the special elect that inherit a high kingdom.
Now, before I show you footnote #1 documenting the deceptively worded declaration, let me show you the five references that any scholar worth their salt would put in the footnote if they were going to prove that the Lord’s standard of marriage in the restored church is that of monogamy.
The first two passages would be from the New Testament showing that monogamy was God’s standard of marriage among the New Testament Saints:
1 Timothy 3:2 ” A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach..”
1 Tim 3:12 “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”
The above two passages are critical in substantiating the opening declaration because they demonstrate what the standard of marriage was in the New Testament Church.
Obviously, if New Testament Christianity was restored through Joseph Smith, it would include the same standard of monogamous marriage. In the New Testament the Bishop was the father of the congregation and a judge in Israel. The Deacons were to set am example and watch over the church. Both were to be examples and prototypes of how the gospel should be lived. Both had to only have one wife to qualify for their very important stewardship!
Ok… The next three passages of scripture that would be crucial in scripturally substantiating the opening statement that monogamy is God’s standard protocol of Marriage would be the three passages I have already made reference to. They are important in establishing the fact that the marital protocol of the fulness of the gospel that was had during New Testament times is the same as the marital protocol in the fulness of the Gospel that was restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith-
D&C 42:22 ” Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.”
D&C 49:16 “Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation..”
The Article on Marriage “Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.”
Ok. The word of God tells us that my the testimony of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Notice that God has given us five clear declarations in the Bible and Modern revelation detailing what the marital law of the gospel is.
Obviously there are a multiplicity of fantastic passages in the Book of Mormon that should also be included in the footnote as well, but those five passages from the Bible and D&C are absolutely critical in establishing the doctrinal veracity of the declaration that readers of the essay ASSUME the first declaration is saying. For the generation that Joseph lived in, the fulness of the gospel required monogamy and forbids polygamy!
It should be noted that if you back out a couple of revelations that Brigham Young canonized, there is not one shred of evidence in the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, or D&C, that the so-called “spiritual wife doctrine” or “celestial polygamy doctrine” is a true doctrine or that it is a requirement to obtain the highest kingdom of glory.
It is clearly an anomaly. It was an aberration that was invented during Joseph Smith’s ministry.
One of the unfortunate things about this issue is that scholars almost always neglect to differentiate between the doctrine of “Biblical Polygamy” vs “Celestial Polygamy”. They are not the same. Biblical Polygamy was a temporal based custom that was integrated into the Law of Moses after the Children of Israel rejected the higher law. It was a cursing to everyone that lived it.
Celestial Polygamy on the other hand is the doctrine that claims a man must have multiple wives sealed to him in order to obtain the highest salvation. That doctrine simply cannot be found in any of the standard works with the exception of Brigham Youngs canonization of section 132.
Are you ready to see what the footnote says?
Sit down and take a deep breath
You are not going to believe what these bastards well meaning but disingenuous shepherds have put in the footnotes.
Here they are:
You have got to be kidding me! One passage from the Book of Mormon and NOT ONE PASSAGE FROM THE BIBLE OR D&C!
Just a link to the proclamation to the world from the modern corporate leadership!
Why provide a passage from the Book of Mormon instead of the New Testament or D&C?
Because scholars and apologists can claim that the Book of Mormon folks lived under a different dispensation and therefore had different commandments from God. If passages from the New Testament and D&C are provided, it created a HUGE problem for the veracity of section 132.
Was it an oversight that they neglected to put the obvious scriptural references?
I can Guaran-DAM-tee that it was not an oversight. It was very calculated.
How about the other historical essay on polygamy that they posted on the official website. It is titled: Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah
Here is the opening statement:
“The Bible and the Book of Mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is God’s standard, except at specific periods when He has declared otherwise.1“
What?
The Bible and the Book of Mormon? Is it not at all relevant what the Lord has said to Joseph Smith’s generation about the proper standard of marriage?
Why no comment about what modern revelation in the D&C has to say about it?
Ok..
Here is what that footnote has to say documenting that the Bible and Book of Mormon teach that monogamy is God’s standard for marriage-
There it is again, the passage from the Book of Mormon. Then, instances of plural marriage in the Bible.
Where is the documentation for their declaration that the Bible teaches that monogamy is the standard of marriage?
Again, it become problematic if they provide evidence that the NT church of Christ that Joseph Smith was instrumental in restoring required monogamy as God’s standard of marriage under the New Covenant.
Is it an innocent oversight that in both of the opening statements in the two articles on polygamy, that not one of the five most important scriptural references is provided?
No!
This was very calculated by the group of men that huddled together to decide how they can appear to be saying one thing that will be politically correct in today’s religious environment within Mormonism, when in fact they believe just the opposite.
You see, if they would have provided the five critical references that I pointed out, demonstrating that indeed monogamy really is the Lord’s celestial standard of marriage, then it would expose the fact that section 132 is a revelation from hell.
All of this comes at a time when the possibility of the legalization of polygamy is very real.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Chapter 9
The Secret Re-establishment of the Davidic Dynasty
Reuniting of the Kingdom of Israel and The Kingdom of Judah
The Secret Reason for Polygamy
©OneWhoIsWatching
OneWhoIsWatching [@] Gmail dot com
During the nearly seven years that I have been blogging I have had several people ask me to explain who the Jews and Gentiles are in the scriptures and why it is relevant to the Latter day Saint restoration movement. They want to know why tribal lineage was important anciently and if it continues to be important in modern times. In this chapter I will briefly discuss this.
Many Protestants that claim to be Biblical Christians see absolutely no significance in tracing lineal descent because they are oblivious to, or simply don’t believe the doctrine of British Israelism[1]. They consider themselves to be Gentiles that do not originate from the House of Israel. Even many Mormons are oblivious to the fact that modern revelation is pregnant with the doctrine. My contention is that it is essential to understand this amazing doctrine in order to understand who we are and where we come from. Furthermore, it is essential to understand this in order to understand the events of end times prophecy. For this reason, we need to briefly address this topic.
It is really important to understand how and why the twelve tribes of Israel were split up as a kingdom after the death of Solomon and the prophecies that related to this historical event. Ancient prophets foretold the great mystery about how the divided kingdom would eventually be reunited by a descendant of King David, prior to the return of the Lord and the final establishment of Zion. I believe Joseph Smith is the Davidic Servant spoken of in prophecy and that he began the process of restoring the two houses of Israel and their fragmented branches during the second watch. This grafting together of the House of Israel into the Gentile church was prophesied of by Christ in 3 Nephi 16. Although Joseph began this grafting process in the 2nd watch, he will complete the process in the third watch. Interestingly, the following passage from the allegory in Jacob seems to have reference to the mystical reuniting of the fragmented kingdom.
“And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again into the natural tree; And the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the natural branches of the tree; and thus will I bring them together again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they shall be one.”[2]
Book of Mormon Terminology
The Book of Mormon people such as the Nephites and Lamanites are sometimes called “Jews”, and “House of Israel”. The term “Jew” in the scriptures is sometimes used in a broad sense, to generally refer to the “House of Israel” and other times it is used in a more limited sense, referring to the tribe of Judah or remnants of the ancient Kingdom of Judah.
Conversely, the Book of Mormon refers to the American pilgrims from England that settled in America and their descendents, including many of the American settlers that accepted the gospel at the time of Joseph Smith’s early ministry, as “Gentiles”.
What many Mormons don’t realize is that Christ makes reference to the LDS converts that would migrate to Nauvoo from the British Isles after the early Kirtland years, as the “House of Israel”, tribally differentiating them from the believing and unbelieving “gentiles” already located in America.
Few people catch that because they assume that the rejection of the Gospel by the Gentiles as prophesied by Christ in 3 Nephi 16, is referring to a period of time that is yet future. Some fundamentalists might contend that the rejection of the fulness of the gospel took place at the turn of the century when the church began rejecting the practice of polygamy and other heretical doctrines taught by Brigham Young.
Other fringe groups contend that we have seen this event take place more recently or that it is still a future event. Nevertheless, it is clearly documented in several chapters of this book, that the fulness was offered and rejected to the newly restored gentile church between 1831-1834.
Prior to the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 the restored church was primarily composed of “Gentiles”. After the second great apostasy in Kirtland, many of the gentiles of the restored church defected from the church. Shortly after that, Joseph Smith announced that “something new must be done for the salvation of the church” and he began grafting other branches of the House of Israel into the church. He did this by commissioning the Twelve apostles to establish foreign missions.
It is no coincidence that it took about five years for the witnesses of the Book of Mormon to finally get around to obeying God’s commission to identify and call a quorum of Twelve Apostles. It is no coincidence that they were not called and ordained until AFTER the fulness had been rejected. It was no coincidence that their ministry took place while they as a quorum were in a full blown apostasy. Their initial calling was not to be endowed with power from on high and go forth for the last time, as described in section one of the D&C. Unlike the high priests that were referred to as the first laborers of the last kingdom that would go forth in power, they had a preliminary assignment from the Lord.
God was actually using them for a special interim purpose. On the surface, we are informed that they were taking the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel, as contained in the Book of Mormon, to the world so that those with believing blood could be nourished with God’s holy word during the four generation “little season” of chastisement and learning that we are currently in. This period of nourishment from reading the word of God that was delivered through Joseph Smith is what helps to keep the roots of the tree alive according to the allegory in Jacob. However if we drill down deep enough, a parallel narrative emerges. The Lord was using Joseph Smith and these good brethren of the Twelve to restore an ancient Kingdom to the earth.
Because of the apostate condition of the Twelve Apostles, Thomas March was concerned about his brethren of the Twleve and he petitioned the Lord, through Joseph Smith to provide greater understanding about what the calling of the Twelve entailed and how they would be brought out of their darkened state. In answer to this petition, a revelation to Thomas Marsh and the Twelve was received. It is documented in section 112. In it, the Lord informs them that they are recipients of a priesthood that came down from the patriarchal fathers:
“For unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.
31 Which power you hold, in connection with all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation;
32 For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.
Of course they were currently living during the dispensation of the “last days” that began with the new testament apostles taking the gospel to the gentiles. The dispensation of the “last days” lasts for a long time and it incorporates other dispensations within it. It will eventually incorporate the dispensation of the “fulness of times”. Several years later, in 1842, Joseph would note that the dispensation of the fulness of times was just beginning to be ushered in. (See D&C 128:18) Additional comments from Joseph Smith and passages from Section 124 revealed that the fulness would not be ushered in until the Saints repented and completed the Nauvoo Temple.
But getting back to section 112, given to the Twelve Apostles in 1837, notice which dispensational “keys” had already been ushered in, and given to the First Presidency and the Twelve, it was a dispensation that had “come down from the fathers“!
It is remarkable that even though Joseph and Oliver had been commanded to not reveal the details of the secret visitation of Christ and the patriarchal fathers, as documented in section 110, the Lord himself was making explicit reference to it in this revelation. Anyone paying attention to the details of this revelation must have been scratching their heads wondering when these dispensational keys from the Old Testament “fathers” had been delivered. It is remarkable that because the documentation of this sacred event was preserved, those of us living in a future generation realize that the patriarchal fathers spoken of in section 112 are represented by Abraham, Moses and Elijah. Some of the early unpublished revelations referred to this ancient priesthood as the “evangelical priesthood”, referring to the fact that Abraham was an evangelists that converted people to the gospel. Other revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith referred to this priesthood as “patriarchal priesthood” and the “priesthood of Abraham”, etc.
Although the High Priests that had been ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood would have to wait until the third watch before they would receive their endowment of power from on high and go forth among the nations for the last time, an amazing interim event was taking place to keep the roots alive. The quorum of the twelve had been ordained with the keys of the priesthood of Abraham, and were now engaged on a mission endeavor that would begin reuniting the ancient Kingdom of Judah with the ancient kingdom of Israel.
Because of the success of this new missionary endeavor, converts from the House of Israel began migrating from the British Isles to Nauvoo. This period of time saw the tribal ancestry of the church membership begin to transition as various branches of the dispersed tribes of Israel began to be grafted back in to the “natural tree” that had branches that had become wild.
Little did these apostles realize that God was using them to re-establish the Davidic Kingdom that had been prophesied of anciently.
The Book of Mormon does not speak highly about the gentile church that Joseph Smith restored.
Most of the prophecies in the book of Mormon about the problems with the restored gentile church are referring to the restored Gentile church at the time of Joseph Smith’s ministry. They are not referring to those of us living four generations later, although much of the criticism is certainly applicable to us, since we have inherited much of the false tradition of our fathers.
For instance in Mormon 8, when the Gentiles are reprimanded for transfiguring the holy word of God and of polluting the Holy Church of God, it is the Kirtland Saints living during Joseph Smith’s ministry that is being specifically referred to, not us. Mormon 8 is primarily referencing the rejection of the gospel by the Gentiles as prophesied of by Christ in 3 Nephi 16. The holy Church of God and the fulness of priesthood that always accompanies it, has not been on the earth since that time. It has not been on the earth for four generations. The term “Holy Church of God” when used in Mormon 8, and in modern revelation, refers to the “true and living Church” that briefly emerged for a period of 3 1/2 years, that was attempting to embraces the fulness of the gospel and priesthood.
The Holy Church of God Fled back into the Wilderness
The timeline chart shown below that was introduced in an early chapter illustrates that the holy Church and kingdom of God came forth out of the wilderness for 3 1/2 years, just as John the Revelator and the Book of Daniel prophesied that it would. Following that, the Saints would be overcome until the ancient of days returns.
The 3 1/2 year period that the fulness would be offered and ultimately rejected by the Saints, began in June of 1831 when the fulness of priesthood was restored at the Morley Farm and 23 high priests were called by the voice of God out of heaven. It then fled back into the wilderness as soon as the saints cumulatively broke the everlasting covenant as foretold in Isaiah 24.
Exactly 3 1/2 years after the Melchizedek priesthood was restored at the Morley Farm, the Lord gave a revelation declaring that the saints and their leaders were under condemnation and needed to have a reformation in ALL THINGS. Shortly after that, the Lord announced that the covenant of consecration had been broken and that the Saints must wait for a little season to live the law of Zion and the heavens began to close.
LDS scholars and apologists tell us that the heretical teachings that infiltrated the church during the Nauvoo period, that contradicted the early teachings during the revelatory period during the early Kirtland years, were the result of progressive revelation. They contend that Joseph was more illuminated and revelatory in Nauvoo, than he had been in Kirtland. But I would suggest that is not the case. The eyes of the seers were being covered after the fulness was rejected, just as Isaiah had prophesied. Progressive revelation always builds upon and complements previous revelation, it never contradicts it. The above chart shows that the first five and a half years of Joseph’s public ministry represented the revelatory sweet spot of the LDS restoration movement. Over 100 canonized revelations came forth during that time. Only about 20 came during the remaining ten years! The heavens were closing as the saint rejected the fulness and progressed further into apostasy.
Brigham Young’s use of the terms Jews and Gentiles
Further complicating things for Mormon’s trying to make sense out of all of this Jew and Gentile lingo, is the fact that Brigham Young referred to non-members of the church categorically as “Gentiles” and members of the church categorically as Israel. Brigham’s uses of these terms is not congruent with how the terms are used in the Book of Mormon.
As noted earlier, one of the great secrets of Mormonism is that the gathering of converts to Nauvoo from the British Isles represented the gathering of remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah as well as other remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel.
Interestingly, Brigham Young also used the term Jew differently than the Book of Mormon does, insisting that the Jews would not believe in Christ before they are gathered. He felt they would not accept Christ until after everyone else had the opportunity for salvation.[3] Conversely, the Book of Mormon teaches that the Jews would begin to believe and then gather in the last days as a result of their belief in Christ[4]. One of the great irony’s is that many of the Saints that followed Brigham Young to Utah were remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah. Indeed, it is completely conceivable if not probable, that Brigham Young himself was a descendant of the ancient House of David and kingdom of Judah.
Kingdom of Judah = Jews
Kingdom of Israel = Gentiles
To provide a little broader context for the use of these terms and for better understanding the prophecy in 3rd Nephi, I am going to need to get into a little bit of history[5].
I believe the Lord intended this topic to be confusing so that prophecy can take place. There is a reason why most latter days saints don’t really understand who they are, because in order for things to prophetically play out the way they are going to, these people need to be oblivious to the fact that most of the major last days prophecies about “Jerusalem” and “Babylon” and the “Jews” are going to take place in America, not the Old World. Because of this, they will not understand the prophetic events that are taking place around them until it is too late.
In modern revelation the word Babylon is used about nine times. Sometimes it is referring to spiritual Babylon which is a perverse and pervasive worldwide spiritual sickness that worldly people have, other times it is referring to a geographical area referred to in other scriptures as Babylon the Great, which the elect are commanded to flee from at the appointed time. Obviously it is not talking about the Babylon of the Old World. Clearly, America is the center place that is referred to in end times prophecy as Babylon the Great.
America represents the right arm of destruction of the great latter day kingdom that pollutes and oppresses all other kingdoms. America is the most evil war mongering empire in the entire world ( which is secretly governed by sinister forces that can be traced through the Crown to the Vatican). Those that are still looking to the Old World as the Babylon of the end times simply don’t understand prophecy, and rightly so. The masses are always taken by surprise by the fulfillment of prophecy. God has covered the eyes of the people.
Historical Background of the two Houses of Israel
Anciently the twelve tribes of Israel had lived as a federation under leaders referred to as “Judges” until the people chose to have a King rule them. At that time, their system of government transitioned into a monarchy and they became the United Kingdom of Israel, ruled by a king. It was first led by King Saul, then King David, and then David’s son, King Solomon. David and Solomon began a dynasty that would ultimately be divided during the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, but according to prophecy, the Davidic dynasty would re-emerge in the last days. According to ancient prophecy, once it emerges, a king from the Davidic bloodline will continue to sit on the throne until Christ and his servants return to the vineyard.
Eventually, after the death of Solomon, the kingdom was led by Solomon’s son Rehoboam who taxed the people heavily. Because of this, part of the kingdom rebelled, splitting the United Kingdom of Israel, into two kingdoms, a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom. The southern kingdom was called the “kingdom of Judah” which was composed mainly of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and a portion of the Levites. This kingdom continued to be led by Rehoboam who reigned for about 17 years.
The northern “Kingdom of Israel” was composed of the remaining tribes. The tribe of Levi represented the priests responsible for overseeing the sacrifices and statutes and temple rites. They were not granted land inheritances because of their priestly calling. It is not insignificant that this priestly tribe was divided in the midst of both kingdoms. The kingdom of Israel was initially led by Jeroboam, an Ephraimite. It is believed that he reigned for about 22 years.
Long story short, both kingdoms sinned before God[6]. Because of this, both kingdoms lost the land they had been given and were moved out of their place of geographical land inheritances[7]. The kingdom of Judah was dispersed from their lands while the kingdom of Israel was cast out of the Lords sight. Eventually these two groups would be referred to as the “dispersed of Judah” and the “outcasts of Israel”.
Despite being dispersed, the Kingdom of Judah retained their tribal identity while the outcasts of Israel mingled among the gentile nations, remained scattered, and lost their tribal identity along with the integrity and purity of their lineal tribal bloodline.
The Jews from the kingdom of Judah later gathered back to the Old World Jerusalem and reconstituted their tribal kingdom prior to New Testament times, within the Roman Empire. These are the Jews Christ dealt with during His ministry in the meridian of time.
The Kingdom of Israel, was losing their identity by assimilating into the gentile nations. They did not reconstitute their kingdom like the Jews did. Rather, they remained somewhat scattered during New Testament times. Nevertheless, reference is made to them by the Disciples of Christ in the New Testament.[8]
After the Jews rejected Christ during the meridian of time, they were once again “destroyed” as a kingdom and “dispersed” and “scattered among the nations” even though the scriptures continue to refer to them as “Jews” and “House of Israel”. It is because of this that the law of adoption becomes necessary in the latter days when God gathers his people and needs to cleanse them with a spiritual rebirth.
When Joseph Smith declared that something new must be done for the salvation of the church and began establishing foreign missions, he noted that the missionaries were being sent to gather the “the outcasts of Israel” (remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel) and “the dispersed of Judah” (remnants of the ancient Kingdom of Judah).
In modern times the remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel (outcasts of Israel) are generally referred to “gentiles” because they have been scattered among the gentile nations and have mingled their seed and bloodlines with the gentile nations. Many of these gentiles ended up in America prior to the LDS restoration. There are generally two classifications of Gentiles living in America according to the book of Mormon,
1) the believing Gentiles and
2) the unbelieving Gentiles.
The book of Mormon reminds us that as many of the Geniles as believe, are the covenant people of the Lord:[9]
The kingdom of Judah (Jews) in the New Testament were scattered after they rejected Christ. At this time, they also finally lost their tribal identity, just as the kingdom of Israel did. Nevertheless, the scriptures continue to refer to them as the Jews and the House of Israel. This may be simply for reasons of differentiating them from the other kingdom, or it may be that they have largely been able to reproduce within their tribal heritage.
An understanding of this history is important for many reasons. One is that it provides valuable context for the prophecy that Christ gives in the 3rd Nephi 16. The influx of people that converted to the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel and migrated to America as a result of the foreign missions established by the quorum of the Twelve, are referred to as the House of Israel by Christ, in contradistinction to the gentile saints from the Kirtland era. These converts were had the same general appearance as the gentile saints they were being grafted into. They were largely clueless about their tribal heritage descending from the ancient kingdom of Judah.
The Real Jews Begin to Believe Before Being Gathered
The Book of Mormon informs us that the Jews will begin to believe before they are gathered in the last days. Again, this is referring to the converts coming to America from the British Isles. The So-called Jews that began gathering to the Old World Jerusalem in the 1940’s do not believe in Christ. This is one of many reasons we know that they are not the Jews spoken of in prophecy.
When the LDS restoration movement began, most of the American settlers that responded to the call of the restored Gospel during the Kirtland era, were “Gentiles” who had originated from the kingdom of Israel. Hence the Lord revealed in February of 1834 (D&C 103) that these gentiles saints of the restoration were the latter day Children of Israel:
“For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham”
In section 109, the Lord referred to Joseph Smith and the first elders of the church as the “sons of Jacob”
“That from among all these, thy servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy city to thy name, as thou hast commanded them.”
But in the same section, he also acknowledged that they are “Identified with the Gentiles” or called, gentiles, because their tribal ancestors had been mingled among the nations:
“Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles.”
The Secret Re-establishment of the House of David and Judah
One of the great secrets of the LDS restoration movement is that shortly after the rejection of the fulness of the Gospel, a secret intervention took place that greatly changed the trajectory of the church and the following events began to take place:
1- The Lord had mercy on the children of Jacob
2- The Lord began to redeem Jerusalem (in America)
3- The yoke of bondage began to be broken off of the House of David.
4- The Children of Judah began to return to the lands in America that the Lord promised to Abraham their father[10]
The dedicatory prayer offered up in the Kirtland Temple provided an intercessory prayer by Joseph and others petitioning that “Jerusalem” would begin to be redeemed from that very hour and that the yoke of bondage would “begin” to be broken off of the “house of David”, and that the “children of Judah” would begin to return to the lands of the Abrahamic land covenant (America)
“We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem, from this hour, may begin to be redeemed; And the yoke of bondage may begin to be broken off from the house of David; And the children of Judah may begin to return to the lands which thou didst give to Abraham, their father.”
The above passages have nothing to do with the land of Jerusalem in the Old World or with the Ashkenazi Jews that are claiming the Old World Jerusalem as the lands of their inheritance. The smokescreen gathering that took place in the Old World in about 1948 that was financed by the Rockefellers, did not begin in 1836. It began over 100 years later. Nothing happened “from that very hour” in the Old World.
What was happening from that very hour was the restoration of the keys of gathering followed by the establishment of foreign missions to take the message of the gospel to the remnants of the House of David and the Children of Judah and to gather them to the land of America that God had promised as the Abrahamic land covenant land to ALL of the tribes of Israel. The ancient prophecies pertaining to the house of David and the kingdom of David were beginning to take place even though the eyes of the saints were blinded to what was going on.
The Secret Prophecy and Vision
In fulfillment of the obscure petition documented in section 109, the Lord secretly appeared to Joseph and Oliver on the eighth day after the dedicatory prayer and accepted the temple. This appearance was followed by angelic messengers who secretly ushered in the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, which opened up the way for the petition in the dedicatory prayer to be fulfilled. Additionally, Joseph and Oliver were given the keys of the gathering of Israel by Moses so that the scattered remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah could “begin” to believe, and to gather. (one of the trademarks of modern Mormonism is that they only “begin” to believe. They have not been able to accept the fulness of the gospel, they can only accept a preparatory gospel)
During that visitation Elijah the prophet declared that the keys of the ancient dispensation that would enable the hearts of the fathers to the children, and children to the fathers, had been fully restored. He was referencing not only the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham that had just taken place, but also the fact that he, Elijah the Tishbite, who was also known as John the Baptist, during New Testament times, had restored these keys of an ancient priesthood to Joseph and Oliver seven years earlier. (See section 13.)
It was the ancient priesthood keys that were delivered by the appearance of our ancient fathers, Abraham, Elijah and Moses that the Twelve apostles had been commissioned with in section 112!
The history of the church provides documentation that Joseph did organize the Quorum of the Twelve apostles and sent missionaries to Canada, and Great Britain, etc., to begin this amazing gathering of the House of David, the Children of Judah, and other remnants of ancient Israel, in fulfillment to the petition offered in section 109, as well as the prophecies in the OT. This event also fulfills the prophecy of Christ in 3 Nephi 16.
Following the events that took place during the eight day string of rituals in the Kirtland Temple, wherein the petition was offered and granted, the message of the gospel was taken to those of the House of David and the Children of Judah, as well as remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel. Many of the converts that began flowing into Nauvoo from across the ocean are remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah as well as some of the scattered remnants from the ancient kingdom of Israel. These remnants are sometimes referred to as the “Jews” and as the “house of Israel”. (The Book of Mormon sometimes uses those two terms interchangeably)
3rd Nephi 16
Below I am going to break down the prophecy of Christ into three distinct historical events. The first two have taken place. The last one is about to take place.
The prophecy of Christ in 3rd Nephi details this exact sequence:
Part 1- The Gentiles Reject the fulness that is offered for 3 1/2 years between June 1831 and December of 1834
“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles (Latter day restored church of Christ) shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.”
Part 2- The “knowledge” of the fulness of the gospel is taken from the Gentiles to the House House of Israel: Joseph Smith declares that the Lord has revealed to him that “Something new must be done for the salvation of the Church”. He then established foreign missions to take the “knowledge of the gospel” to the “Outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah”. Thousands of converts began flowing into Nauvoo and eventually to Utah. Following the succession crisis, the Jewish members of the Church overtook the leadership positions of the church and the Gentiles no longer had priesthood power over the remnants of Judah. The kingdom of Judah was secretly re-established in the last days and is now disguised as the church that was restored through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith
And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them.
And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.
Part 3- In the third watch, the original servants of God will return and repent at the conclusion of the acceptable atonement offering. The fulness of the gospel will then be restored and the dispensation of the fulness of times and the Marvelous work will be ushered in and the righteous and repentant among both houses of Israel during the last four generations will be reunited in fulfillment of prophecy.
“But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.”
One of the great secrets is that we are currently living during the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, not the dispensation of the fulness of the Gospel. As you can see from the above illustration, the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham lasts for about four generations after the church is rejected with their dead. Following that, Christ and his servants return to the vineyard, a remnant of the gentiles will repent and the fulness will once again be ushered in.
To recap our brief history lesson; the united kingdom of Israel was divided and both houses were eventually dispersed. The remnants of the Kingdom of Judah retained their identity and returned to Jerusalem where they cumulatively rejected Christ’s ministry. Conversely, the remnants of the Kingdom of Israel were cast out of the Lords sight, and they mingled among the gentile nations and lost their tribal identity. As prophesied by Christ, the remnants of the Kingdom of Judah that had rejected Christ during the meridian of time had their kingdom destroyed and the survivors were dispersed once again. This time they lost their tribal identity as well even though the scriptures continue to refer to them as the House of Israel and the Jews.
The Reuniting of Two Kingdoms in the Latter days
Having just reviewed a brief summary of the division of the united kingdom of Israel anciently and the fact that Joseph Smith and the Twelve Apostles were instrumental in grafting some of the branches together during the LDS restoration movement, let us now review some of the ancient prophecies that foretold the re-establishment of the United Kingdom of Israel and the re-emergence of the Davidic Dynasty. It is important to realize that according to ancient prophecy, one of the things that the Davidic descendant of David does, is to reunite the two kingdoms together again. This is largely what Joseph Smith was doing when he established foreign missions!
Listed below are some of the Old Testament prophecies relating to the reuniting of the two general branches of Israel. Keep in mind that the reuniting of the two kingdoms is a process that takes place over a substantial period of time. It began during Joseph Smith’s ministry in the 2nd watch, but is not finalized until the return of God’s servant and the beginning of the Marvelous work in the 3rd watch:
Zachariah
“And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them”.[11]
Jeremiah
“In those days and in that time,’ says the LORD, ‘the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; with continual weeping they shall come, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, saying, “Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten”
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more”. [12]
Ezekiel
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
¶ And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
¶ And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all[13]“
Isaiah
AND there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
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’ 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.
¶ And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
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.
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.[14]
Another great secret is that Joseph Smith is the descendant of King David that was to restore the two ancient houses of Israel back into one kingdom and establish the throne of David which was to continue until the secret return of the Lord of the vineyard and his servant.
Now lets go back into the Old Testament passages and drill down a little bit regarding God’s promises to King David. An important part of the King David narrative is that David desired to build a house for the Lord to dwell in but did not build it because the Lord would not allow David to build it.
“Thus sayeth the Lord, thou shalt not build me a house to live in”[15]
Although Bible scholars do not all agree as to why the Lord did not allow David to build the house although it appears as if it is because of wars and the shedding of blood that David had been involved it[16]. It becomes clear from the text and the hindsight of thousands of years, that it was not the appointed time for the particular house that was being spoken of.
It is documented in both 1 Chronicles 17 and 2nd Samuel 7 that through Nathan the prophet the Lord told David about a descendant of his that would build a house for the Lord and that the Lords people would not be moved out of their place anymore:
1 Chronicles 17
“Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning..”
It is apparent from history, as documented in the Bible, that the Lord was referring to a time in the latter days when he would plant his people in their appointed place and they would be moved no more. It nevertheless appeared, at the time it was given, as if the Lord is referring to the reign of David’s son Solomon.
A few passages later the Lord informs David that a descendant of his will be raised up and the Lord would establish his kingdom. ,
“And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.”
Again, the above prophecy is speaking about the emergence of a descendant of David in the last days whose throne will be established for evermore. The same narrative is contained in 2 Samuel 7 but with greater detail.
2nd Samuel 7
“Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.[17]
We have previously established the fact that the above prophecy is not speaking of Jesus as the literal fulfillment, he can only be considered a vague, shadow fulfillment for several reasons, including the fact that he never committed sin. We also know that it cannot be speaking of Solomon because he was not chastened by the rod of man and he was not successful in establishing the throne of David with the posterity of King David sitting in the throne perpetually until the Lord of the vineyard returns. The Lord told Solomon that He would rend the kingdom during the reign of Solomon’s son, which happened..
Nevertheless, many Bible scholars erroneously assume that the descendant spoken of is referring to Solomon. Indeed it becomes evident that David thought the prophecy was referring to his son Solomon[18] indeed, the Lord does inform David that his son Solomon would build a house with the conditional promise that if he remained faithful, his kingdom would endure and he would be the one to fulfill the prophecy in its fullness.
David’s son Solomon also assumed the prophecy was about himself and during the dedication of Solomon’s temple he pronounced himself to be the fulfillment of the prophecy and then petitioned the Lord to verify it.
The dedicatory prayer is very much worth reading. It is remarkable how the dedicatory prayer in the Kirtland Temple mirrors it in several ways. Here are some pertinent questions to be asked.
Does the Lord verify that Solomon is the descendant of King David that is to build the temple of the Lord?
Does the remainder of Solomon’s life fit the prophetic profile of the prophecy?
The answer is no on both accounts.
With regard to the verification that Solomon requested from the Lord, the Lord spake to Solomon for the second time as follows:
“AND it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
As you can see, the Lord’s promise to Solomon that the kingdom would be established forever, with a king on the throne over the united kingdom of Israel, was a conditional one with a stern warning that if Solomon should turn from the Lord and serve other gods, and worship them, then the Lord would cut Israel off out of the Land, defile the temple and the United Kingdom of Israel would be cast out of the Lord’s site and would become a proverb and a byword.
Needless to say, that is exactly what eventually happened. Solomon did sin and his kingdom was divided as a result
Provided below are five places where the promise from God to David is mentioned, regarding a descendant of David that would establish the throne of David.
The following table shows side by side comparisons of the initial Davidic promise, the two accounts of David asking for verification from the Lord that he was the one to fulfill the prophecy, and the two accounts of the conditional verification that God gave him. Bible scholars often get mesmerized by these accounts and neglect to focus on the hard reality that Solomon failed to meet the terms of God’s conditional promise. :
The Davidic Promise
There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel
After Solomon became very wise, wealthy and famous, he married pagan wives and forsook the Lord, and began worshiping other gods.
The Lord Revokes the Promise as it Relates to Solomon
Following Solomon’s transgressions, the Lord spoke to Solomon a third time informing him that he had not been faithful and that his kingdom would be rend from him during the reign of his son:
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.[19]
Clearly, the dynasty was broken during the reign of Rehoboam. Jeroboam, an Ephraimite who was not from the direct line of David, took part of the kingdom. It became known as the kingdom of Israel.
Although King Solomon might be considered a partial, shadow fulfillment of the Davidic prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17, he was not the literal fulfillment. There would be a descendant of King David in the last days that would re-establish the dynastic kingdom of David. Furthermore, we learn from the above passages that the Lord had promised David that after the establishment of his latter day descendant, ” There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.”
We shall now demonstrate that Joseph Smith is the literal fulfillment of the prophecy and that the promise that “There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel” has huge implications regarding those that succeeded the Prophet Joseph Smith in presiding over the latter day saints[20].
The Lord’s House vs. David’s House
The literal fulfillment of the Davidic prophecies contained in the Old Testament are among the most misunderstood and tortured prophecies in the Bible. Those prophecies have specific reference to a latter day descendant of David, not to King Solomon and clearly not to Christ. Christ never committed sin. Solomon did not establish the throne for evermore. Because of his transgressions, his kingdom became divided during the reign of his son. Modern revelation is pregnant with references to the reestablishment of the Davidic Dynasty through Joseph Smith Sr.
Joseph’s House
Notice in the passages above that the Davidic servant builds the Lord a house[21] for the Lords kingdom on earth and conversely, the Lord makes the Davidic Servant an “house”, referring primarily to promises regarding his posterity, as well as a physical structure. This cryptic wordplay takes on more clarity when it shows up in modern revelation. Notice what the Lord says about Joseph Smith’s “house” or posterity, having the same blessing of having the right to have a place in the physical “boarding house” of the Lord.
“And now I say unto you, as pertaining to my boarding house which I have commanded you to build for the boarding of strangers, let it be built unto my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant Joseph and his house have place therein, from generation to generation.
For this anointing have I put upon his head, that his blessing shall also be put upon the head of his posterity after him.
And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph: In thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed.
Therefore, let my servant Joseph and his seed after him have place in that house, from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord”.[22]
The Lawgiver over the House of Israel
Just as the term “house” is used to refer to Joseph Smith’s posterity after him, as similarly used in the passages referring to king David and his house, Hyrum Smith is also given a promise pertaining to lineal priesthood that came to him by “right” and “blessing”. It is from this lineal priesthood of Hyrum’s, that William Law is granted priesthood office in the “room” of Hyrum.
“And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed, as counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right;
92 That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people,”
The Secret Doctrine of the Davidic Bloodline
One of the best kept secrets of the LDS restoration is the fact that Joseph Smith was a direct descendant of King David, Jesse, and Judah. This seems odd and unlikely because virtually every indication of Joseph’s tribal heritage that has been made public, informs us that he comes from Joseph and Ephraim. Nevertheless, if one drills down deep enough, it is not difficult to gather the missing pieces of the puzzle relative to the fact that he was of mixed lineage. Perhaps the obvious clue as to his secret identity is found in his patriarchal blessing given by Oliver Cowdery:
Notice the following declaration and then compare it to the snippet from Judah’s patriarchal blessing from his father Jacob:
“By the keys of the Kingdom shall he lead Israel into the land of Zion while the house of Jacob shouts in the danse and in the song..
He shall be a lawgiver to Israel and shall teach the house of Jacob the statutes of the Most High…
In his hands shall the Urim and Thummim remain and the holy ministry, and the keys of the evangelical priesthood, also, for an everlasting priesthood forever, even the patriarchal; for, behold, he is the first patriarch in the last days. He shall sit in the great assembly and general council of patriarchs, and execute the will and commandment of God under the direction of the Ancient of Days”[23]
As you can see, Joseph will return to lead Israel into the land of Zion with the keys of the Kingdom that he holds, just as is prophesied in sections 101 and 103 of the D&C. But notice also that he shall be the LAWGIVER to Israel! That Biblical term is very definitive and revealing. Now look at the promise to Judah:
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”[24]
As you can see, the right to the scepter of leadership over Israel and the calling of LAWGIVER over the twelve tribes, belongs to Judah! Joseph Smith’s patriarchal blessing is clearly identifying him as the last great lawgiver over all of Israel who sits directly under father Adam in authority. That would make him the last great Davidic Servant leading up to Christ. Clearly, he has to be from the loins of Judah as well as Joseph.
The Sceptre of Power
The term sceptre is also a term used to describe the rights of Judah, that is also verified in the blessing from father Jacob to his son Judah. It is no coincidence that the Lord refers to Joseph’s sceptre in Section 121 when teaching him about the righteous use of priesthood authority:
“The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.”[25]
It is really quite incredible that modern revelation acknowledges Joseph’s “unchanging scepter of righteousness” and his “dominion”!
These passages may provide additional clues to the identity of the “One Mighty and Strong”. The term scepter is also used in describing the one mighty and strong, in section 85 as follows.
“And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God..”[26]
One of the apparent discrepancies, explained by modern revelation and the restoration movement, having to do with the blessings that Israel gave to his sons, has to do with the fact that Judah clearly held the right to reign over Israel, yet Joseph’s blessing revealed that from his loins, would come “the shepherd”, also referred to as the “stone of Israel”, and that the blessings of his progenitors would be on the “crown” on his head, implying that he would reign over Israel.
This narrative about Joseph ruling over Israel, of course is reiterated when Joseph has a few prophetic dreams that he shares with his brethren indicating that they would all bow down to him. After hearing his first dream about the sheaves of his brothers all bowing down to Joseph’s sheaf, his brothers angrily replied:
“Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.”
This was very offensive to his older brothers and especially to Judah since he held the right to rule. Displaying a lack of diplomacy after the first response, Joseph shares a second dream with his father and brothers :
” Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.”[27]
Although these dreams were typologically fulfilled when Joseph was sold into Egypt and became a leader who would eventually rule over them, in a sense, as he helped his brothers and parents during a time of famine, the literal fulfillment is obviously future and literal.
Judah’s blessing not only informs us that Judah has the right to the sceptre and to be the lawgiver over Israel, it also informs us that he has the exclusive right to gather Israel.
“..unto him shall the gathering of the people be”
It is no coincidence that Joseph Smith was given the keys to the gathering of Israel!
“After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.”[28]
It appears that Josephs lineage through Judah and King David was supposed to be kept a secret until just before the events of the Marvelous Work take place. In hindsight, as we review all of the amazing information that is now so easily made available through search technology, we can see that Joseph Smith meets all three of the criteria listed in Judah’s blessing:
In addition to the above three criteria, Joseph Smith is the one who reunites the divided kingdom which is also one of the roles played by the Davidic Servant.
Clearly, Joseph Smith is of mixed lineage. He is not only of Joseph through Ephraim, but also of Judah and King David! The fact that the latter day servant is of mixed lineage, is what Isaiah 11 is speaking about and that is why Joseph Smith expounded on those passages to clarify that the Davidic servant is from both Jesse and Ephraim.
“What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?
Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days“.[29]
Re-establishing The Davidic Dynasty
Although apologists come up with many creative motivations for Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy, one of the most profound, yet best kept secrets, is that Joseph was aggressively taking on wives in an effort to re-establish the Davidic Dynasty as prophesied anciently. Joseph’s most widely known revelation on polygamy is contained in section 132 because it was canonized by Brigham Young, however people erroneously assume that was the only revelation on polygamy. Because of this, they assume it is the only authoritative template from which to determine the original doctrinal explanation upon which Polygamy was revealed. Hence they use section 132 as the exclusive template from which to understand Joseph’s motivations with regard to the practice.
Another revelation on polygamy, whose origins are much less questionable than section 132, is one that Joseph presented to Newel K. Whitney, explaining how Bishop Whitney was to perform the ceremony of giving his daughter to Joseph in a polygamous marriage. The doctrinal narrative presented in that revelation provides a total disconnect when compared to the narrative contained in section 132[30]. Indeed the Whitney revelation had a completely different motivational narrative of entering into polygamy than section 132 provides.
Joseph apparently was led to believe that part of his process of establishing David’s ancient throne in the last days, in fulfillment of ancient prophecy, necessitated the grafting together of various ancient bloodlines through the marriage covenant. Notice the following snippet from the revelation that Joseph delivered to Newel K. Whitney, containing the verbiage to be used as he married Joseph Smith to his daughter Sarah:
“All these things I do in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that through this order he may be glorified and [that] through the power of anointing David may reign King over Israel, which shall hereafter be revealed”
The revelation is obviously revealing that Joseph needed to wed Ms Whitney in order that “David may reign King over Israel“!
It is hard to believe that so few articles have been written about this amazing revelation by LDS scholars in connecting the emergence of polygamy with the re-establishment of the Davidic Kingdom in the last days.
It would appear from the above snippet, that the sole motivation for polygamy in this particular situation had to do with the re-establishment of the Davidic Dynasty. The revelation spoke of this great honor coming to the Whitney family because of “the lineage of my Priesthood” and the “holy progenitors by the right of birth” and “powers to concentrate in you and through to your posterity forever”
Clearly, this revelation was promoting polygamy in the context of merging bloodlines and creating a dynastic power base based on Davidic bloodlines and the merging together of the two houses of Israel that had been split anciently.
It is clear from statements made by Joseph Smith’s successors that Joseph had told them that not only he, but many of them, had the blood of Davidic royalty running through their veins. During a Solemn Assembly held on the 2nd of July 1899, President George Q Cannon made the following declaration which was afterwards confirmed by President Lorenzo Snow:
Other general authorities have made similar statements. Heber C. Kimball believed that he was personally a literal descendant of Jesus Christ. Although this doctrine has largely been kept secret, it has not always been quite so hidden. Victor L. Ludlow is one of the more recent LDS scholars to let the cat out of the bag. He has mentioned in his writings that “..a number of the brethren, including Joseph Smith, claimed that they shared lineage with Jesus in the tribe of Judah“[31]
[Editorial Note: I provide this information for purposes of context, historical documentation and full disclosure of what was taught and believed by some of the early brethren. My personal opinion after searching the scriptures is that Jesus did not have physical offspring during his earthly ministry because he was not conceived through carnal intercourse, nor did he have human blood flowing through his veins. The virgin birth as described in the Bible and Book of Mormon is an accurate portrayal of Christs miraculous conception.
The Inspired Version informs us that he was conceived differently than mortals. “He was not born of [mortal] blood..”[32]. The Book of Mormon confirms the fact that His “great and last sacrifice” would not be “a sacrifice of man.. for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”.
All of the standard works testify that Christ was not a carnal mortal man and that he was literally God in the flesh. It seems unlikely to me that God would have carnal sex with women and have mortal children with human blood when in fact He did not have human blood flowing in his veins.
It seems to me that the claims of men to be the literal offspring of God may well fall under the topic “strong delusion”. I do, however, believe that Joseph Smith, members of the quorum of the Twelve, and other converts to the restoration had the blood of King David flowing through their veins.
Furthermore, I reject the revelation to marry Sarah Ann Whitney. I believe it is a false revelation. I provide it to show that building the dynasty was a motivating force in Joseph’s mind, but I think Joseph’s eyes were covered at this point in time and he was deceived. There are some disturbing things in the revelation that don’t square with the scriptures or with the context of history. Here is a snippet from the revelation:
“..you both mutu[al]ly agree calling them by name to be each others companion so long as you both shall live presser[v]ing yourselv[es] for each other and from all others and also through [o]ut all eternity..”
How can they preserve themselves for each other? Joseph was married to Emma.Was Emma cast aside? I don’t think so.
Why did Joseph keep marrying women if he was supposed to preserve himself for Sarah Ann?
Why did Sarah marry someone else if she was to preserve herself for Joseph? Sarah ended up getting married and having a bunch of kids with someone else.
What about the polygamous marriage for eternity BS which is contrary to scripture? Clearly, celestial polygamy does not hold up against the word of God.
What about the fact that their union did not produce offspring when in fact that was one of the primary purpose of the union, to create a Davidic heir to the throne?
The revelation is problematic on many levels to say the least. It is just one more piece of cognitive dissonance that testifies against the validity of the whole spiritual wife delusion that resulted in the apostasy of latter day Israel.]
It is interesting to note that on March 17 1963, a fellow by the name of J. Ricks Smith from Burbank California wrote a letter to Joseph Fielding Smith asking him what Isaiah 53:10 was speaking about:
“..he shall see his seed..”
He was obviously looking for verification that Jesus had physical offspring. He was probably surprised when he got the following reply:
“*Mosiah 15:10-11 Please read your Book of Mormon”
“And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
“Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.”
The fact that Joseph Smith saw himself as the Davidic Servant establishing a kingdom is identified not only by his polygamous attempts at merging together family bloodlines to re-establish a dynasty, but also in his attempt to establish the political and military kingdom of God spoken of by Daniel the Prophet[33]. On March 11, 1844 he had himself anointed as King of Israel and he establish the council of Fifty which was meant to be a political kingdom. Various quotes from historians and authors are provided below to provide additional information:
“Joseph Smith established a secret organization called the Council of Fifty, in Nauvoo, Illinois, which was designed to carry out his plans for political empire. This theocratic-political kingdom or body of men met a number of times in Nauvoo before Smith’s death on June 27, 1844. The goal of this theocracy was world government. They further believed they would govern and rule the earth during the millennial reign of Christ.”
On April 11, 1844, the Council of Fifty installed Joseph Smith as king on earth..This theocratic-political body believed they were receiving God’s “law” for the whole earth. On January 1, 1845, William Clayton summarized the goals and accomplishments of this council during 1844[34]:
“The organization of the kingdom of God on the 11th March last is one important event. This organization was called the council of fifty or kingdom of God and was titled by revelation as follows, ‘Verily thus saith the Lord, this is the name by which you shall be called, the kingdom of god and his law, with the keys and power thereof and judgments in the hands of his servants Ahman Christ.’ In this council was the plan arranged for supporting president Joseph Smith as a candidate for the presidency of the U.S. Prest. Joseph was the standing chairman of the council and myself the clerk. In this council was also devised the plan of establishing an immigration to Texas and plans laid for the exaltation of a standard and ensign of truths for the nations of the earth. In this council was the plan devised to restore the Ancients to the knowledge of the truth and the restoration of union and peace amongst ourselves. In this council was prest. Joseph chosen as our prophet Priest, & King by Hosannas. In this council was the principles of eternal truths rolled forth to the hearers without reserve and the hearts of the servants of God made to rejoice exceedingly.[35]
It is no secret that Brigham Young and others that succeeded Joseph Smith had themselves anointed king of Israel[36]. It is probable that this secret right has continued to this very day and that the leading brethren of the church secretly continue to believe that they are vessels of the holy bloodline from King David through Jesus and the Twelve Apostles.
It is also no secret that entrance into the highest quorums in the church have largely taken into consideration what lineage a person comes from. This is why virtually all of the members of the first presidency and quorum of the twelve can trace their ancestors back to Nauvoo where the grafting in of the two houses of Israel began in the latter days.
A recent LDS author has taken issue with the good old boys club that requires people to be of a certain lineage, in order to become one of God’s anointed that presides over the kingdom. Nevertheless he and others experiencing this jealously may not be fully aware of the deeper reason as to why this is important to the brethren. If in fact the two houses of Israel were being reunited and the ancient throne of David was secretly being established after the fulness of the gospel was rejected, in order to keep the roots of the tree alive until the Marvelous Work could begin, then certainly, bloodlines are important and the re-establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Israel does have its purpose. We learn from the Old Testament narratives that Kings were not necessarily smart, wise, inspired or even decent people. They were, nevertheless, Kings whose right to reign over the Houses of Israel was given by the providence of an all knowing God.
It may be considered snobbery and even a form of racism, but the highest councils of the church probably have a long secret tradition of viewing themselves as the elect and elite of God through the bloodline of King David, Jesse, and Judah. There are lots of people, including myself, who question the status of the modern corporate church as a “church” and we question the veracity of church leaders having themselves sustained as prophets, seers and revelators, nevertheless, those that are privy to these secret things having to do with ancient bloodlines realize that these leaders that sit in the seat of Moses currently hold the “legal lease” pertaining to the Kingdom of Israel, until the Lord of the vineyard and his anointed servants come back. Those who think they can thwart the foreordained purposes of God are pissing directly into the wind. God is the one that will set things right.
“And when the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, he will destroy those miserable, wicked men, and will let [lease] again his vineyard unto other husbandmen, even in the last days, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons”.[37]
There have been a long line of people claiming to be prophets who attempt to set the church in order and establish a Zion community. There are also those who consider themselves learned in Hebrew and in the ways of the Jews, that look down their noses at what they consider to be the lowly and uninspired “Gentile” and “Ephraimite” saints as being unable to receive personal revelation. Some of these folks authoritatively declare that Joseph Smith and his successors cannot be of the Davidic bloodline because they descend from Joseph. These people categorically reject Joseph as the Davidic Servant based on their false perception of what his lineage is. Many of them have yet to figure out who the real Jews are and where the real Jerusalem of end times prophecy really is, despite setting themselves up as Hebrew prophecy scholars. These folks have a surprise awaiting them.
We are informed that when the light shines forth for the last time it will first go to and be rejected by those that sit in darkness.
And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.
And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (D&C 45:28-30)
Just as the wicked Kingdom of the Jews had previously been established to greet Christ in the Meridian of Time, I am going to suggest that the kingdom of the Jews has once again been re-established to meet greet Him and His Servants when the last RESTORATION takes place in the 3rd watch. Prophecy has been happening all around us. Very few people see it. Joseph Smith gave us the following view of what is about to take place. Will you be blindly looking at the smokescreen events in the Old World when this take place”
“What is to be understood by the two witnesses, in the eleventh chapter of Revelation?
A. They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered and have built the city of Jerusalem in the land of their fathers.” (Section 77:15)
To be continued in very deed?
[1] British Israelism, also known as Anglo-Israelism, as used in this chapter, is the belief that many or all of the “lost ten tribes” of Israel migrated to Europe and then to England and became the primary ancestors of the British people, including the pilgrims that came to
the United States from England. British Israelism was made popular by the Worldwide Church of God and Herbert Armstrong, but long before Armstrong came on the scene, the doctrine was substantiated in many of the revelations received by the prophet Joseph Smith. Other Christian groups have embraced the doctrine as well. The doctrine often includes the tenet that the literal descendants of king David continue the dynasty to the present day and that the British Royal Family is directly descended from the line of King David. In Mormonism there are numerous reasons to suppose that the Joseph Smith Sr. family represented the re-emergence of the Davidic dynasty. Some of these evidences will be presented in this chapter.
[2] Jacob 5:67-68
[3]” We might say much on this point, showing you why things are as they are concerning the inhabitants of the earth receiving or rejecting the Gospel. Do you suppose they believe in Jesus Christ at Jerusalem? Can you make a Christian of a Jew? I tell you, nay. If a Jew comes in to this Church, and honestly professes to be a Saint, a follower of Christ, and if the blood of Judah is in his veins, he will apostatize. He may have been born and bred a Jew, have the face of a Jew, speak the language of the Jews, and have attended to all the ceremonies of the Jewish religion, and have openly professed to be a Jew all his days; but I will tell you a secret–there is not a particle of the blood of Judaism in him, if he has become a true Christian, a Saint of God; for if there is, he will most assuredly leave the Church of Christ, or that blood will be purged out of his veins. We have men among us who were Jews, and became converted from Judaism. For instance, here is brother Neibaur; do I believe there is one particle of the blood of Judah in his veins? No.. it is impossible to convert the Jews, until the Lord God Almighty does it ” Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2 (1854), p. 142.
[4] It appears that Brigham Young had very little affinity for the Book of Mormon and that is why Brigham Young seldom read or preached from the Book of Mormon. My contention is that he simply did not believe many of the doctrines in it.
[5] This summary of the two houses of Israel throughout Biblical History will be extremely short. There are numerous articles on the Internet that do a good job of detailing who the two kingdoms are, how they were divided, and the various prophecies foretelling that they would once again be reunited in the last days. This is one well written article although the author did not have the advantage of the additional standard works http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=2houses-of-Israel
[6] 2 Kings 17:18-23 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
20 And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
[7] This has great typological significance to the latter day saints since they were removed from their land inheritances in Kirtland, Jackson, Far West and Nauvoo because of their own transgressions.
[8] James 1:1 “JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting….”
[9] 2 Nephi 30:2
[10] D&C 109:61-4
[11] zach 10:6
[12] Jeremiah 50:4-5, 31:31-34
[13] Ezekiel 37:15-32
[14] Isaiah 11:1-13
[15] 1 Chronicles 17:1-15
[16] 1 Chronicles 22:8-10
[17] 2 Samuel 7:12-16
[18] 2 Chronicles 22:5-11
[19] 1 Kings 9-13
[20] If joseph’s claim as the Dividic Servant of the last days is authentic, then even though the church was rejected with its dead in Nauvoo, there is a tribal remnant of the House of David/United House of Israel, that has had davidic heirs presiding over it ever since. Herein lies the strongest claim of authority of modern Mormonism, although they do not openly make this claim.
[21] “House” in this context refers to the Davidic royal dynasty ( 2 Sam 7:11, 16)
[22] D&C 124:56-59
[23] http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/blessing-from-oliver-cowdery-22-september-1835#!/paperSummary/blessing-from-oliver-cowdery-22-september-1835&p=1
[24] Gen 49:10
[25] Sometimes spelled “scepter”
[26] D&C 85:7
[27] Gen 37:9-11
[28] D&C 110:11
[29] D&C 113:1-6
[30] Section 132 is problematic on many levels. For one thing, the original revelation does not exist. Only and hand written copy exists. Secondly, there is historical evidence to suggest that the original revelation was much shorter than the one we have today without much of the theology that is currently present in it. Another consideration is that it was never accepted by the law of common consent during Joseph’s life and Joseph apparently had no plans to canonize it. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about section 132 is that it is incoherent and inconsistent with the scriptures that have have been accepted by common consent and canonized, see the following article https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/analysis-of-section-132/
[31] (See Life of Heber C. Kimball [1988], p. 185; JD 4:248; Journal of President Rudger Clawson, pp. 374-75; Ivins Journal, p. 21.)
[32] JST John 1:13
[33] “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Dan 2:44
[34] http://mormonthink.com/grant8.htm
[35] William Clayton Journal, 1 January 1845, D. Michael Quinn Papers
[36] Following Smith’s death, the Council anointed Brigham Young its leader, and as the “king and president” of the Kingdom of God See minutes of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 12 February 1849, p. 3 [LDS Archives], cited in Quinn 1997, p. 238. John Taylor’s coronation that took place on February 4, 1885, is also a matter of public record. He was “anointed & set apart as a King Priest and Ruler over Israel on the Earth, over Zion & the Kingdom under Christ, our King of Kings.” There is no reason to suppose that this tradition is not continued to this very day. It is that authors opinion that the presidents of the LDS church from Joseph Smith to the present, represent the literal Kingdom of David, re-established upon the earth, in fulfillment of the ancient promise that it would be re-established and that after being established, the throne would be inhabited until he comes
[37] JST Matt 21:55
*Several quotes by the early leaders of the church about being of the Davidic Bloodline are contained in the Book “Dynasty of the Holy Grail: Mormonism’s Sacred Bloodline, by Vern G. Swanson. Another book on the subject is “Joseph Smith and his Royal Lineage, A Blood Descendant of Jesus Christ, by R. Merle Fowler
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A few years ago I acquired a friend through this blog that we will call “R”. He has recently been serving in a Bishopric but he moved recently so I don’t think he is in the position currently. He is one of the people that is always bringing up facinating observations and questions. I love the cross-pollination that take place when gospel discussion takes place.
Late last night I got the following email from him:
Then there is JST Matthew 23:10
“All of these amazing things aside, the reason I wanted to give you an update is actually to detail you in on something else very important that occurred this week.
A set of elders were studying section 132, and they became concerned by a few things in it. The thing that confused them most of all interesting enough was the verses that detail Abraham being a god, already having entered into his exaltation.
They asked me about it… And it was such an obscure contradiction I couldn’t help but be impressed. I told them that I didn’t believe in 132 at all. …
This, you can imagine, has opened up a can of worms with other missionaries when they heard about it. So far the dust seems to have settled. In any case, I thought you might find it inspiring to know that even average missionaries with average church history knowledge are seeing discrepancies in 132.“
.
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Many many years ago when I was just getting addicted to my obsession of searching the scriptures and the history of the church, I came upon one of the most extraordinary and exhilarating quotes from Joseph Smith that really turned me upside down and inside out.
It went something like this
“..the Holy Ghost is now in a state of Probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has”
It blew my mind.
I thought that was one of the most astounding and illuminating concepts I had ever heard!
Of course it was also quite disruptive, not only to all of my preconceived ideas about the Holy Ghost, but it also appeared to contradict scripture.
At that time I was really into prophet worship in general, and Joseph Smith worship specifically, and I just knew that it was impossible for the prophet Joseph Smith to ever say anything false.
Did I remember to tell you that I was also pretty damn gullible?
Anyway, I mindlessly accepted this new doctrine as a fact and went my merry little way thinking I had discovered one of the mysteries of Godliness, although I had a little higher degree of cognitive dissonance whenever I would read about the Holy Ghost in the scriptures.
As the years went by, I finally began to have my awakening about the true history of the church, the latter day apostasy, the fact that most of what I had been taught in the church was erroneous. I learned that Joseph was not infallible and in fact, that he had his eyes covered about many things shortly after the fulness of the gospel was rejected. Hence, he did and taught things during the Nauvoo era that were not correct.
At that time, I began to re-evaluate all of the doctrine that I had ever taken for granted.
first, I composed a pecking order of credible resources, based on perceived credibility, that I could use to determine true vs false doctrines.
Obviously, the Holy Ghost is a very important key in determining truth, and avoid being deceived, but it is easy to over ride the subtle promptings of the spirit, or not even get promptings, if we are using bad resources that we categorically deem to be credible.
One of the quotes from a modern president of the church that had a profound impact on my thinking and on my quest for truth is as follows:
“It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teachings of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine.
“You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works.
“Every man who writes is responsible, not the Church, for what he writes. If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it. If he writes that which is in perfect harmony with the revealed word of the Lord, then it should be accepted.” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:203–4; also cited in Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], p. 609.)
That quote changed my life and it changed the way I began to discern doctrinal truth.
Before that time, my number one resource for studying the gospel was the words of the modern general authorities.
After pondering the above statement by President Smith, everything changed for me.
After that, my number one priority was studying the scriptures.
I knew that the word of God had said that treasuring up God’s word in the scriptures is a method by which we can avoid being deceived so the scriptures became my number one priority. They became my number one criteria of credibility as far as written source material is concerned.
Joseph Smith’s teachings were next on the list, with a very high credibility quotient, but each quote, from “Teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith”, “Words of Joseph Smith”, and any other sources quoting Joseph Smith, needed to be scrutinized and verified for historical accuracy. If when Joseph would make doctrinal declaration that did not square with the scriptures I would simply discard it. I began to realize that 95%+ of the teachings of Joseph Smith in the early Kirtland era were congruent with the scriptures, with regard to the Nauvoo era, not so much.
context is very important.
All quotes from early general authorities like Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon needed a second witness from the scriptures to maintain a high status and “credibility quotient” on my new list of credible doctrinal sources.
Eventually the sermons of Brigham Young and modern church presidents no longer had the highest “credibility quotient” in fact I discovered so much BS in the Journal of Discourses that I simply quite wasting my time reading them, except for historical reasons and for documenting the trajectory of the latter day apostasy. .
I had been raised to believe that living prophets were more inspired than dead prophets and that a conflicting doctrine taught by a “living prophet” trumped the doctrine in the scriptures taught by a dead prophet. But the quote from President Smith rang true to me loud and clear.
The cold hard fact of the matter is that when modern presidents of the church said something true, it was already in the scriptures and when they didn’t, it needed to be discarded.
I simply needed to be drenching myself in the word of God from the most holy written source. I didn’t need some modern authority to reinterpret the scriptures for me. The above quote by Joseph Fielding Smith for instance, as profound as it was, should have already been understood by me and it would have been understood by me if I had made the scriptures my number one priority.
Once I created my listing of worthwhile resources based on my new method of assigning “credibility quotients” I was able to reevaluate many of my previous doctrines I had been taught in the church and I was flabbergasted at how many false doctrines are taught in the church. It was a real eye opener how many false teachings there are in the church. In fact, it is much easier to count the number of true doctrines that are being taught in the church because you only need one hand to do it.
I began discarding numerous false doctrines that I had inherited from the false traditions of my fathers.
Needless to say, the quote from Joseph Smith about the Holy Ghost being a man living on an earth during Joseph’s ministry, having a probationary experience, went by the way side pretty quickly when weighed in the balance against the scriptures, Lectures on Faith, other credible, verifiable, scripturally backed statements by Joseph Smith, etc.
However, one night while pondering that statement about the Holy Ghost, that I once found so illuminating, and assuming, the thought occurred to me that perhaps Joseph Smith actually never even taught it.
That thought caused me to jump out of bed and run to my computer and get on the trusty Internet.
I quickly pulled up the boap website that shows the five known diary entries of that particular Nauvoo discourse that Joseph gave.
http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/1843/27Aug43.html#N_4_
They were conveniently listed side by side and they were matched up by topic horizontally which left gaps in the column anytime any of the dairies did not make note of the same narrative in the discourse. This made it really easy to compare what each of these five people heard and how they articulated it as they heard it.
The five people and corresponding diaries are listed below:
According to the dairy entries that were placed side by side, according to similar content, only one person out of five heard Joseph Smith make that statement.
What?
That didn’t make any sense.
I thought to myself, perhaps only one of the five felt that the statement was noteworthy enough to note.
No!
That definitely did not make any sense either.
There was something very very wrong with the picture I was seeing.
After analyzing things for awhile I had a series of other questions come into my head.
How is it that Joseph Smith’s own diary did not record this new doctrine?
How is it that the Holy Ghost as a general topic does not even show up in the other four diary notes?
Why is there no record of anyone else in the congregation noting this in their personal diaries?
There must have been hundreds if not thousands of people in the congregation that day who would have also heard the statement and been blown away by it, and yet, I have never, in all of my searching in the history of the church seen another witness that the statement was made. If any of you have, please send it to me. 🙂
Why is it that the current newspapers and church periodicals said nothing about it?
Hmmmmm…
Below is a screen shot of the five diary entries.
As you can see by the yellowed areas, all five of the diaries noted that Joseph Smith was speaking about the Melchizedek priesthood and fulness of priesthood just prior to when F D Richards claims Joseph made the statement.
Conversely, not one of the other entries mentioned the statement F D Richards noted. In fact, not one of the entries notes any narrative relating to the Holy Ghost at all!
It became obvious to me that Frankly D. Richards did not hear Joseph make that statement on that day, in that sermon.
It occurred to me that there could have been countless reasons why Richards might have inserted the crazy blurb that he did into his personal diary.
There is one other interesting thing that I noticed. You will see it highlighted in puke-green
The phrase “state of Probation” is used in the F D Richards diary in regard to the Holy Ghost, and the phrase “probationary state” is used in the Burgess Notebook with regard to the topic of the purpose of “man’s” probationary state.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Either that is quite a coincidence, OR, F D Richards got confused as he was taking notes and really meant to convey something about man’s probationary state and the importance of the Holy Ghost in our progression. Frankly, I think that is where the discrepancy comes from.
Anyway, after going through that little exercise I am now convinced that brother Joseph never even taught the doctrine, he simply got blamed for teaching it.
Nauvoo would have been buzzing about this new disruptive doctrine the next day if Joseph Smith actually would have stated it.
The more I think about it, the more appalled I am with myself that I ever believed it.
I wonder how many other things we blame Joseph for, that he did not say or do?! ?!
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In Part 4 of this series I shared two emails from JL. I neglected to mention that the first one had been sent by him on 6/22/14 and the second one was sent on 10/24/14.
I had not heard from him since then.
Frankly, I was just going on faith that he was still hanging on to the iron rod when I shared his emails, and I felt that even if he wasn’t, those emails were instructive and worthy of sharing because of the content in them.
Well….
He read that post and I heard from him again.
He is still hanging onto the iron rod… HOWEVER, he made the mistake of aggressively sharing his awakening with his wife and parents.
Reading his email brought back some painful memories of how I felt like I needed to tell the world what I had discovered shortly after I began having my scriptural epiphanies. OUCH! It was so painful to get the rejection that I encountered.
One of the nice things about sharing information on an anonymous blog is that only those that are ready for their epiphany and interested in the content seem to search it out and gravitate towards it. Yes there are a few people who find themselves at my blog by mistake, but they can quickly label me as a heretic and apostate and leave the site.. “no harm, no foul”, as Hot Rod Hundley would say. .
[very important update: I have just been informed that Hot Rod did not coin that phrase although he used it a lot. Here is what a reader, had to say: “Actually No Harm No Foul derived from Chick Hearn in Los Angeles, whom Hot Rod was color commentator for.” Thank you for that bit of sports trivia!
Anyway, I have seen many marriages fall apart when one person experiences an awakening and their spouse does not. The truth (or perception of what is truth) can become a wedge in a marriage.
Many people justify discarding a spouse by using some of the comments by the Savior about how a person needs to love the Savior more than family and friends, however, the dividing up of families takes place when the fulness of the Gospel is on the earth and the great “come out of Babylon” polarization takes place. That time has not begun yet! We live during the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. There is no need for anyone to get on their high horse and begin discarding people over religion. We all see through a glass darkly as this time. There is no place for self righteousness, nor justification for discarding the sacred marriage covenant.
As painful as my journey has been, I have not had to experience that challenge of having a spouse that believes differently. Thankfully, Mrs Watcher had her epiphany at the same time I had mine… or so I thought… Many people assume that my epiphany prompted hers, and in a way it she did, however, she later confided in me that during her temple experience, when she had to take out her endowments to get sealed to me, the spirit told her that the ritual of swearing by her neck and taking secret oaths was EVIL. She was not sure if she was being deceived or not and felt guilty about having those thoughts. She was concerned about how I would respond if she told me about those prompting prior to our marriage… She simply kept that experience to her self and did not share it with me until I had my awakening. Her concerns were valid. If she would have told me about her temple experience prior to our marriage, I don’t think she would be Mrs Watcher today LOL
She has reminded me ever since my awakening that she is not a “yes [wo]man” and that she has had her own personal epiphany. She is also quick to remind me that if I ever lose my testimony of the Savior and his marvelous work, I would be on my own, in my beliefs, because she has no intentions of following me to hell. 😉
She’s a spunky little fireball she is..
Praise God for that!
Anyway, getting back to JL and his wife. I found it really touching to hear his tender feelings for her and how much he loves her and the compassion he has shown after realizing that this is not her time for awakening.
Some people rigidly judge their spouse and are quick to leave them if they are not ready and willing to have the same spiritual epiphany… I believe that is a very serious mistake.
I have JL’s permission to once again share this most recent correspondence which I am going to do because I think the content is instructive and inspiring.
Enjoy.
”
Hello Watcher,
I want to apologize ahead of time for how long this email got. I read your latest post and I wanted to tell you how honored I was that you shared the emails between you and me with those who visit your site. I am very grateful for the way that you framed my thoughts and I feel they caught the true spirit of what I was trying to say.
I am humbled to think that perhaps there is someone else out there searching for the truth and someday may be lead the way that I was to your site and will be able to read my testimony and know that truth does exist and more is soon to come.
I have been amazed over the months how I can be caught up with a certain subject or topic and out of the blue you will post something that has to do with exactly what I am learning about. I doubt this happens by accident and I wonder how many other brothers and sisters who have caught the spirit of watching have had the same thing happen to them. I often wonder if we are all caught up thinking and pondering on similar things at similar times because the hand of God is directing us. I would even go so far as to say he is preparing us because time is short. Needless to say I am still watching and waiting and doing all that I can to prepare my heart and mind for the return of the Savior and the mighty servants he will send to prepare the world for that great event.
I have not shared this with you yet but I have a feeling there are many others who must be in a similar situation as myself. When I first started realizing that all was not right with the church I loved and had committed my life to I was very careful who I talked to and that continues to be the case to this day.
Initially the only person that I spoke to was my wife. I have known my wife since I was eight years old. We grew up down the street from one another and from a young age we both knew we were meant to be together. She is my better half and in every way she is my soul mate. As I have mentioned in previous emails we have been blessed with six children and our lives have been blessed because of each other and our children.
As I started talking to my wife about all of the concerns I had about the church (all of my concerns at this point were coming from church sponsored materials and the standard works) she was very concerned that I was losing my testimony. As time went on and my feelings and understanding solidified her concerns turned into real fear I think. I felt horrible at this point because as any husband can attest to the last thing they want to do is crush the tender feelings of their wife.
Eventually I realized that I was probably doing my wife a great disservice by continuing to bring up my concerns about the church that I knew I had to try and find some answers or at a minimum some moral support somewhere else so I began discussing what I had learned with my parents. To my parents credit they initially tried to be supportive but I quickly realized that they too were concerned for my eternal wellbeing. Instead of trying to understand why I was having the concerns that I was having they would ask questions like “have you been offended by your Bishop lately, or have you read something controversial that you probably should not have”.
At one point my Mother asked a question like this and it struck me just how funny this whole situation was that they thought this was about me being offended or upset even though there was no reason for them to assume that anything like that had happened. I could see the endless general conference talks spinning in there head about how to overcome those who have objections or concerns about the church and how those concerns can be overcome with love and support. As I am typing this I am chuckling a little because it was really funny now that I think about it. I was not offended and I did not need love. I needed answers. I needed the truth.
I know that my wife and my parents were all worried that I was on the verge of being a lost soul. I know that they were all spending time on their knees asking the Lord to send me the answers that I needed and to help me find the truth I was determined to find no matter what the cost. I know that all three of them believed the Lord would send an answer but I don’t think any of them were prepared for the answer the Lord sent.
As you know I eventually found your three watches bloghttp://threewatches.blogspot.com/ and then your https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/ website and I found the answer to my prayers and began to re-piece my testimony in the foundation that the Prophet Joseph Smith started. My heart went from the lowest low to the highest high and my family could all tell that I had found the peace I was so desperately looking for.
My wife was so relieved and my parents were so grateful that the Lord had heard their prayers and that I was back to my old self. The problem was I was not my old self. I was someone very different. I took nothing for granted because I vowed I would never find myself in a similar situation again. I would read one of your posts and then I would go study the scriptures and try and find as many of the historic references as I could.
This was not an easy task and I sometimes would spend days on just one topic. One example of this was your post on section 132. I spent weeks studying section 132 alone. I would start breaking down each verse and I would not move on until I understood what each verse was saying and compare it to other revealed words of God. I think I spent so much time on that section because I kept finding so many contradictions and falsehoods that it kept me busy for a while.
As my testimony grew and my knowledge expanded (though I felt like I was still an infant and I still feel this way) I began to share my new testimony with my wife and my parents. As I started showing them from the scriptures how the marvelous work and wonder was going to be a future event, and that what began with Joseph Smith as a foundation that started off strong but ultimately became corrupted over time and required him and others to offer themselves as an offering like Moses amongst the Children of Israel to hold off the wrath of the Lord. I discussed how many of the core teachings revealed by revelation within just a few short years were changed as the eyes of the saints were darkened and they began to accept doctrines that were not from the Lord.
I went on to expound on how the Lord knew this was all going to happen and that he prepared different ways for His great work to move forward. I was so excited to share my new found knowledge that looking back at it I think I went a little overboard. In fact I am certain I did because I quickly realized that as concerned as my wife and parents were for me when they thought I was just losing my testimony now they were absolutely horrified. It was obvious to me that they would much rather deal with someone who had just lost his testimony then have to consider that the things they had been taught all of their lives by Prophets, Apostles, Seventies, Stake Presidents, and Bishops were not in accordance with what the scriptures actually teach.
As time went on the range of emotions they felt was wide especially for my amazing wife. These past 19 months have without question been the hardest on her. There are no words to express how grateful I am to her for her love and endless support. She has had to put up with a husband who for about 7 months was in the depths of despair thinking his whole world had been destroyed from a religious perspective to the last 12 months were he could barely contain his joy and excitement.
The real challenge for her is she still believes what she has always believed. She believes with all of her heart that President Monson speaks with God on regular bases and that he could never lead the members of the church astray. She believes with all of her heart that the Twelve Apostles each day are doing the work that Jesus would have them do and that when they speak they are speaking the words the Lord would say if he were here.
She believes with all of her heart that she could never be allowed to enter the Celestial Kingdom without participating in the temple ceremony. She believes with all of her heart that the highest priesthood God gives man is still on the earth and that all of the rights and privileges associated with the priesthood is governing the affairs of the Lords kingdom on this earth.
She believes with all of her heart that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the same as the Lords kingdom and when she speaks of the church she is speaking of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love my wife more than ever. In many ways our relationship is stronger because of the things we have experienced. There have been many tears some from joy and some from sadness as we have tried to work through the tough questions that come from a couple that now believe very differently from each other especially when it comes to raising our children.
My number one desire right now is to protect my wife and honor her tender feelings about the gospel as she understands it. I have never felt impressed or compelled to think it was my place to try and change the way she thinks. I support with all of my heart her faith and her testimony because not too long ago I believed the same things.
My testimony and my prayer
I know this was an incredibly long email and there is more I wish I could say but I wanted to end with my testimony and perhaps a prayer from my heart. I have come to realize that no one can teach the things that you discuss on your website and expect the person reading the information to understand no matter what their knowledge or background is.
I have come to realize that I could stand in front of my parents and my wife and anyone else I come in contact with and teach them in the most perfect way the truths that both you and I hold so dear and no one would ever understand what I was trying to say. The reason why I say this is the things that you discuss on your website or the things that I was trying to teach my wife and parents are things that cannot be taught they can only be revealed.
I am convinced that for someone to truly understand the things that you and I believe in God has to show them. Only God can truly prepare a person to understand these truths. This thought fills my soul with so much joy. This thought brings my heart so much peace because I know right now as I speak the Lord has a plan for my wife.
He understands better than I ever could what it will take for her to be prepared so that when he begins his amazing work in its fullness my wife will be prepared in the best possible way. I know we all have a choice to either accept the message of the Lord or deny it but I have faith that he can do a better job preparing those that I love better than I ever could. I believe that as each day passes I am getting that much closer to my wife having these truths revealed to her because the Lord is getting closer to revealing himself to all who know his voice and will follow. I have faith that my wife is one of those!
I know that what the scriptures teach about the servants returning is true. I know this not just because of a feeling but because I have studied it out in my mind and my heart and the portion of the Spirit the Lord has blessed me with has revealed to me that it is so. I know that all of God’s promises will be fulfilled and it’s my job to have faith, and watch, and wait. It is my prayer that the servants return quickly. It is my prayer that they come with their words but even more importantly that they come with the power of God to prepare the world for the Savior. I desire more than anything to witness this and if God will allow it to be a part of it in some small way.
Thank you for letting me takes so much of your time and thank you for your service to the Lord. I know it has made an impact in my own life beyond words.
Your brother,
JL”
There is a huge pile of profundity in the above email. I was really touched by the following declaration:
“My number one desire right now is to protect my wife and honor her tender feelings about the gospel as she understands it.:
What a humble, compassionate, charitable soul this man is.
Here is my reply to him:
“Wow
Yes please feel free to share this email.
You are so right about being a little two aggressive. It is so easy to let excitement and devotion sometimes cloud our better judgement.
I am sure we will talk soon and thank you again!”
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
When I went on my mission, I had not read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover nor had I read the Bible. I admitted these things in my farewell talk to the chagrin and embarrassment of my Stake President who was sitting on the stand behind me (who also happened to be my Father).
I suspect that I was not atypical when it came to Mormon missionaries being incredibly unprepared during that early 70’s. I suspect that the more naive a missionary was, the more pure and simple his passionate “testimony” sounded to prospects who were also not hampered with too much knowledge of the scriptures.
the world of missionary work has since changed.
Have you ever wondered how much of an impact the Internet is having on the preparation of missionaries? I am not talking about how the Internet is being used for missionary work, I am talking about how much do prospective missionaries learn from the Internet, about uncorrelated Mormonism and the sanitized history of the church, before leaving to go on their missions, and how much does it impact their belief during their mission?
How many missionaries and prospective missionaries have visited anti-Mormon websites and blogs before their mission and/or during their mission?
How many have visited controversial websites and blogs like this one that speak about disturbing and faith challenging doctrinal and historical issues?
Are there missionaries out there that realize that many of the truth claims of the church are blatantly false and unsupported in scripture? If so, how does it affect how and what they teach, now that the missionaries are not required to stick with a script and are given significantly more leeway in constructing their lessons?
Are there missionaries that realize that the “follow the prophet” doctrine is a soul destroying heresy and therefore only focus on pointing people to the Book of Mormon, the simple gospel of Christ and a relationship with Christ?
I got an interesting email from a Mormon missionary about a month ago that I found to be rather interesting. He is a convert to the church that has been on his mission for nearly one year. Perhaps he celebrated his upcoming “hump” day by contacting me. I asked him if I might share his communication with my readers and he said yes.
Enjoy.
“Greetings,
I’ve thought of contacting you for a long time, but with 1 whopping hour of alotted email time I’ve barely the time to send out anything I’ve fully thought through.
I too am watching.
I’m 23 years old and have been out nearly a year on my mission. My name is Elder XXXXX and contacting you comes from the desire to have a candid conversation with you before things completely unravel and we find ourselves talking under other such circumstances.
So let’s talk during the calm before the storm.
First of all let me say how grateful I am to serve as a missionary. I’ve seen lives change. And I know I’ve been an instrument in the Lord’s hand in bringing light to people in dire situations. All it takes is getting them to open up the Book of Mormon.
From age 17 to 21 I was deeply involved with drugs and alcohol and clubs and parties. God called me out of the fog I was in, somehow. There must have been an angelic encounter that occurred– if only I could remember those days more clearly. Sadly from ages 21 to 22, I became intrigued by the Mormon intellects, the “wise and learned” of the latter-day Saint people. I gravitated from Terryl Givens to Denver Snuffer then to your website.
I honestly thought you were off your rocker– a conspiracy theorist no-less– but I was enthralled. It was only until being on my mission and searching the words of the Doctrine and Covenants that I came to know for myself the prophecies that are deeply embedded therein. I know the things that will happen and I’m doing my best to prepare myself and my family for it– as well as whomever I come into contact with. I want them to know the reality of God’s word, that all things in them will be fulfilled. That His judgments are coming. We need to repent and take the Holy Spirit as our guide.
This church has done so [much] for me and for many others. I come from a place where there are no Mormons and so I know the fruits of this gospel. It’s evident to me where I’m from and it’s evident on this mission. We are essentially the only church that understands the doctrine of Christ. I’ve seen people from other Christian denominations become truly born of God through the lens of this faith. I don’t fully know your entire view on the LDS church. Many would scream “apostate” at you, I’m sure. (Many have said the same thing to me when I tell them my views on certain subjects.) So there are many things we would likely disagree on. But that’s okay.
For now that’s okay. It is because right now no one can agree on anything anymore. We will become united in doctrine when the third watch begins. There are things you are wrong on, there are things I am wrong in, and there are things wrong in the church. That’s no mystery. Contentions will cease through Joseph fulfilling the second part of his dual mission.
For starters, I just want you to know that I understand what happened in the Kirtland temple, and I understand why Joseph had to do what he did. I struggled for years with “Nauvoo” and everything that that chapter of Mormon history entailed, but I now know who God truly is because of it. The controversy has forced me to SEARCH for God, instead of expecting Him at every turn of the corner.
There are many dark things happening. The church has many tares. But we know the tares will be burned. The wheat will be harvested, and the church will put on the fullness, to which it holds a right to. This will happen by divine intervention. It can only happen by the power of God. I know the servants have been chosen and will return to do what they’ve been commissioned and appointed for. Yet there is an awakening occurring! I’ve seen it in ways I never would have imagined. God is waking up His people!
I’m waiting for Him to make bare His holy arm, but yet even so there are many wonderful things at work in the lives of His Saints.
At two firesides I’ve heard two different speakers slip up their words while teaching false precepts, to then instead teach true doctrine! Then they correct themselves and teach the falsehood. Yet the truth was said and I can tell the spirit testifying the truth to all in the room…
So I don’t know why I sent you this email if only to just tell you that. Maybe just to let you know that there are things happening. God is at work.
I’ll bear my testimony to you of God’s infinite mercy and yet of his great and terrible justice. God will cleanse this continent of all its iniquity. Vengeance will come speedily, first to those who profess to know Him, especially to the hypocrites in His church.
Yet those that are pure in heart, who have a testimony of Jesus and keep the commandments of God, will remain, safe.
See you at the New Jerusalem.
Your brother in the adopted family of God through conversion to His Son in Christ Jesus,
Elder XXXXX”
Wow
Here was my response:
“Elder XXXX
Thank you so much for your email.
Praise God for missionaries like you.
You are on an amazing journey.
You are engaged in a great work and also being prepared for a future work.
What can be more important and more spiritually rewarding right now than presenting the Book of Mormon to people and testifying of it’s truthfulness!
I am blown away by how much you appear to know for being so young. I feel we have much in common. I was a bit wild during my youth before my mission. Once on my mission I delved into the deep doctrine and mysteries instead of staying with the basics of declaring faith and repentance. I read Mormon Doctrine and Jesus the Christ during my mission which was considered to be pretty deep stuff for missionaries back in the day… shortly after the flood. 😉
I obviously did not know a fraction of what you know, back when I was on my mission.
I am curious to know how long before your mission it was that you began to study the writings of intellectuals, and Givens and then Snuffer.
I would encourage you to prayerfully consider staying away from controversial blogs like mine and Snuffers until after your mission is over so that you can stay focused on the incredibly important work that you are currently engaged in.
Keep the faith brother.
I am praying for you.
Watcher”
This is his reply that came many days later when he was given another small allotment of time for email correspondence:
“Thanks for the response. It’s great to hear from you, it really is. I’m also slightly amused to hear that you too went somewhat wild as a youth. It seems like a rite of passage. Yet strangely, my father was not the type. He was the straight-and-narrow his whole life. I’m oddly envious. I seem to always take the path that’s hardest. If only I could shut down my yearnings to understand everything completely. I appreciate your recommendation to stay away from controversial blogs, to stay focused on the tasks at hand.
In my first area we literally had no investigators—[name of area]– so I couldn’t help but delve into the unanswered questions I brought with me from before the mission. I was reverted to your site (and email) when I was trying to come to my drastic conclusion of section 132. (The day I rejected it as scripture was the scariest day of my life– June 2014)
Considering that I will be receiving an iPad soon– and the church will track all my internet browsing– I won’t be able to go a surfing for things anymore. I won’t be taking any detours to your site again. But this is timely, because things on my mission have gotten extremely emotionally demanding. I don’t have time to pontificate on priesthood and temples etc.
Fall of 2011, I started reading literally everything on Joseph Smith. I’m a writer and wanted to write a novel about him from the point of view of a non-believer (which at the time I was), yet I wanted the book to be warm towards him as a human being, not being judgmental. (I’ve never spoken an ill-word towards Joseph or Mormonism, even in my “atheist” years.)
By the time I finished reading the major biographies/histories, I was a semi-believer. I knew that Joseph Smith was inspired of God, and through that I began a serious read of the Book of Mormon. By the summer of 2012 I was a believer in the early restoration and of the Book of Mormon.
To reconcile things I thought were irreconcilable, for the next year I was drawn to Terryl and Fiona Givens and John Dehlin. They helped me see beauty in the modern church. I really loved Denver Snuffer’s “Removing the Condemnation”– but PTHG was a joke. It certainly hit a spot, though. It made me reflect on things I tried to brush off. In the summer of 2013 I was waiting to go on my mission, still with many unanswered questions.
I feel like the majority of my past concerns no longer bother me. I try to focus less on the Doctrine and Covenants and more on the gospels of the New Testament and the missionary efforts in the Book of Mormon. The mysteries can wait.
You read Mormon Doctrine on your mission? Was that missionary approved? Haha
Someone left a copy of Visions of Glory in our apartment for the missionaries to (disobediently) read. That was an interesting find. Luckily, my comp didn’t mind my reading it.”
I must say, I was a little surprised to have such a conversation with a Mormon missionary. He is obviously the exception to the rule, nevertheless, I don’t think he is the only one that is on the journey of seeking deeply to understand the scriptures and the true history of the church that is not found in correlated Mormonism.
It is fascinating to hear from a Mormon missionary who understands and believes in doctrine of the three watches and rejects section 132, who realizes that all is not well in Zion and who is awakening to the true history of the past restoration while awaiting the future one.
Missionary work is critical and there is only one church that is seriously attempting to get the Book of Mormon out there, even if they do bundle the sales pitch with a lot of heresy.
Getting the Book of Mormon into the hands of as many people as possible is as important as it ever was. Praise God for young men who are willing to make the sacrifice of doing missionary work while carrying some doubts and the burden the comes with knowing that not all of what they are expected to teach, is true.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[WARNING: This blog documents the truthfulness of the restored gospel and the validity of the LDS restoration movement and the ministry of the prophet Joseph Smith. HOWEVER, it also contains very controversial material about LDS Church doctrine and history and it is often critical of Modern Mormonism and the actions and decisions of the leaders thereof.
This particular series of “Miscellaneous Musings” addresses current events and the random thoughts and observations of the author.
At times the author uses a tone of irreverence, cynicism and sarcasm as therapy to help himself and some of his readers cope with the absurd, alternate reality that we live in.
Although many of the Latter day Jews (Mormons) are convinced that we have the fulness of the Gospel on the earth, I am of the belief that we actually live in the prophesied time of “hidden darkness” when God’s apostate people think they are righteous but they are not..
You should be at least 18 to view this site or have parental permission and a note from your Bishop.
Comments, complaints, accusations and threats can be directed to OneWhoIsWatching [at] gmail dot com. ]
Aaron Weiss Speaks Very Articulately
Deputy Slaps Citizen for Not Allowing Car Search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XExqABO4kc
“Saratoga County Deputy Shawn Glans had no idea he was being recorded as he tried to intimidate a man into allowing him to search his car, which is why he slapped him on the back of his head while yanking the keys out of his hand, tossing them to another deputy who searched the man’s car and found nothing illegal.
But he does know now after Adam Roberts uploaded the video to Facebook where it began going viral Friday.
Deputy Shawn Glans has been fired!
Update on the deputy that slapped the citizen.
http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2014/11/saratoga-deputy-arrested-slapping-citizen-video/
Ebola Infographic
Does Jacob 2 Teach that God Sometimes Commands Polygamy?
There is a fellow that has tried to convince me that Jacob 2:30 was really not saying what most people think it is saying. I have stated repeatedly that section 132 is a revelation from hell and that I do not believe in the spiritual wife doctrine. I have written numerous articles to that effect:
I told this fellow that nobody would be happier than me if he was correct about Jacob 2:30 being misinterpreted, however, the wresting of the scriptures that he offered me to prove his point was not compelling to me. I felt that I needed to accept the interpretation at face value until someone could show me a compelling reason to assume a different interpretation.
I noticed the other day that someone came to his website and provided a fascinating explanation of how the meaning of the passage may have been corrupted by the misapplication of punctuation.
I do find that explanation with the differing punctuation to be more persuasive, particularly in light of the condemning text that precedes and follows the declaration. 🙂
Notice the reverse meaning when the punctuation is used differently:
“For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people otherwise; they shall hearken unto these things.” (referring to the things mentioned before and after the verse, condemning the practice of polygamy)
I am still not totally convinced. It seems to me that the passage is probably referring to the Levirate Law.
Just something to ponder..
Obama and the Democrats got a Thrashing..
..to no avail
It was interesting to watch the interview with Obama after the huge thrashing that his policies and the democrats got. He spun the message that he got from voters to mean that people simply want him and congress to “get something done”.
That, of course, was not the message being sent from voters. The messages was, “quit doing what you are doing! You are destroying this nation!”
Obama then proceeded to tell reporters that he was not going to compromise on anything. Either Congress would pass bills that he likes and that promoted his agenda, or he would continue to use Executive Orders to promote his agenda.
I used to get serious heartburn watching him dismantle this nation, however, I keep reminding myself that God has put this latter day Pharaoh in power as a chastisement to this Godless nation. Obama is just one of many judgments that God has sent against the “hypocritical nation”.
Congressman Calls on Americans to
“Surround the White House”
to Stop Obama
Quo Warranto
From time to time patriot groups attempt to reverse the damage being done by the secret combination that is destroying the freedom of all nations.
“The Line in the Sand – Breaking News November 10, 2014 Unified Common Law Grand Jury in every State files writ of quo warranto in every Federal District Court, United States Supreme Court and served upon every Federal Judge and all 9 US Supreme Court Justices. Information in the nature of a quo warranto.”
Of course we know from prophecy that it will take an intervention from God and His servants to break the bonds that have us in bondage. Nevertheless, for those of you who are just waking up to a sense of our awful situation, this video provides a significant summary of many of the issues at hand.
The Secret History of the Mormon Church
Over the years, I have been uncovering what I refer to as the secret history of Mormonism. The true history of the LDS Restoration has been hidden and sanitized by well meaning people. I have shared my findings regarding the history of the restored church, in light of prophecy.
I have taught that after the Gentile church rejected the fulness of the gospel (3rd Nephi 16:10, D&C 124:28) which was on the earth from June of 1831 to November of 1834, by taking lightly the Book of Mormon and the commandments given through Joseph Smith, including the law of consecration, an intercessory offering needed to be made.
The Lords anointed servants of the restoration needed to make this intercessory offering to prevent the Latter day Saints from being swept off of the face of the earth.
Following this 3 1/2 year period and the rejection of the fulness, Joseph and Oliver entered into a “covenant of tithing” for the “continuance of blessings“. This enabled the Saints to complete the Kirtland Temple so that the secret vision and transferring of dispensational keys could take pace behind the veil in the holy of holies.
At that point, the fulness of the Gospel of GRACE, was taken from the Gentiles and replaced with the preparatory gospel of MERCY. The Gentiles then took this preparatory Gospel, which contained the KNOWLEDGE of the fulness of the Gospel to the House of Israel.
Many Mormons are JEWS
In Christ’s prophecy about this event, he said that after the Gentiles sinned against the fulness of the gospel, (in 1834) the gospel would be taken to “His People” the “House of Israel” (This began in about 1839 when Joseph Smith had the Twelve Apostles establish foreign missions ) :
10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth..
..I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them.
12 And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.
Throughout the scriptures when referring to “his people” “Israel”, the Lord is usually referring to the “Jews”. Sometimes the word Jews is used synonymously with the term “house of Israel”, while, at other times, it is referring primarily to the “Tribe of Judah” or the “kingdom of Judah”.
It is therefore not surprising that embedded in modern revelation, we are told that the foreign missions that Joseph set up following the secret ushering in of the “dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham”, would be gathering in the Jews:
“That through your administration they may receive the word, and through their administration the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the Gentiles first, and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews.” (Section 90)
“Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;
And again, the hearts of the Jews unto the prophets, and the prophets unto the Jews; lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be consumed before me.” (Section 98)
“The Twelve being sent out, holding the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and first unto the Gentiles and then unto the Jews.” (section 107)
All three of the above passages, in conjunction with the prophecy of Christ in 3rd Nephi, inform us that directly after the gospel goes to the Gentiles, it went to the House of Israel, otherwise referred to as the Jews. Clearly, the Twelve Apostles were commissioned to take the gospel to the Jews. Other sections of scripture that show forth the commission to the Twelve Apostles in taking the gospel to both the nations of the earth, to the Gentiles and then the Jews, are Sections 112 and 118.
Those converts that began flowing into the church from Great Britain during the Nauvoo era, were of the House of Israel or Jews, in contradistinction to the Gentiles members of the church from the Kirtland era.
Although some may assume that the preaching of the Gospel to the Jews has not yet begun and is a future, 3rd watch event, the following passage of scripture given during the dedication of the Kirtland Temple proves that from the very hour in which the Temple was dedicated, the ancient city of “Jerusalem” was redeemed, the “yoke of bondage” began to be broken off of the ancient “house of David” and the literal “children of Judah” began to return to the land of America which is the land of the Abrahamic Covenant!
“We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem, from this hour, may begin to be redeemed; And the yoke of bondage may begin to be broken off from the house of David; And the children of Judah may begin to return to the lands which thou didst give to Abraham, their father.” (Section 109:62-64)
A contextual reading of modern revelation and study of LDS church history, in conjunction with the prophecies contained in the Old Testament, verify that the early Gentile Saints from the Kirtland era, from pilgrim heritage, descended from the ancient “Kingdom of Israel” that had mingled among the nations of the Gentiles during Old Testament times.
Conversely, the converts flowing in from Great Britain during the Nauvoo era, included the “Children of Judah” who were descendents of the ancient “Kingdom of Judah”, many of which had gathered back to the Old World Jerusalem prior to the Savior’s earthly birth. After rejecting Christ, the kingdom of the Jews was destroyed and dispersed among the nations until they were to be gathered again in the last days and called Latter day “Saints”.
The terms “House of Israel” and “Jews” are often used interchangeably in the scriptures because there is a broad definition of the word Jew. However, within this general group of Jewish LDS converts, was a remnant from the literal “house of Judah“. IMO, the Fielding family was a text book example of descendents of the tribe and kingdom of Judah. When Hyrum Smith’s posterity intermingled with remnants of the house of Judah and were given positions of presidency among the Saints, it enabled the latter day Saints to re-establish the Kingdom of Judah in the latter days!
Despite how corrupt and apostate the modern Latter day Saint Church is, it is still composed of the “Jews” who are the Lord’s people. Traditionally, the Jews have been a rebellious people so it is not surprising that the modern Mormon church is totally apostate and completely out of the way. Nevertheless, they have the standard works which contain the knowledge of the fulness of the Gospel which is being taken to the nations of the earth.
We know that in the 3ed watch, when the last RESTORATION takes place, the two witnesses that will come with a voice of warning will come to the Latter day Saints that represent the “Jewish nation” and “Kingdom of the Jews”:
” They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered..” (D&C 77:15)
Will the latter day Jews listen to the message of the two witnesses and repent when the last restoration begins?
Despite the fact that Brigham Young and the twelve wrested the leadership of the church away from the rightful person who had come in at the gate (See D&C 43:7) and been anointed as a prophet seer and revelator, they still had the authority, according to the law of common consent, to lead the apostate church that did not want to be led by a true prophet, seer or revelator.. it appears, from sections107, 112, and 118, that although Brigham and his fellows were not prophets and seers, they held the keys of taking the scriptures containing the fulness of the gospel, to the Jews, which they did!
President Monson, truly sits in the latter day seat of Moses over the kingdom of the Jews. There is reason to believe that the latter day Saint JEWS are as corrupt and blinded as their ancestors were at the time that Christ came into the world and was rejected by His people the Jews.
From about April 4th, 1836, the period of time that the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham was secretly ushered in, things went downhill as the church fell into yet another time of apostasy. Instead of the law of consecration, the saints tried to create a Babylonian banking entity that ended in disaster. As they fled from Kirtland to Far West, the Saints began warring against the enemies of the church and a secret society called the Danites was established by members of the church who felt that they were now justified in plundering the unbelieving Gentiles and taking the spoils of war.
The next episode brings us to Nauvoo where the Saints continue practicing abominations that led to the martyrdom.
Nevertheless, during this time of apostasy, the message of the gospel was taken by the apostate apostles to the nations of the earth.
The Book of Mormon informs us that because of the abominations of the believing Gentiles, and because they would rejected the words of the prophets, the eyes of the seers would be covered. It informs us that AFTER the eyes of the prophets and seers are covered because of the iniquity of latter day Israel, the sealed book containing the revelation from God from the beginning to the end would come forth in the 3rd watch:
4 For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.
5 For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.
6 And it shall come to pass [after the covering of the eyes of the prophets and seers] that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered.
7 And behold the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof.
History verifies that the eyes of the Lord’s prophets and seers, Joseph, Oliver, Hyrum, and Sidney were covered and they erred in doctrine.
Joseph Smith’s eyes were covered by the Lord as a result of his intercessory atonement offering, in which he was used by the Lord to deliver His people over to Satan for a little season. (See section 105)
Because the eyes of the prophets and seers were covered, it is obvious that they taught some false doctrines. This brings up an interesting question regarding the Nauvoo discourses that Joseph Smith gave.
Years ago when I did my series on Sidney Rigdon, I realized that it was his responsibility to prove the revelations brought forth through Joseph Smith, according to the Bible. That is why most of the significant doctrinal discourses during the early days of the church were given by Rigdon. He was one of the greatest doctrinal scholars and preachers of the day.
It seemed odd to me that Joseph began doing the discoursing during the Nauvoo era instead of Rigdon and it got me wondering about the credibility of the doctrinal content of those discourses, in light of the Lord covering Joseph’s eyes.
Are the Nauvoo Discourses True?
I recently got the following email from someone:
“Watcher,
In your opinion, how useful and/or valid are Joseph’s sermons and teachings in the Nauvoo years as compiled in Andrew Ehat’s “Words of Joseph Smith” considering the state that he was in by that time?
I know that you/we accept section 124 as valid and being a true revelation, indeed. However, haven’t you concluded that much of the doctrine brought forth in the period from 1839 until his death is “questionable”?
Just wondering how you view the talks compiled in Ehat’s compilation?
thanks,
XXXX”
This was my response to the above email:
“I have really labored over this question. Early in my quest for truth I obtained a document that contained all of the Nauvoo discourses, very similar to the content contained in Ehats book. At that time I assumed everything Joseph had taught during the Nauvoo era was the gospel truth.
One of the things that modern Mormonism indoctrinates us into thinking is the black and white belief that a person is either a prophet or they are not. If they are a prophet, everything they say is true. If they are not a prophet, nothing they say can be relied upon.
I think this belief creates a stumbling block at two different levels.
The first level of confusion is in the belief that a prophet of the church is infallible in what they teach and that they dont’ have personal opinions that can be wrong (nor is it possible that their eyes have temporarily been covered by the Lord, etc.)
The second level of confusion comes with the belief that we must rely on the prophet of the church to receive revelation for us and interpret the scriptures for us. Yes, at first we may need guidance, but the whole goal of the saving ordinances and the spiritual rebirth is to become revelatory vessels ourselves.
The purpose of receiving the spiritual rebirth and taking the Holy Ghost as our personal guide is to become prophets and revelators for ourselves.
The great key that was revealed to Peter and later expounded by Joseph Smith is that the “rock of personal revelation” is the foundation upon which the true church is built and upon which the gates of hell cannot prevail:
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (PERSONAL REVELATION) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock (THE ROCK OF PERSONAL REVELATION) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Notice how the modern paraphrasing of the concept also establishes personal revelation as the rock:
“Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. (PERSONAL REVELATION)
Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved;
And upon this rock I will build my church; yea, upon this rock ye are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.”
Joseph reiterated the truth that the rock spoken of is the rock of revelation:
“The plea of many in this day is, that we have no right to receive revelations; but if we do not get revelations, we do not have the oracles [prophets] of God; and if they have not the oracles of God, they are not the people of God. . . . Jesus in His teachings says, ‘Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ What rock? Revelation.”
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (1976), 272, 274.
Joseph also taught that “salvation cannot come without revelation; it is in vain for anyone to minister without it. No man is a minister of Jesus Christ without being a Prophet”.
One of the most liberating and revelatory things I have come to realize is that EVERY SERMON ever given by ANYONE must be measured against the four standard works and PERSONAL REVELATION.
There is no mortal man that is always right and probably no mortal man that is always wrong. This puts the burden on each Saint to discern truth for themselves.
Paul was one of the most revelatory apostles in the New Testament and yet we find the Lord correcting some of his statements in modern revelation.
I make no bones about my disdain for some of the things Brigham Young did and taught, and yet, I sometimes come across things he ways that are profoundly true and revelatory. In fact one of my favorite Brigham Young teachings states that faithfully following the prophet will not save a person if they never learn to become a prophet themselves.
Likewise, I love and admire Joseph Smith, and yet, I can find teachings of his, such as the spiritual wife doctrine and the teachings found in the King Follett sermon that clearly contradict the word of God in the revelations that Joseph Smith himself brought forth, not to mention the Old and New Testaments.
When I finally discovered and began to understand the prophecies contained in 2 Sam 7, Lev 16, and other related passages detailing the true mission of Joseph Smith and the fact that he would eventually have his eyes covered, I began to take everything out of my wheelbarrow of beliefs and begin re-evaluating everything before putting them back into the wheelbarrow.
I began to place the scriptures and the Holy Ghost as the lens through which I studied and verified the gospel instead of categorically accepting everything that Joseph Smith supposedly taught and using his teachings as the lens through which I judged everything else, including the scriptures.
Realizing that Joseph had to have his eyes covered because of the transgressions of Latter day Israel, provided the perfect explanation as to why many of Joseph’s Nauvoo teachings and actions were not congruent with the early Kirtland teachings and revelations that he brought forth.
After revisiting the Nauvoo discourses and dissecting them, I have come to the conclusion for myself that the majority of what he publicly taught during that time was true, although certain things like the King Follett discourse has falsehood in them.
I absolutely love what the Lord says about the apocrypha because I believe it contains the answer to your question about how we should approach the Nauvoo sermons and ALL of the sermons given by ANYONE:
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha—There are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly;
2 There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are interpolations by the hands of men.
3 Verily, I say unto you, that it is not needful that the Apocrypha should be translated.
4 Therefore, whoso readeth it, let him understand, for the Spirit manifesteth truth;
5 And whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom;
6 And whoso receiveth not by the Spirit, cannot be benefited. Therefore it is not needful that it should be translated. Amen.
Again, we are directed by the Lord to call upon personal revelation and learning by the spirit, in discerning which parts of the apocrypha are true and which are the interpolations of men.
I believe the same is true when reading the Nauvoo discourses and all other discourses. We must learn to identify and discern truth by the spirit.”
Miscellaneous Musings #11 Six Year Anniversary of OneWhoIsWatching
Miscellaneous Musings #10 Ferguson is Close to the “Center Place”
Miscellaneous Musings #9 The Mystery of the Shemitah
Miscellaneous Musings #8 Sunstone Symposium 2014
Miscellaneous Musings # 7 The Kinderhook Plates were Authentic
Miscellaneous Musings # 6 Jeremy Runnells
Miscellaneous Musings # 5 Phineas Young
Miscellaneous Musings #3 Kingdom of the Jews (3/7/2014)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[WARNING: This blog documents the truthfulness of the restored gospel and the validity of the LDS restoration movement and the ministry of the prophet Joseph Smith. HOWEVER, it also contains very controversial material about LDS Church doctrine and history and it is often critical of Modern Mormonism and the actions and decisions of the leaders thereof.
This particular series of “Miscellaneous Musings” addresses current events and the random thoughts and observations of the author.
At times the author uses a tone of irreverence, cynicism and sarcasm as therapy to help himself and some of his readers cope with the absurd, alternate reality that we live in.
Although many of the Latter day Jews (Mormons) are convinced that we have the fulness of the Gospel on the earth, I am of the belief that we actually live in the prophesied time of “hidden darkness” when God’s apostate people think they are righteous but they are not..
You should be at least 18 to view this site or have parental permission and a note from your Bishop.
Comments, complaints, accusations and threats can be directed to OneWhoIsWatching [at] gmail dot com. ]
**China to Purchase the Federal Reserve?**
http://philosophyofmetrics.com/2014/01/16/china-to-purchase-the-federal-reserve/
**Citizen Pulls Cop Over… Gives Warning**
**Ebola (The Desolating Scourge?) Update**
Years ago I met a brilliant scientist as a result of this blog. I have enjoyed a correspondence with him over the years.
Several days ago, on the 15th of this month, I got the following email from him:
“this ebola mess is getting really, really bad. my prediction, this will flare to something quite large in the US in a matter of two months.” I hugely respect the opinion of this man. I responded to his email with this response: “I am concerned that this may be the “desolating sickness” mentioned in the scriptures. We live in a time when it is difficult to know what to believe. there are still people claiming it is just a false flag with no real threat… but there are also lots of terrifying stories. Who can we believe? The main reason I take it seriously is that such a plague is prophesied to emerge at about this time..(according to my precise calculations LOL) I recently read a story claiming that the disease was intentionally started by the American Red Cross who started it and spread it with their vaccines in that country. The government has since kicked the ARC out of the country because it was realized what they have done. It appears the mainstream media is covering it up. I realize that sounds unbelievable, but what if it is true? What if the PTB are implementing their global population control agenda through this disease? Now there are people calling for the vaccination of the global community to prevent this thing…RIGHT! Yep, sign me up for that one… NOT! It is also interesting how the demise of the dollar and the financial system is also being projected by some people to begin during that same two month period… Interesting times..” This was his response: “There is no vaccine for Ebola, so I wouldn’t put any stock in the ARC story, unless we are to assume that the ARC intentionally infected one or more individuals with an active virus and then purposefully reused needles from infected individuals to vaccinate (e.g., for measles, hepatitis, etc) uninfected people. That would require the collaboration of lots of field docs and nurses who would have to have ignored standard safety protocol, which is a scenario that is even too far-fetched for me. In fact, there is no real treatment for ebola whatsoever. There are experimental treatments that hold some promise; however, there are no resources to manufacture them on a scale that matters, since they only recently were put to the test. In my opinion, this is simply a case of ignorance, unpreparedness, negligence, or perhaps more maliciously, intentional negligence on the part of governments world-wide. The real issue here is that, contrary to what the CDC says, ebola appears to be air-borne, or at least is somewhat aerosolizable. In other words, either the CDC is just plain stupid, or they are lying about how contagious it is to blanket us with a false sense of security. On top of that, fatality is approaching 70%. This is super bad. Most people who die from the flu and other viruses are people who are immuno-compromised in some way due to pre-existing conditions. Ebola doesn’t discriminate, it simply kills you no matter how healthy you are (at least 70% of the time). This is the scariest part.” I then asked him the following question: “Do you put any stock in the claims that a blood transfusion from someone that recovers from the virus can cure the disease in someone else?” His response was: “That I do believe….given that that is the basis for what I do for a living. 🙂 In one of our company’s product lines, antibodies are purified from people who have been previously immunized (or perhaps infected) with a virus like rabies, hepatitis c, tetanus, or another virus. The antibodies are concentrated and formulated to have a very low risk of contaminating pathogens, and then used by patients for acute infections of the aforementioned viruses. They help the body to fight the infection. The main difference between using whole blood from a person who has successfully recovered from ebola infection and using a purified stock of antibodies is that antibodies in the whole blood are less concentrated and there a much greater risk of opportunistic infection from a different virus or pathogen in the whole blood. (However, if you have ebola, I’m guessing you don’t really care if you contract another virus from whole blood treatment, even if it is HIV-1). Nevertheless, in the long run, it is much more preferable to have a purified therapeutic. Some of the experimental drugs that have been used successfully for ebola are similar in concept to purified human antibodies, except that they are mass produced in cell culture (basically, in large incubators or flasks) rather than harvested from human plasma (like we do at the company I work for). However, it seems to be much more effective to have a polyclonal treatment (many different kinds of antibodies like you get from human plasma) rather than monoclonal antibodies (like you get from cell culture). So these companies that make monoclonals tend to make a couple of them and combine them in a cocktail so that they are more effective. In a nutshell, yes, I think taking whole blood from a recovered individual works, but it is a last resort.” As I have pondered the ominous concerns that this fellow raised about the possibility of the Ebola mess getting really really bad in a matter of two months, I was reminded of the incubation period. What if many of the the hundreds of Americans who have possibly been exposed to this virus are in the incubation period and eventually break out! Can you imagine the panic and paranoia that would ensue? Particularly now that it is know that many people suffering from the virus don’t even get a fever. On a related note, here is a video of a concerned MD that I found quite interesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npqnYniJQnU#t=91 After reviewing 900 papers on Ebola… “The more I learn [about Ebola], the less I know” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkMKUa0sxBQ#t=55 Also consider this: • 95% of Ebola incubations occur from 1 – 21 days • 3% of Ebola incubations occur from 21 – 42 days • 2% of Ebola incubations are not explained (why?) If this interpretation of the WHO’s statistics are correct, it would mean that: • 1 in 20 Ebola infections may result in incubations lasting significantly longer than 21 days • The 21-day quarantine currently being enforced by the CDC is entirely insufficient to halt an outbreak • People who are released from observation or self-quarantine after 21 days may still become full-blown Ebola patients in the subsequent three weeks, even if they have shown no symptoms of infection during the first 21 days. (Yes, read that again…) Any declaration that an outbreak is over requires 42 days with no new infections http://www.naturalnews.com/047267_ebola_outbreak_incubation_period_viral_transmission.html BTW I have a first cousin that is a member of the Presidency of the Africa West Area of the Church. He noted at a family gathering that the Ebola crisis is leaving missionaries with no place to go after the mission ends because the countries that they are from will not allow them to return… gruesome!
**Temple Garment Damage Control**
“To those outside a particular faith, the rituals and clothing may seem unfamiliar. But for the participants they can stir the deepest feelings of the soul, motivate them to do good, even shape the course of a whole life of service. The nun’s habit. The priest’s cassock. The Jewish prayer shawl. The Muslim’s skullcap. The saffron robes of the Buddhist monk. All are part of a rich tapestry of human devotion to God.” I never thought the church would use the apostate robes and paraphernalia of an apostate priesthood and of other pagan religions to justify the un-scriptural used of the robes and apron in the LDS temple ceremony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsLrVpeodog Here is one of my favorite snippets from brother Hugh.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSjE2Ks38uE
**Two New Disciplinary Protocols ?** Two Excommunications for the Price of One
I am hearing stories increasingly about people who are called in by their Stake President for counseling and possible disciplinary action who, when they are not willing to be strong-armed into submission, they are invited to resign or face excommunication.
In the past, people were seldom invited to resign prior to a court, rather, they were simply brought into a church court.
If this is a new trend, I applaud the church on this change.
I think it is very wise on their part.
I think the church leaders have learned that when you excommunicate for someone for apostasy, you are inadvertently destroying their reputation among certain judgmental friends and church members. When you do that to sincere religious people who simply disagree with practices and doctrine, bad karma takes place and it comes back to haunt the church for generations.
In the past, destroying a person’s reputation was leverage that the church took advantage of.
Things appear to be changing.
Nowadays, because of the Internet and the court of public opinion, it is the reputation of the church and how they treat people that seems to be on trial.
The Internet is making everything public.
Another trend, according to some accounts, is that the church is now categorically excommunicating the spouse of the person being disciplined if she appears to be supportive of her husband in anyway.
This is quite interesting.
I am not sure it is a true trend. I suspect there are a few isolated situations that we don’t have all of the information about that are being highlighted.
I am aware of leaders of the church in the past that have counseled people to divorce their spouse over doctrinal and faith based issues. I have a very close personal friend who had a crisis of faith in the early part of his marriage and his Bishop counseled his wife to leave him.
I feel there is a special place in hell for Bishops and Stake Presidents that would take it upon themselves to interfere in a marital relationship in that way.
The apostle Paul took quite a different view of the situation:
“And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband..”
On the other hand, if the leaders of a local church really are beginning to put a spouse through excommunication even though they have paid a faithful tithe and never been vocal themselves, in a sense, the church may still be encouraging divorce. Such a humiliation upon a neutral spouse or even a spouse that leans towards the philosophical side of their mate may not weather the storm of public humiliation, and the strain may result in divorce.
Supposedly both of these trends are identified in this current event.
A book about a man with Ebola who flew to Dallas and began the Ebola pandemic in America
Published in 1999, written in 1997.
Has it all been planned out and revealed.
Very bizarre.
** I am a Racist**
**Magnetic Field weakening 10 times faster**
**Update on “Meet the Fokkers Mormons”**
In my last musings I commented about the up and coming Meet the Mormons Movie. Since then, the movie has hit the theaters and is doing better than expected by the leaders of the church. My personal assessment is that “Meet the Mormons” is an extension of the “I am a Mormon” Internet campaign, which subliminally promotes the “I want to be like you” narrative on varying levels. One the one hand, the “I am a Mormon” campaign wants non-Mormons to know that we Mormons are just like them. Just regular guys! Forget about our history of blood atonement, polygamy and racism. We are just like you now, world! The deeper message of the campaign is that “you pagan monkeys out there should want to be like us!” We are happy, successful and amazingly awesome! So come an join us and you can be totally awesome too! For this reason, I think the popular Disney song should be the theme song for the “I am a Mormon” internet campaign https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JDzlhW3XTM “I want to talk like you, walk like you, wee-bee-dee-boo.. La La La” Anyway, getting back to the new Meet the Mormons flick which is basically an extension of the “I am a Mormon” campaign except that it focuses on highly unusual people who have apparently internalized some Christ-like principles in their lives, a friend of mine went to see it and I asked him what his assessment of it was. His comment was that the marketing department of the church did a remarkable job of finding six needles in a haystack of about 15 million pieces of straw. LOL These hand picked people were chosen to be the poster children of Mormonism. What I found poignant was the Deseret News article on how the Church invited the whose who of famous celebrity Mormons to preview the screening. What a striking difference when you compare the lives of some of these high profile Mormons to the poster children in the movie. It was shocking to see celebrities who have exercised their faith in silicone and plastic surgery to maintain fame and fortune, and others who need to mainline Prozac in order to deal with their miserable lives because of really bad decisions they have made, in the context of being cheerleaders for the poster children of their shared faith. One has to wonder if some of the celebrities were privately mumbling something about how surprised they were, to find out from the movie, what Mormons are supposed to be like. It was also interesting to note that the church PR department had identified and recruited numerous high profile LDS bloggers and Vlogers to try and generate a viral marketing campaign to promote the movie. Heck, if Jeremy Runnells can use the Internet to do a negative viral campaign about Mormonism, why can’t the church use it to improve the image of the Church by promoting a positive, if not, skewed view, of what an average Mormon is like? As I looked at how some of these online Internet celebrities became popular and what their themes are centered around, I had to blush a little bit. Several decades ago some of these folks would have been censored by the church, now they are embraced because they have a huge center of influence.
**The Latest Financial Doom**
BIS warns on ‘violent’ reversal of global markets http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11162217/BIS-warns-on-violent-reversal-of-global-markets.html Why would a CIA insider predict that a 25 year great depression is going to begin in April of 2015? http://moneymorning.com/ext/articles/rickards/25-year-great-depression.php?from=oo
**Is Karma Catching up with Lois Learner**
**ISIS Update**
ISIS : A CIA Creation to Justify War Abroad and Repression at Home
**Section 132 and the Doctrine of Exaltation**
Years ago I wrote some blog posts regarding the doctrinal inconsistencies and absurdities of Section 132. It completely contradicted three other revelations in the D&C when Brigham Young took it upon himself to canonize it. I also questioned the doctrine of “exaltation” as depicted in section 132. It always tickles me when someone else seems to agree on many of the issues I bring up. Particularly when they do a better job of articulating the issues: http://gregstocks.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/dc-section-132-is-an-other-gospel/
** Sixth Year Anniversary of OneWhoIsWatching**
A few days ago I was notified by WordPress that it was the 6th anniversary of OneWhoIsWatching. I should have ordered custom caps for readers of this blog that say “Because I am Watching” on them. LOL Perhaps I will do that one the 7th anniversary, which is hopefully about the time that the servants will return to the vineyard. I had started my ThreeWatches blogspot a few months prior to starting this blog which focused on how the Marvelous Work and a Wonder is a future event. It did not start back at the restoration of the Church. While posting over 50 scriptural and historical indicators showing that Joseph Smith’s ministry was a preparatory work for the great work that is yet to come forth, in the 3rd and final “watch” (dispensation) I decided to create this blog which would have to do with deep doctrine and church history. I chose to use wordpress for this theme because the Anarchist had invited me to do some guest posts on his blog and I fell in love with how wordpress works. My how time flies when you are having fun! I can’t believe I have been offending people for six years now. LOL. I have tried to be as nondiscriminatory as possible in who I offend, whether it be protestants, anti-Mormons, LDS apologists, Mainstream Mormons, my fellow bloggers in the LDS fringe vertical and even the Snufferites.
The Goal of OneWhoIsWatching
My primary goal over the years has been to drive people into a much deeper study of the scriptures and the true history of the church. I have never had a large readership and I am pretty sure I never will because very few people can handle the cold hard truth. Most people visit this blog for a short period of time and then run for cover and therapy. Nevertheless, I have met a few kindred spirits who are also watching. I have had some wonderful feedback from time to time from people who have taken the challenge to search the scriptures and delve deep into a literal, non-correlated, spirit-led reading of God’s holy and infallible word. Here is the most recent feedback that I have received. His first comment came in my “about” section because I cannot turn the comments off in that part of the blog: “Watcher My eyes have been opened. I have read through almost everything you have written here and have delved headlong into the scriptures as a result. The insight provided by the Atonement Statute and JS’s intercessory offering explain so much. The Spirit has testified to my soul of the truthfulness…I am now watching.” In a follow up conversation by personal email this same person calling themselves “T”, had this to say:
To celebrate my anniversary I thought I would antagonize some LDS apologists, so I went over to MormonInterpreter to see if I could shake things up a little bit. Dr Brian Hales and Dr Gregory Smith had recently posted an article called “A Response to Grant Palmer’s ‘Sexual Allegations against Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Polygamy in Nauvoo” Grant Palmer is an ex-missionary and ex-seminary instructor who became an ex-Mormon. He lost his faith when he became aware of some controversial historical issues. He was not able to withstand the storm of the adversary because he had built his faith on a sandy foundation. Had he searched as deeply in the word of God, looking for reasons to believe and expecting the promised manifestation of the spirit, as he did the history of the church looking for reasons to reject the restoration, he may have withstood the storm of the adversary. Of course the game is not over. Pray for him.
How does Revisionary Interpretation of Scripture Take Place?
It was actually a pretty good article that Brian Hales and Gregory Smith wrote. I learned some interesting things in reading it. Dr. Brian Hales has apparently made some serious scratch, passing gas during surgery and he has used some of his fortune to pay a full time researcher to gather up everything he can find about the topic of polygamy in LDS church history. In my opinion, many of his views about polygamy appear to have been formulated whilst he was standing too close to the gas dispenser. With the research he has paid a researcher to accumulate, he has written several books to promote his views on polygamy. Because if his research, he and his friend Gregory Smith were able to write a critical review of Grant Palmer’s article about Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy. Although I enjoyed the article by Hales and Smith, I found a very disturbing attempt by them to participate in a blatantly false, revisionist interpretation of section 132, so I thought I would call them on it. Here is my first response to the article Here is Brian’s reply Here is my response to his reply I must say that I am impressed that the folks over at the MormonInterpreter (Formerly FARMS) are allowing my comments now. They used to ban many of my comments. Perhaps it is a sign of the times. In my comments I mentioned Brian’s debate at Sunstone with an LDS feminist and how impressed I was with how Brian conducted himself during the debate. In my next life I am going to be as classy as he is in responding to my detractors.
The Kingdom is Currently Prevailing over the Kingdoms of the World?!?!
During our exchange Brian accused people like me, that are critical of the church, of not helping the kingdom to roll forth and he grossly misinterprets the prophetic dream Joseph had about the kingdom rolling forth, that is recorded in section 65 to justify his declaration. Naturally he assumes that the LDS church is the kingdom that the prophet Daniel saw. He is apparently unfamiliar with the old testament prophecies regarding the kingdom that would roll forth in power, breaking in pieces all of the kingdoms of the world. He is unaware of this because he is apparently not very well read in the scriptures and he has been brainwashed by the correlated teachings of the corporate church. This is the problem I have noticed with many of the so-called scholars that attempt to defend the church. A person who is not intimately familiar with the history of the LDS restoration has a very difficult time contextually understanding prophecy and even doctrine in the scriptures, particularly in the D&C. Conversely someone who is not intimately familiar with the four standard works cannot understand the context behind the bizarre things that took place during the history of the church. A person who has a busy medical practice has little time to delve deeply into the word of God. He doesn’t even have the time to do his own research of church history for the books he writes.
LDS Apologetics Has Changed
I have been thinking about how much things have changed in the world of LDS apologetics during the last few decades. In the early days, Mormon apologists only had to deal with a handful of prominent anti-Mormon critics, most of who were evangelical Christians. Those were the good old days when the apologists would circle the wagons and defend the faith against protestants that had a differing view of Biblical Christianity. As they constructed their replies to critics, they were largely catering to both critics and members of the church who were largely ignorant of the true history of the church and unqualified to discern the veracity of the articles that were defending the faith. 
Things have changed! Now critics of the church are much more knowledgeable about the history of the church and many mainstream members are also becoming much more knowledgeable. I have noticed that every day Christians are now taking a greater interesting in parsing out problems Mormonism, not just protestant scholars. People such as this guy and this guy are actually doing critical book reviews of the Book of Mormon on the Internet. The Mormon Moment fueled by Mitt Romney and proposition 8 has created a very negative hyper-focus on Mormonism. Additionally, in today’s world, LDS apologists have much more to deal with than just outsiders that view Biblical Christianity differently than Mormonism and claim that Mormons are not Christian. They are now getting bombarded from all directions. Much of what LDS apologetics must deal with now, is coming from Mormons who are having a crisis of faith. Some of them leave the church while others stay and become vocal from within. John Dehlin is a good example of someone who has chosen to retain his membership so that he can be critical of the church from within the ranks of the membership. Then there are those of us blogger that passionately believe in the restored gospel, but are challenging the truth claims and other teachings of the apostate corporate church. This means that traditional LDS apologetics are being attacked from without and from WITHIN the faith! The Internet has greatly changed things. The Google apostasy has completely changed the dynamic as thousands of Latter days Saints are being bombarded with controversial doctrinal and historical information on a daily basis. In the early days of my blogging career, it seemed like there was just a handful of blogs that were defending the true principles of the restoration while challenging the teachings of the modern corporate church. 
In the last few years however, there has been a proliferation in new blogs that are all challenging the false teachings of Modern Mormonism, while still affirming the authenticity and truthfulness of the LDS restoration movement that took place 180 years ago. There is clearly an awakening taking place among members of the church. Sadly, many of the new blogs are authored by Snufferites. Tim Malone has done a good job of cataloging many of these new blogs in his blogroll on the side panel of of his blog. His blog is an interesting case study because for years, he was an ardent supporter of the corporate church, but has recently changed his views drastically as a result of the Snufferite Movement. In the past, traditional LDS apologists at FAIR and FARMS ignored those of us that were challenging the revisionary history and doctrines of the modern corporate church. It will be interesting to see if they eventually feel the need to start specifically addressing our articles the way that they have written responses to the papers written by critics like Wesley P. Walters, Ed Decker and Michael Marquardt and ex-Mormon critics like Grant Palmer. [I just noticed that LDS apologist Dr. Brian Hales has started commenting on the PureMormonism blog trying to engage some Snufferites and other disenfranchised Saints, which I think is wonderful! I think he is going to find a different situation speaking to them than he has found speaking to the Grant Palmers of the world ] Interestingly, many long term, professional critics of Mormonism like Wesley P. Walters and Michael Marquardt, who have never believed in the LDS restoration, are actually softening in their criticisms of Joseph Smith and Mormonism while ex-Mormon critics are becoming much more vocal and vicious. I was somewhat shocked at the following admission of Waters and Marquardt in their publication of “Inventing Mormonism” (A title which is very misleading): “Having been involved in our own quest for the past thirty years searching archives for clues to this and other mysteries, we have long since abandoned the simple prophet-fraud dichotomy that others still find so compelling. Our intent is to understand, not to debunk. The question of volition is open-ended. Smith believed that he spoke with supernatural beings, and he produced impressive transcripts of interviews with them. Whether he actually did is ultimately a matter of faith.”
False Prophets can be a Blessing
Even false prophets that arise amongst us do a wonderful work in getting people to begin searching the scriptures. The problem of course is that many of their followers begin to rely on the false prophets to interpret what the passages are saying. At the end of the day, those who are predestined for life and salvation eventually see the deception and move on, those that have been ordained for darkness continue on in the deception created by the false prophet. It is unfortunate that those of us in this blog niche have not come to a unity of the faith on many issues. Sadly, many of my contemporaries in this niche are shamelessly promoting the Snufferite Movement. I doubt that a unity of faith will happen until the light shines forth and God’s anointed servants return to the vineyard. Nevertheless, I think that cumulatively, we have all been inspired to bring to light many issues that are causing people to think, ponder and pray about the current state of the corporate church and prepare themselves for the great work that is coming. Most importantly, these blogs are getting people to search the scriptures and re-evaluate their beliefs that they have gained from the correlated lessons given in Church. While I disagree with some of the things my fellow fringe bloggers teach, I am very aware that they are doing a great work in waking people up. There are now countless blogs out there that are taking the church to task and challenging the idolatry in the false doctrine of “follow the brethren, they will never lead you astray“.
The Rockster is a Rock Star
Recently a very good friend of mine experienced a severe crisis of faith which almost destroyed his faith in everything, including Christ. It began when he read “Mormon Crucifixion” and then he read the article by Jeremy Runnells, who, like Grant Palmer, had built his faith on a sandy foundation. Jeremy’s article is basically a summary of all of the most compelling criticisms that have ever been leveled about the church. He claims his paper is about why he lost the testimony of the Gospel. I would suggest that you cannot lose something you never had. Like Grant Palmer, Jeremy apparently used his energy looking for problems instead of searching the scriptures and looking for the manifestation of God’s spirit, therefore, when he came across some disturbing controversial issues pertaining to church history and doctrine, his religious worldview imploded. Sadly, this friend of mine that had a crisis of faith, had little interest in reading anything I have written to help him during his crisis because he had known me personally for many years and he realizes what a pathetic clown I am. (familiarity breeds contempt) Anyway, on with the story, one day this close friend of mine that was having a crisis of faith called me to chat about things and I heard the sound of hope in his voice. He informed me that he had found a renewed hope and had made a commitment to get back to the basics and reconsider the life of Christ and his ministry. I asked him why he was feeling better about things and he said he had just listened to the Rock Waterman interview on Mormon Stories. It was just what he needed to hear to guide him into a more positive paradigm change. It played a pivotal role in helping him to transition from faith crisis, to hope and renewal. He is now delving deeper into the scriptures. You rock, Rock, but Praise be to God. God is working through lots of people and it is important that we all give credit to God and realize what clowns we all are.
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Two women raised from the dead
on or near the beginning of Shemitah
Is this bogus?
Or is it a fitting beginning for the Shemitah year which may mark the beginning of the return of the servants and the fulness?
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/ebola-zombies-liberian-newspaper-claims-victims-are-rising-dead-610439
You can’t trust your Feelings
The following passages should strike fear in the hearts of Mormons because the structure of belief and testimony in Modern Mormondom is based on the sandy foundation of feelings and emotions without studying the facts.
Zeal without knowledge as Nibley would say.
” My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6 )
“He that trusteth in his heart is a fool” ( prov 28:26 )
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer 17;9
One must take the Holy Spirit as their guide, which speaks to both the mind and heart of the recipient:
“OLIVER Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture of which has been spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit.
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.”
The Anonymous Blogging Bishop
Someone recently brought a new blog to my attention about a guy that claims to currently be serving as a Bishop who has a few issues with the Church. I found his observations about the new “Meet the Fockers Mormons” Movie to be compelling:
http://anonymousbishop.com/?p=12
I thought his observations and comments about not using the new movie for missionary work and the absurdity of the church donating profits from commercial ventures to the Red Cross dead on.
The Jewish Day of Atonement
Last night began the Jewish Day of Atonement for Jews scattered all over the world. It is considered the holiest day of the year. Its central themes are atonement and repentance and historically the more faithful among the Jews have often spent the day in fasting and prayer.
Here are a few interesting facts according to the wiki (which is never wrong)
Yom means “day” in Hebrew and Kippur comes from a root that means “to atone”. Yom Kippur is usually expressed in English as “day of atonement”.
Yom Kippur is “the tenth day of [the] first month”[2] (Tishrei) and is regarded as the “Sabbath of Sabbaths”. Rosh Hashanah (referred to in the Torah as Yom Teruah) is the first day of that month according to the Hebrew calendar. On this day forgiveness of sins is also asked of God.
Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”) that commences with Rosh Hashanah.
As one of the most culturally significant Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur is observed by many secular Jews who may not observe other holidays. Many secular Jews attend synagogue on Yom Kippur—for many secular Jews the High Holy Days are the only times of the year during which they attend synagogue[3]—causing synagogue attendance to soar.”
The Semi-Annual Jewish Conference
Falling on the Day of Atonement is the Global Jewish Conference that is held annually.
In these latter days, the Jews have a tradition of having a Jewish conference two times per year. Those that can physically gather to hear the chief priests speak do. Other participate through the use of modern technology.
The first semi-annual gathering of the Jews is held during the March-April period and the second is held during the September-October period. Each of these periods has great historical and prophetic significance in Judaism which has been carried down to our present day.
Being somewhat curious to know what is taking place among the latter day Jews, I suffered myself to listen in on a few of their opening talks this year.
In the first talk, the leading Rabbi and chief priest of the Jews spent most of his time boasting about how many temples the Jews have built. It is interesting how temple theology seems to have more significance among modern Jews than any other doctrines having to do with their messiah or the saving ordinances.
His comments brought to mind the following warning of Jeremiah:
“Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.”
Hosea also made a profound observation about the state of his Jewish brethren which was an exact type of the latter days Jews as well:
“For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.”
The Urgent Need to Remodel Perfectly Good Temples
One the amazing things the Chief Priest reminded his people about is the fact that huge sums of money are being spent to remodel and rededicate existing temples that are not as opulent as they otherwise might be. For this reason, some of the older temples such as the Ogden Jewish Temple are being updated. Apparently they have spent over 100 MILLION dollars in renovating that temple.
The Poor have been taken Care of!
Although this may seem a little excessive and out of touch with the original mandate of the Jewish Church, particularly since the existing structure was more that adequate for doing their Jewish-Jesuit-Masonic ceremonies in, it is actually very good news because it indicates to me that the tribe of Judah has more than enough money to assist the poor and to alleviate suffering throughout the world and are currently meeting all of the needs of the poor.
Therefore, having successfully fulfilled the mandate to take care of the poor and needy, they are now justified in finding less deserving causes to throw obscene amounts of money at. (rumor has it that the Jews have been so successful in achieving all of their charitable mandates from the Lord, that they are now donating excess funds from business ventures to the American Red Cross. (See the musing on the anonymous Bishop post regarding the Meet the Mormons movie)
During this talk, the Chief Rabbi emphasized that the young Jewish women of the tribe were not under the same priesthood mandate as the young Jewish men to go out and preach the gospel. Some have speculated that, that notation was meant to dissuade young Jewish women from going on missions now that the church has so many missionaries that they don’t know how to use them all. (nearly 90,000!)
I was somewhat surprised that he would make such an insensitive and sexist statement given the fact that there is a current uprising and even some degree of dissent among a vocal feminist group of Jewish women that are demanding that the Sanhedrin begin ordaining Jewish women to the same priesthood offices that have traditionally been restricted to Jewish men.
The Stone Is Rolling Forth?
Really!
The next speech was given by the leading Rabbi of the Jewish quorum of the Twelve Apostates. He boasted that there are now over 15 MILLION Jews worldwide!
I was a little taken back by his declaration that the establishment of 2000 stakes is proof that the stone Daniel spoke of has been going forth for nearly 200 years throughout the world. I guess I need to go back and re-read the Book of Daniel, I had remembered that when the stone goes forth, it will simultaneously destroy the kingdoms of the world. Perhaps I misread that part of the prophecy, or better yet, perhaps the world we live in has in fact been sanctified and Zionized and that the presence of Babylon is simply a figment of my imagination!
Following that sermon we heard from the token Jewish female who quoted profusely from other contemporary Jewish leaders who were sitting on the stand judging her remarks, instead of from the scriptures.
After that, it was fun to listen to a Jew who was born in Hong Kong. He spoke in Cantonese. and needed a translator. I suspect that the Chief Priest that spoke first and presided over the Jewish conference, having been sustained by all faithful Jewish people as a translator, would have done the translating, except that he is getting old and a bit feeble.
Unfortunately I was unable to listen to every part of each talk given by all of the rabbi’s that spoke during the Jewish General Conference, however I did hear a few tidbits I want to share.
One Rabbi who was trying to do damage control over the controversial life of Joseph Smith warned that the Internet is not a good place to obtain knowledge because it does not have a “truth meter” on it. (He neglected to mention that the correlated LDS priesthood and Sunday school manuals with the false truth claims in them also don’t come with a “truth meter” on them.)
He suggested that members of the church record the testimony of Joseph Smith in their own words and listen to it again and again and again and again instead of listening to disruptive information from questionable people like me in the Internet. The impression I got was that by doing so, one could divert their thoughts and drown out the negative historical data that is presented on the Internet
Ben Carson fears Anarchy within a few years
I was impressed when another Rabbi quoted from a story in the life of Ben Carson.
COULD THIS BE A SIGN THAT THE BRETHREN WILL SUPPORT BEN CARSON FOR THE PRESIDENCY?
Although I have never voted during a presidential campaign, and don’t intend to in the future, I would probably vote for such man if I was going to vote. I love virtually everything I have ever heard him say. Interestingly he recently made an eye opening prediction about the future when asked about his intentions to run for the Presidency.
He fears that the US may be in a state of anarchy preventing elections and keeping Obama in the White-house indefinitely.
“Ben Carson, the 63-year-old neurosurgeon-turned-Tea-Party activist and Fox News commentator, is reportedly ready to throw his hat in the ring for the 2016 presidential race — but Carson hasn’t made up his mind yet, because he fears that the elections will be canceled as society falls apart and slips into a state of anarchy…
..Asked in a Fox News interview on Sunday morning whether he still believed that the United States will disintegrate into “widespread anarchy” in the next two years, Carson held to his prediction.
“Certainly there’s the potential because you have to recognize that we have a rapidly increasing national debt, a very unstable financial foundation, and you have all these things going on like the ISIS crisis that could very rapidly change things that are going on in our nation,” Carson told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace. “And unless we begin to deal with these things in a comprehensive way and in a logical way there is no telling what could happen in just a couple of years.”
(personally I think there will be an election because section 124 foretells of one)
Sadly I fell asleep during part of the talks but I am sure they were profound.
I did notice that Rabbi Holland publicly acknowledged, amidst his sobbing and tears that he had no idea what it felt like to be poor. I would have appreciated a little more context, such as his personal net worth and how much LDS Inc. pays him annually.
He also gave a heart wrenching plea for members of the church, both rich and poor, to help the poor financially, (despite the irresponsible expenditures of Billions of dollars on real estate investments by him and his fellow leaders of the tribe if Judah.)
Only Two Options?
I have blogged before about the book, “Book of Mormon, Key to Conversion” which proposes the false supposition that if the Book of Mormon is true, then the Modern Corporate Church is true. This type of black and white mind-numbing over- simplification gets people into trouble.
Along the same lines, I noticed the following comment on another blog:
I don’t want to be unduly critical of the commenter, but, IMO, the above statement is extremely naive and could only come from someone with an extremely limited-correlated understanding of the scriptures and the way that God uses his servants.
The truth is that there are other possibilities for both Joseph Smith and Denver Snuffer.
Joseph, like Moses of old, could have provided an intercessory atonement offering in behalf of Israel that would have resulted in him acting out the sins of Israel and causing some of his actions and teachings during the later part of his ministry to be contradictory to some of the actions and teachings in the early part of his ministry. This would not disqualify him as a true prophet and it certainly would not make him a fraud or a psychopath.
With regard to Denver, he could certainly have been visited by a false Christ and been deceived, while desiring to do good. If that is the case, it disqualifies him as a true prophet but it would not make him a fraud who is intentionally lying to people and being deceptive, nor would it make him a psychopath.
American Banks Hold $240 TRILLION in Derivatives Exposure
Here are fresh numbers through December 31, 2013 for derivatives exposure for the top 25 banks in the U.S.
(That table is about 3/4 of the way down the document)
The top 25 banks in the U.S. now hold $304 TRILLION in notional derivatives value.
The top 5 banks are as follows:
JP Morgan: $70.4 TRILLION
Citigroup: $63.5 TRILLION
Bank of America: $55.7 TRILLION
Goldman Sachs: $53.5 TRILLION
Morgan Stanley: $46.7 TRILLION
Ebola
“..for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.”
U.S. PROFESSOR PROVES EBOLA SOURCE: Manufactured Bioweapon From Our Own CDC
ISIS
Ferguson is Located Close to the “Center Place”
in the “heart of the earth”
In section 57 the Lord identifies Independence, Missouri as the “Center Place” of the geographical area that is consecrated for the gathering of the Saints. The revelation notes that it is the “land of Promise” and the “place for the city of Zion”.
1 HEARKEN, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land, which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints.
2 Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.
3 And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse.
“all nations”
One of the many Mormon Myths that has been perpetuated in the last days by the corporate church is the belief that the “Lords house” spoken of by Isaiah where “all nations” shall gather in the last days, is referring to the Salt Lake Temple in Utah.
That is absurd.
It was well understood in the early days of the church that the mountain of the Lord’s house that Isaiah spoke about was speaking about the holy places designated by revelation, located in the middle of the United States. Several scriptures, like the one quoted in section 57 as just one example, identify the great last house of the Lord as being in the center place. (For scriptural literalists like me, the top of the mountains reference is easily explained by the fact that there are going to be significant earth changes that take place wherein many flat places will be made high and high places will be made low).
The Indignation Upon All Nations
If we continue searching the prophetic use of the key phrase of “all nations” we find passages such as the following one in Isaiah 34 that inform us that there will be an army composed of all nations that come against the mountain of the Lord
1 COME near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.
3 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. (see also Isaiah 60:..)
The Prophet Joel speaks of an amazing time when God’s people mingled among the Jews and Gentiles (Judah and Jerusalem) will be in captivity in the last days. During this time He will deliver his remnant that repent and call on the name of the Lord. At this time the Lord will gather all nations and plead with them. The great sign associated with all of these events is that the sun will turn to darkness and the moon will turn into blood.
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
CHAPTER 3
All nations shall be at war—Multitudes stand in the valley of decision as the Second Coming draws near—The Lord will dwell in Zion.
1 FOR, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
Section 34 gives us a peak of the same event, noting that the sun must be darkened and the moon turn into blood BEFORE the GREAT DAY of the COMING of the LORD:
To lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump, both long and loud, and cry repentance unto a crooked and perverse generation, preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming.
7 For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, the time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory.
8 And it shall be a great day at the time of my coming, for all nations shall tremble.
9 But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked.
10 Wherefore, lift up your voice and spare not, for the Lord God hath spoken; therefore prophesy, and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
The prophet Haggai also spoke prophetically of this time when all nations shall be shaken and shall come when the House of the Lord is filled with glory:
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
Nephi saw the time when the “multitudes of the earth” were gathered together to fight against the 12 apostles of the Lamb resulting in the destruction of all nations. (1 Nephi 11:35)
In chapter 14 he notes that:
“..it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God“
A Plague Smites those that refuse to gather and worship the King
Zachariah notes that when those left of the nations, refuse to come and worship the king, the Lord of Hosts, they will be smitten with the plague:
¶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
In Matthew 25 the Lord makes reference to the final separation of the wheat and the tares. In his remarks he refers to himself as the “King” and to the gathering of “all nations” during this time of great separation:
31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
One of the things that becomes apparent when searching the topic of the nations of the earth gathering to the center place, is that there are a series gatherings to the center place.
Section 58 does a great job of explaining this. It informs us that all nations will be invited to the supper of the house of the Lord:
“Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited” (58:9)
Embedded within that section is the acknowledgement that the first preliminary administrative gathering took place during Joseph Smith first ministry wherein the first elders of the church were:
“honored in laying the foundation and in bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand“. (58:7)
While a preliminary testimony went forth at that time, that same testimony will be reiterated in power after Zion has been established. This if mentioned in countless sections of the D&C. Section 58 also alludes to the fact that Zion would in fact be established at a future time so that:
“the testimony might go forth from Zion, yea, from the mouth of the city of the heritage of God..For, verily, the sound must go forth from this place into all the world, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth—the gospel must be preached unto every creature, with signs following them that believe. And behold the Son of Man cometh. Amen.” (58:13,64-5)
We have previously covered the parable of the redemption of Zion in section 101 so that we know how the land of Zion will be redeemed with the shedding of blood.
Section 124 also speaks of how a declaration will go forth to the governors of the nations of the world AFTER Zion has been reclaimed.
continuing on with the theme of multple gatherings-
Section 58 informs us that a preliminary invitation to the supper of the Lord first takes place BEFORE the great day of the Lord:
“First the rich, and the learned, the wise and the noble”
It is my belief that we are currently living during the time of the preliminary gathering of the rich, learned, wise and noble. Sadly, most of us will be included in this group if we don’t repent when the appointed time arrives.
This cryptic time of gathering the rich, learned, wise and noble probably began when the secret dispensation was ushered in on April 3rd, 1836.
That is when a strange “bait and switch” took place in the history of the LDS restoration.
Right at the time when the first laborers of the last kingdom (High Priests) were expecting to be endowed with power from on high, so that they could go forth preaching the fulness of the gospel for the last time, something secretive took place.
When the dispensation of the fulness of times failed to materialize as expected, a secret ushering in a an ancient dispensation and a lesser gospel was secretly ushered in.
Instead of the first elders of the restoration going forth in power with the fulness of the gospel, the second elders, who had been declared to be in a state of apostasy by the Lord, were commissioned by the Prophet Joseph Smith to begin taking the knowledge of the gospel to the nations of the world.
Many people have come to my blog and asked the question, “if the fulness of the gospel was rejected in 1834 and if the saints were rejected with their dead by the Lord in 1841, what has been taking place during the last four generations?
The Grafting in of the Wild Branches Kept the Roots Alive
My positive response has been that the establishment of foreign missions and the grafting in of the House of Israel shortly after the Kirtland era kept the roots of the mother tree alive.
Which is true.
However, there is also another way to characterize what has been taking pace during the last four generations. I have probably never publicly shared this narrative until now.
Here it is:
“For the last four generations, the Lord has been extending his invitation to the marriage feast, to the rich, learned, wise and noble”
Interestingly, the proud members of the church and splinter groups, particularly those in America, who are highly educated by the world and very wealthy, are deluded into thinking that they, themselves, represent the last group of people that are gathered in at the day of the Lord’s power. The last group that is gathered is characterized in section 58 as the poor, lame, blind and deaf:
“and after that cometh the day of my power; then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf,come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come” (38:11)
I am guessing that most of the wealthy Mormons who have no desire to live consecration and establish Zion obviously do not represent the poor, lame, blind and deaf that will be gathered into the marriage of the Lamb during the great day of POWER.
A typical American Gentile Mormon is wealthy according to the meager living that most inhabitants of this world enjoy. Even those of us that think we are financially challenged, live like kings compared to most people in 3rd world countries, according to the average global pay scale.
We also represent a demographic that is highly educated according to the learning of the world.
The term wise as used in the above passages is not being used in a complementary way. It is referring to those that are wise in their own conceit. Wise unto the precepts of men. People who are to wise to become humble, contrite and born of the spirit.
One of the best textbook definitions of modern day Mormonism is found in D&C 76:75
I used to think that the passage was condemning the “crafty men“, however, I have since come to believe that the primary chastisement must be referring to the “honorable men” that allowed themselves to be deceived by the crafty. How else could the law of justice and mercy prevent these souls from the greatest reward?
This information does not bode well for the deluded latter day saint. Those that think they can live in a mansion in this world and then inherit another one in the world to come may be deceiving themselves.
Bringing this gathering of all nations narrative into relevancy with regard to current events and “soon to come” events, I want to provide a speculative scenario for those who are watching.
The Book of Joseph
I have referred to the mysterious “Book of Joseph” manuscript that surfaced years ago and some of the amazing prophetic content therein. In one portion there is a reference made to an event that takes place in the “heart of the earth“. It informs us that “all nations shall gather together in the heart of the earth to make war with the Lord“.
What is shocking about this prophecy is the fact that it accurately foretold that the powers that be, would invent weapons of war that would “touch the power of the Most High” and these evil power would justify the weapons by stating that they are for the protection of the people.
What I want to emphasize, with regard to this topic, is the fact that according to the prophetic narrative, the evil conspirators who control the governments of the nations of the world are aware of the “appointed time” (and place) when the Lord is to return to his vineyard BEFORE his coming in glory!
With this knowledge, they “lay an awful scheme by the word of their god that they should destroy the Lord when he shall visit men at the appointed time”
Prophetic Passages from the Book of Joseph
3:4 Behold, wisdom shall increase in the latter time. And men shall make weapons of war; yea, even terrible weapons which shall touch the power of the Most High.
3:5 And the seed of Joseph shall believe a lie, wherein the terrible weapons shall be for the protection of their lands. And wo unto them, for the people shall be deceived.
3:6 And the Lord showed Jacob a vision, and said: behold, the mighty men of the earth shall lay an awful scheme by the word of their god, that they should destroy the Lord when he shall visit men at the appointed time when he shall reward the sons of men according to their works.
3:7 And all nations shall gather together in the heart of the earth to make war with the Lord, even the almighty king of heaven and earth. Wo, wo, wo unto the chief princes of the earth, even unto the seed of Dan, who hath made gold their god and a lie their refuge:
3:8 Who have said among themselves: the Lord is no god wherein we should fear him, for by our mighty power have we become gods ourselves and have spread abroad ourselves over all the earth. Yet shall they be judged and cut off from among the sons of Jacob.
3:9 Thus sayeth the Lord: The wicked plot in vain. And they shall drink from the cup of vanity which they have grasped: for the Lord himself shall utterly destroy them all by the brightness of his terrible presence.
The realization that the secret society that controls the governments of the world actually knows the approximate time of the “appointed time” of the Lord’s return and is devising a scheme to thwart the purposes of the Lord and destroy Him is quite remarkable.
Which brings me to my speculative ponderings as to why the powers that be have tried to fan the fires for so long in a town located in the center of the earth, and look for reasons to accumulate a foundational army of military law enforcement at that location. Another question is, what else were they doing while the attention of the media was on the rioting?
Could it be that they are preparing their scheme for the appointed time?
It may just be a coincidence.
It may be that the recent and current events in Ferguson have nothing to do with prophecy.
I just don’t know.
But I am watching.
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In previous posts I have suggested that virtually every single major doctrine of the restored gospel has been perverted during the last four generations.
I truly believe this.
In 2nd Nephi 28: 29-32 the Lord explains that he teaches his people line upon line, precept upon precept and that he that receiveth, will be given more.
He then goes on to give a mystical warning”:
“from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.
I refer to this ominous warning as being mystical because at face value, it may seem illogical to some that somebody can learn something and then have that knowledge un-learned… or somehow mystically taken way from them so that they un-know it.
How can you unlearn something?
Apparently it happens.
God can cover our eyes and make us look silly when we depart from his commandments.
The saints were taught that monogamy is God’s celestial law and that living it was required according to the law of Zion in section 42 and yet within less than a decade, a secret doctrine infiltrated the church and somehow, polygamy became the celestrial law of marriage within the church for many decades.
Eventually the practice was discontinued because of pressure from the government and now, many years later, the official church website is proclaiming that monogamy has always been the standard of marriage. This is apparently the case despite a few short temporary exceptions to the rule caused by things that are not well understood.
It is amazing how God can take knowledge from people after they have received the truth.
even today, there are lots of people in and out of the modern church that continue to accept polygamy and the spiritual wife doctrine as God’s law.
Once a person reads and believes section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants it is as if section 42 and section 49 of the Doctrine and Covenants don’t exist, or they just don’t matter, or, that God made mistakes in those section and needed to correct himself, or, he was just kidding his people…. or, whatever.
In the New Testament it was taught that an Apostle had to be an eye witness of Jesus Christ.
Paul made it clear that he had to see Christ, even in vision, after the crucifixion in order to qualify as an apostle, so that he could testify of Christ in his apostolic calling.
This principle was reiterated to the newly chosen quorum of the Twelve in 1835 by Oliver Cowdery who admonished the Twelve to seek the face of God and warned them that their calling as apostles would not be complete until they had become eye witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.
Nevertheless, eventually, after being badgered long enough about whether they had seen Christ or not, leaders within the modern Church have declared it was no longer necessary for an apostle to be an eye witness of Christ.
It is now adequate for them to feel the promptings of the spirit that Jesus is the Christ.
The list goes on and on of how we Latter day Sainbts have unlearned that which we had previously learned.
I once began compiling a listing of all of the major doctrines that have been corrupted in the modern apostate church and was going to do a series of posts on it but got side tracked on other issues and ultimately lost interest.
Another interesting one is the proper pattern for being baptized in the church as explained in section 20, that requires the candidate to publicly “witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins” BEFORE they are dunked.
When was the last time you attended an LDS baptism of a convert that first stood up before the congregation and made the required public declaration prior to being baptized? (D&C 20:37)
The list goes on and on and I am not going to share an exhaustive list of false doctrines in this post.
Nevertheless, there is something that has been on my mind lately that really irritates me. It has to do with the teaching in the modern church that the “Gift of the Holy Ghost” means to have the “constant companionship of the Holy Ghost”.
I recall countless baptismal talks, sadly, many of which I was guilty of giving, in which it was taught that those who were given the gift of the Holy Ghost would now have the “constant companionship of the Holy Ghost” as long as they were worthy.
Have you ever wondered where that teaching comes from?
Have you ever done a keyword search on that topic to be edified by all of the scriptures that teach that the “Gift of the Holy Ghost” is the ability to enjoy the “constant companionship of the Holy Ghost”?
After all, that is one of the trademarks of Mormonism, that we members of the only true church are the only ones that have the power and authority to bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost which is the wonderful ability for a person to have the Holy Ghost constantly present within them.
I challenge you to do a little research project. Document this teaching, then show me one verse in the scriptures that indicates that the definition of the “Gift of the Holy Ghost” is to have the “constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.”
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Thoughts About Human Authority and Human Law
When I was quite young and impressionable, it was not uncommon to get home after school and find my mother cozied up on the couch or her bed, engrossed in a thought provoking article from the Readers Digest. (back then they had some really good articles) I had quite a close relationship with my mother and I would always report to her after school before going off to cause havoc in the neighborhood.
Frequently she would engage me in discussing things she had been reading about. She was a master teacher and she would take these opportunities to get me thinking about deep things.
On one occasion she had been reading an interesting article about the military, the dynamics of war, and what had made some of the generals so successful as leaders, or something along those lines.
During this particular discussion I remember quite vividly how she taught me about the importance of the “chain of command” in the military. She painted some pretty interesting scenarios to help illustrate how a group effort will quickly disintegrate if the designated followers refused to follow the orders of the commanding officer.
She effectively pointed out to me that it was not the responsibility nor was it appropriate for a buck private to be critical of how the officer in charge was running the outfit, nor was it acceptable to deviate from the orders that were given.
She emphasized the importance of authority and how authority needed to be respected and followed. She also went into great detail regarding the need for rules, regulations and laws, in running any kind of large organizations, including countries. Hence, the need for governments to enact laws that needed to be heeded. She warned about the consequences of not following the rules and respecting authority, particularly in the military. She taught me about what a “mutiny” was and what a military “court martial” is.
She even touched on the concept that many people ascribe to, that a person acting as an agent, in behalf of another person, organization, or legal entity, is not personally responsible for the actions they take in behalf of the person, organization, or legal entity they are acting as an agent for.
After doing a pretty good job of getting me on board with some of these general concepts, she then threw a real curveball at me.
She asked me something like:
“what do you think a military person should do who is commanded to do something that is required according to the rules of military conduct and according to the orders received by the commanding officer, yet the orders are contrary to the person’s moral judgment and integrity and furthermore, contrary to the commandments of God?”
Had she asked me that question before the discussion that preceded the it, I suspect the answer would have come quickly and effortlessly. But she had done such a good job of extolling the virtues and necessity of respecting human authority and human laws, that I was in a bit of a quandary in knowing how to answer her question.
Needless to say, an interesting discussion followed.
I am so grateful for a mother that engaged me in deep moral and religious concepts. The impact of a righteous mother on her children are among the most important priesthood responsibilities that a mother has been given, as the designated “helpmeet” in the family organization, in my opinion.
But I digress.
This post is not about the importance of Moms. It is about the role of AUTHORITY and LAW in the gospel of Jesus Christ and its relationship with the church.
A few weeks ago, a person that reads my blog, forwarded me an email that he got from a person that was concerned about his spiritual welfare.
The person who sent the email to my friend, is a published author of at least one LDS book and he is probably more knowledgeable about the scriptures than the average member of the church.
The email was so incredibly provocative, fascinating, and indicative of how many Mormons think, that I could not resist asking my friend if I could post some of the contents of the email on my blog. I have received permission from my friend, and indirectly from the author of the email, on the basis on anonymity, to post it.
I am not going to share my response to my friend. I don’t think I even need to. The readers of this blog probably already know what I had to say about it and how I feel about authority.
Here are some excerpts from two emails that were sent to my friend from a concerned person. Since I am not providing the emails that my friend wrote to the author, you may need to read between the lines for context in a few places. Tithing is one of the issues briefly mentioned. Denver Snuffer is another one. I have made a few minor alterations to avoid providing exact quotes, that might have otherwise, showed up elsewhere.:
” But what you are also not understanding from my perspective is that Joseph Smith’s understanding, like everyone else’s is incremental. Therefore, the original intention of Joseph Smith doesn’t have much to do with the intention at the end.”
“I wish you would come to agree on the idea that Heaven has legal authority, just as there is legal authority on the earth. Authorized, legal officers have the right to do what they do, [regardless of whether their decisions are inspired or not] and that is their calling.”
“..by not standing in their way is the way you can go about your own business and your own beliefs, just submitting to them, giving that which is their due in the important things (like ordinances, tithing, callings, etc). And I’m not saying that you are wrong about tithing. I’m saying that these guys have the legal authority to require of us that which they require of us, whether they are right or wrong.”
“And so, on matters of obedience, we obey, not because we agree with them, but out of acknowledgement that they are legal officers who are performing their duties. I wish I could communicate this to you in such a way that you could believe what you want, but be in legal conformity with the legalities of the things of heaven. They are two separate things. One is the ideal. The other is the reality”
“I really, seriously wish you could understand that God requires obedience and loyalty to things that are not right sometimes, only because he allows these men to fulfill their duties. It is what we have been asked to do. And by self sacrifice to that, we make ourselves legally bound to the law of heaven. Things will be fixed in their time. For now, there is obedience. I really wish you could understand these concepts.”
“Not that you are wrong in many of your beliefs. It’s just that, you aren’t submitting yourself to the legal requirements to qualify for the blessings of eternity because you want to protest the things that you know are not right. Please think these things through. In other words, it is not about what you know is true, or what you believe. Its about submission to the imperfection until things are made perfect. Submission to legal authority is the weightier matter here. If only you could see that your idealism is going to have eternal consequences.”
“You cannot have everything the way you’d like it to be at this time, so you have to take what you can get. That is why, right or wrong, tithing as it is preached from the pulpit is what we obey. That doesn’t mean it is the right implementation. It means the legal authority has made it a mandatory thing to be in conformity with legalities, and without obedience to the legalities, you are out of conformity with that which qualifies you for your blessings. Please try to understand that concept.
“As an example. I know plural marriage is real and true, and that I have a right to it by inheritance in that which will be mine in eternity. I know that in eternity I will be a polygamist. So why don’t I just go be a polygamist and join the AUB? Because then I will LOSE my blessings. Why would I lose my blessings? Because the legal course of heavenly law that I have to conform to is to wait until my inheritance is legally given, not taking it of my own accord to assert my rights as I perceive them without legality.”
The type of thinking displayed in the above comments is not exclusive to Mormonism. Americans have been conditioned to this kind of thinking, particularly when it comes to the military and law enforcement. It is very difficult to break the paradigm once people have become indoctrinated.
The following video is an interesting attempt by a well meaning gal to help those in law enforcement to differentiate between which kinds of orders they should follow and which ones they should not follow, once the crap hits the fan in this country.
“the life you save my be your own...” (because law abiding citizens are going to start shooting back!)
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The Man Comes Around
I got a call from my son and he told me that reading my blog reminds him of this song by Johnny Cash . I ended up playing the song countless times in a row because it really grew on me and I found myself reading about the life of Johnny Cash. I was led to this article which I found interesting because I think many of us find ourselves in a Nickajack Cave when times get dark.
I guess I do get pretty apocalyptic sometimes.
I suggest turning the lights off, turning the sound way up, and lighting a candle as you listen to this song right before reading this blog.
Denver’s Priesthood Talk
I noticed that Denver has posted his Orem talk on priesthood.
Several weeks ago, after I posted a rebuttal point documenting where and when the Melchizedek priesthood was first restored during Joseph’s ministry, one of his followers had inferred that Denver would probably be explaining himself a little better about what he knew and believed about the fulness of the priesthood, and why he had never specifically mentioned the astounding event at the Morley Farm when the fulness of the priesthood was restored.
I am not aware that Denver has ever spoken about the true restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood at the Morley Farm. He has incorrectly referred to the appearance of Peter, James and John as being the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood, but never, to my knowledge identified the special conference at the Morley farm as being associated with anything other than the bestowal of the office of high priest which he considered to be part of the priesthood restored by Peter, James and John.
Here is an excerpt from the Orem talk:
“On an earlier occasion there was a conferral of priesthood in June 1831.
One of those upon whom it was conferred upon that day, by the voice of God out of heaven, was Ezra Booth. Brother Ezra Booth would later drift off to rebellion and doubt about Joseph Smith and the restoration.
He wrote a series of nine letters which were published in a newspaper explaining why he rejected Mormonism. But he had the conferral by the voice of God in June 1831, yet we get down to January 1841 we learn the fullness had been taken away. (D&C 124: 28.)”
From the above comment, it sounds to me as if Denver is in full agreement, that the fulness was conferred by the voice of God out of the heavens at the Morley Farm, In June of 1831.
Denver even got the date correct this time.
I guess it just never occurred to him to mention this profoundly significant event over the years, in all of his previous blog posts, talks and books.
Very strange that such a foundational event could have been overlooked by someone that had been personally tutored by angels and Christ and given a commission by God to teach us about priesthood and Zion.
Nevertheless, even though his comment leads the reader to believe that Denver was previously aware of the event, as it relates to the delivering of the Melchizedek priesthood to many of the Elders according to the voice of God out of heaven, Denver continues to deny that the categorical declaration that the fulness had been lost, in section 124, applied to Joseph Smith himself.
“The fullness had been taken away at least as it pertained to the Church. I do not think the revelation given to the Church meant that Joseph had forfeited the fullness. After all the revelation discussing the loss was given to Joseph as God’s prophet.”
Denver provides no credible documentation for the above theory that the fulness was taken from Hyrum, Sidney and everybody else in the entire church except Joseph.
There are several problems with Denver’s logic.
One is that Hyrum is given the same calling as Joseph during the same revelation and is given the calling of “priesthood” and is made a “patriarch” with the sealing powers. This patriarchal priesthood with sealing power is what Snuffer claims to be part of the highest priesthood. Therefore, according to Snuffers understanding of priesthood, Hyrum must have held the highest priesthood along with his brother Joseph despite the declaration of the Lord in section 124.
(Snuffer continues to argue that the patriarchal priesthood is higher than the Melchizedek priesthood! )
Another huge problem with Snuffer’s claim that Joseph is specifically excluded from the declaration that the fulness had been lost, is that the revelation is being addressed directly and specifically to Joseph Smith, even though it gives council, advice, and instructions to many people throughout the revelation:
“VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto YOU, my servant Joseph Smith..” (verse 1)
28 verses later, the revelation is still being addressed to Joseph Smith:
“For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto YOU, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood…” (verse 28)
There is no reason to suppose that “you” is referring to the church but not Joseph Smith.
One can easily justify the revelation speaking to Joseph as God’s mouthpiece and to ALL of the Saints (verse 31) but trying to suggest that verse 28 excludes Joseph is without merit.
Of course Denver has to take that stance, in order to provide a foundation for legitimizing everything Joseph would do during those last three years in Nauvoo, including the secret councils, secret ordinations, and secretly lived spiritual wife doctrine that would eventually become the main controversy at the time of the succession crisis.
All of this fits nicely into this next part of the series on PTHG where I will show some more of Denvers inaccuracies pertaining to the law of succession and what really took place in Nauvoo.
To view the updated pdf containing all fifteen rebuttal points to date, click on the link below.
A Controversy in Zion- Part One and Two and Three and Four Final 10
The Church was Rejected with their Dead
For those who followed the exchange between Greg Smith and myself regarding the rejection of the church with their dead, and what section 124 was really speaking about, I have updated the following article with additional information from my comments section.
https://onewhoiswatching.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/the-nauvoo-house-of-god-vs3.pdf
In addition to the updates on the above article, here is a little more interesting trivia regarding the general issue of the temple that I find really quite interesting:
According to Margorie Hopkins Bennion in an article she wrote titled, “The Rediscovery of William Weeks’ Nauvoo Temple Drawings, “The basement walls were high enough for a cornershone-laying ceremony on 6 April 1841. Weeks was present and marched in the parade and then helped lower the first cornerstone into place.”
This verifies that the walls of the temple had begun being erected BEFORE the cornerstone ceremony, contrary to what Greg Smith contends in his arguments. This supports the literal interpretation of the declaration made by the First Presidency in the Times and Seasons that the erection of the temple had begun prior to January 15 1841.
Curiously, there is no mention of a baptismal font being put in the Nauvoo Temple until well after the erection of the walls had begun, and after section 124 was given.
By July 1841, Weeks had drawn plans for the font in the basement, and by August President Smith had approved and accepted the design.
One has to wonder if the baptismal font was somewhat of an afterthought and perhaps was only meant to be put in the Nauvoo House because section 97 lists the purpose of the Nauvoo Temple for a) worship, b) seeing God and c) training for the ministry.
Nothing is mentioned about ordinance work in section 97.
Section 124 on the other hand, identifies the Nauvoo house as a place where ordinances will be revealed and performed.
Was Williams Weeks Called to be the Architect by Revelation?
“Architectural and construction plans for the Temple were solicited, and in competition with other drawings Weeks’ plans won immediate approval.”
There is reason to believe that Joseph chose Weeks for the project by revelation.
“F. M. Weeks, a nephew, recalled William telling him that when he went in and presented his plans, Joseph Smith grabbed and hugged him and said, ‘You are the man I want.'”
“From the beginning, Joseph was considered the chief architect, while Wiliam served as the general superintendent of the temple and oversaw its construction”
Joseph felt very strongly about the temple being built according to the “pattern” that had been shown to him by the Lord.
“I wish you to carry out my designs. I have seen in vision the splendid appearance of that building illuminated, and will have it built according to the pattern shown me.”
Section 97 makes note of the fact that Joseph had been given the pattern:
“Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you.” (Section 97 :10)
In April 1843, Joseph Smith stated, “I gave a certificate to William Weeks to carry out my designs and the architecture of the Temple..”
Sadly, at the succession crisis, Brigham Young began presiding over the building committee and took control of the Temple project. He began overriding the decisions that Weeks had made in conformity to what Joseph had instructed him:
“President Young often overshadowed Weeks in terms of making final architectural decisions. Strong personalities caused some contention among the temple planners. In late October 1844, “I [Brigham Young] attended a council with the brethren of the Twelve, the Trustees, the Temple Committee and Brother William Weeks at the Temple Office, settling the difference existing between the Temple committee and Bro. Weeks.”
Early in 1846 Brigham Young decided to release Weeks as the architect and call him to join the vanguard group of saints leaving Nauvoo. By doing so, Young could continue making modifications without any friction from Weeks.
He replaced Weeks with Truman O Angell.
In a written letter to Angell, Weeks said, “by the authority vest in me by Joseph Smith and his Councillors do appoint Truman Angel to be my successor as Superintendent over the finishing of the Temple & Nauvoo House in the City of Joseph according to the plans and design given by me to him. And no persons shall interfere with him in the carrying out of these plans and designs..”
The above statement by Weeks shows his desire that nobody, including Brigham Young, would interfere with the revealed will of the Lord through Joseph Smith in the design of the temple. Weeks disregard for the supposed authority of Brigham Young would eventually result in his excommunication.
Brigham Young obviously believed that William Weeks was the most capable architect and even enticed him with an offer to oversee the new Utah Temple project but Weeks had had his fill of the leadership of Brigham Young soon after his arrival into the Salt Lake Valley:
“Despite the promises given in his blessing and Brigham Young’s intentions to have William design a Utah temple, the architect became openly discontent and disloyal to the Church during his first weeks in the valley. Causes of his alienation are not known, although his obituary stated,
“He was not a follower of Brigham Young and did not believe in polygamy but was a great admirer of Joseph Smith. When Brigham Young became the head of the Mormon church Mr. Weeks deserted them and went to Los Angeles.” Actually, in early 1848 William, Caroline, and their family returned to the Midwest, and in the October 1848 General Conference, they were excommunicated from the Church.
A Polished Stone
Wiki informs us that “During an archaeological investigation of the [Nauvoo] temple site, two highly polished limestone blocks were discovered. Approximately twelve feet east of the entrance to the baptistry and ten feet from either the side of the support piers rested the blocks, roughly fourteen inches square, which projected seven inches (178 mm) above the brick floor. These objects are not mentioned in any account of the basement, and their purpose is unknown. They may have held some type of support columns, dividing the font from the entrance to the basement or they may have simply been a decorative element with a vase or something similar resting on them. They may have been part of a feature planned, but not used, in the final construction“
Although it is unknown what the highly polished limestone blocks were to be used for, or to represent, it is interesting to note that the “..cornerstone of Zion” was to be “..polished with the refinement which is after the similitude of a palace.” 🙂
The Death Warrant of Jesus Christ
In noticed that Section 124 was placed in the cornerstone of the Nauvoo House which is no surprise. I have tried to find out what was placed in the cornerstone of the Nauvoo Temple but have not been able to find out that information.
Another thing that was placed in the cornerstone of the Nauvoo House is “Whole No. 35 of the Times and Seasons otherwise known as Vol. 2 No. 23. which can be viewed Here
I have reviewed the contents thereof to see if there is anything specifically significant to the Nauvoo House with no avail, however, one thing of interest is the notification, that the death warrant of Jesus Christ had been found in 1820 and “the document was faithfully transcribed by the editor”
Sentence rendered by Pontius Pilate, acting Governor of Lower Galilee, stating that Jesus of Nazaret shall suffer death on the cross.
In the year seventeen of the empire Tiberius Cæsar and the 25th day of march, the city of the holy Jerusalem, Anna and Caiphas being priests, sacrificators of the people of God, Pontius Pilot [Pilate], Governor of Lower Galilee, sitting on the prsidentia [presidential]
(page 564)
chair of the Prætory, condemns Jesus of Nazareth to die on the cross between two thieves-the great and notorious evidence of the people saying:
1. Jesus is a seducer.
2. He is seditious.
3. He is an enemy of the law.
4. He calls himself falsely the Son of God.
5. He calls himself falsely the King of Israel.
6. He entered into the temple, followed by a multitude bearing palm branches in their hands.
Order the first centurion, Quillus Cornelius, to lead him to the place of execution.
Forbid to any person whomsoever, either poor or rich, to oppose the death of Jesus.
The witnesses who signed the condemnation of Jesus are, viz:-1. Daniel Robani; 2. Raphael Robani; 3 Capet, a citizen.
Jesus shall go out of the city of Jerusalem by the gate of Struenus.”
38 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
In the 34th chapter of Isaiah, we are informed that when the indignation of the Lord falls upon the nations, it is referred to as the day of the Lord’s vengeance.
It is also described as the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.
I believe we are quickly approaching the great controversy that Isaiah speaks about.
Many people that have studied prophecy realize that virtually all prophecies have multiple fulfillments. One is a literal fulfillment while others are shadow fulfillments that are typological to the literal fulfillment.
I agree with this observation that was made on a prophecy website-
People who reject section 110 because they think the Elijah comes in the future need to understand that he did come and fulfill the prophecy in Malachi, AND, the prophecy will be fulfilled again, a second time in the end times.
More on that during this series. I plan on detailing what the true doctrine of Elijah really is and how it demonstrates just how true section 110 is. I guarantee it will raise a few eyebrows.
Getting back to the Controversy in Zion-
I believe there was a great controversy in Zion at the time of the succession crisis in Nauvoo when there was great debate and confusion over who the rightful successor to the prophet Joseph Smith was. I believe that controversy was very possibly a type of the controversy spoken of by Isaiah, only on a much smaller, narrower scale.
I am also open to the possibility that the great LDS google apostasy that has been spoken of in the media lately is bringing about another preliminary controversy, one that could very possibly be a sign of the impending return of God’s properly ordained and anointed servants back into the vineyard to bring about the redemption of Zion during the work of the Father.
Perhaps one of the most significant contributors to the Google apostasy is Denver Snuffer because of his controversial book, Passing the Heavenly Gift.
In the book, he does a remarkable job of accumulating and cataloguing much of the disruptive historical and doctrinal data that has been mined by numerous other authors and researchers over the last several decades. Because of the Internet, much of this information has been posted or paraphrased on the Internet for all to see, causing a crisis of faith for many Latter day Saints.
Much of what is in the book is accurate and valuable. Nevertheless, I have found numerous things that I feel are problematic.
The Redemption of Zion has been Predetermined
The book and the associated lectures being given, seem to promote the belief that the redemption of Zion will not literally take place the way that the Lord has promised it will, in the parable of the redemption of Zion found in sections 101 and 103.
We have the unconditional promises from the Lord God of Israel that the voice of warning that will begin the Marvelous Work will be given by the Lords disciples that published the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants.
When these servants return, they will go forth in the unstoppable power of the fulness of the priesthood.
The premise given in PTHG does not appear to support the unconditional promises in modern revelation, that assure us that Zion will be re-stablished on earth under the direction of first laborers of the last kingdom who have been properly ordained and anointed to do so. We have been promised that they will go forth for the last time to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come.
Rather, the book, and statements made by the author during his first lecture on Zion in Boise, seem to imply that inspired mortals will need to finish what Joseph started. Needless to say, I disagree with that premise. More importantly, I believe the scriptures disagree with it.
Joseph and his associates will finish the work that Joseph started under the divine guidance and power of the Lord God of Israel !
A Spike in Traffic
After I announced that I was going to provide a rebuttal on Passing the Heavenly Gift, the author of the book boldly put a link on his blog to my blog informing his followers that I would be doing a critique.
It appears that he is confident about what he has written and wants his readers to evaluate my critique .
This is consistent with a comment he once made wherein he encourages all of us to speak up and correct someone that is teaching false teachings.
It is reassuring to know that the author believes that we should all be vigilant in correcting each other when a false doctrine is presented, and is therefore supportive of my attempt to do so. He believes that we each have an obligation to speak up when we see something false that is being propagated.
The link that he posted to my blog resulted in an obscene amount of traffic to my site as depicted below by my wordpress analytics graph.
Within the first five days his site had sent 1734 unique visitors.
During that period of time, my site experienced over 7,200 views.
I point this out for two reasons.
Popularity Contest
One is that if people judge my rebuttal and any responses that the author might offer, based on who their favorite writer is, making the event a popularity contest, I will clearly be the looser! LOL
As you can see, my site normally only gets one or two hundred views per day.
That is pretty pathetic for a blog that has been around as long as mine has been around.
In my opinion, very few people can handle the bold truth that is contained in the scriptures that are highlighted on this blog.
I don’t sugar coat anything and I am not here to tickle anyone’s ears.
I don’t tell people that even though the church has been condemned, cursed and rejected with their dead, there is nothing to worry about because anyone can simply open the heavens and enjoy open communion with the Savior and legitimately expect to receive the second comforter even though the person is not living the fulness of the Gospel.
If you are here for a warm and fuzzy feeling, you are at the wrong site.
When you get done reading some of the articles on this site you may well be curled up in the fetal position whimpering like a little girl.
Nevertheless, if you persevere, you will find much reason to be hopeful because God, in his infinite wisdom, justice, and mercy, has provided a remedy for the awful situation we are in.
Are you ready for what is about to happen?
Interestingly, even now that the traffic has slowed way down to a trickle from his site to mine, I am still getting two to three times the volume I normally get in page views.
This is a good sign. It indicates to me that some of his followers are not mesmerized by the messenger but rather they want to discern the message.
They are open to hearing other points of view and want to make sure they test the doctrines in PTHG against the scriptures and the promptings of the Holy Ghost. They want to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.
I appreciate the authors confidence and generosity in publicizing my intention to provide a rebuttal.
I hope he will provide another link on his blog when my final work of rebuttal is published.
The Possibility of a Huge Movement
The other point I want to make, with reference to the large amount of views that his blog generated for my blog, is that the following of loyal readers that the author has amassed, is formidable.
Clearly the number of his followers that actually follow his blog and clicked on the link represents only a small fraction of the readers of his book and the believers of the doctrines that he teaches.
If the approximately 2,000 people that he has sent to my site represents 10 percent of his following, that is 20,000 people!
I don’t know if 10% would represent a modest or liberal guestimation of his total readership, however, one can appreciate why the brethren labored with him so long, trying to do damage control.
There is a lot at stake here.
Consider the fact that the average person has a sphere of influence of about 98 friends, relatives and work associates that they associate relatively closely with. 20,000 times 98 is a significant influence that has the potential to grow exponentially.
You can see what a tremendous impact the author can have through his passionate followers that are sharing their beliefs with other friends and relatives.
This is why I feel I need to speak up and challenge some of the things in the book that I know to be erroneous.
Listing of Rebuttal Points
I have decided to post most of the rebuttal points that I will be addressing before I even address them.
I suppose that from a debate strategy point of view, what I am doing is foolish, but this is not about winning a debate. This is about exposing the truth and getting people engaged. I want the doctrinal teachings that I espouse to be just as challenged as the ones that I am challenging in the PTHG.
I want a lively discussion and debate. I am openly challenging the author of PTHG and/or any of his followers to test what I am saying if sound doctrinal arguments against them can be brought forth.
Let the discussion begin and the truth prevail.
Salvation is at stake. We need to avoid being deceived.
The scriptures inform us that there are only two ways to avoid being deceived.
One is to treasure of the word of God in the scriptures.
The other is to take the Holy Ghost as our guide.
Most of the doctrinal rebuttal points that I will be addressing in future posts are listed at the end of this post to enable people to know what the main issues will be and to allow the author and his supporters to begin preparations for a response to each rebuttal point, should anyone choose to tender any.
I will be posting each rebuttal point in a separate blog post to enable everyone who is interested to comment and produce any evidence they desire to support and challenge my rebuttal.
I will not be allowing responses to the rebuttal points below, on this blog, until I have had the chance to complete the associated post on it, demonstrating what was taught in PTHG along with my corresponding evidence that disputes it.
Before I begin posting on each of the rebuttal points, I will present a post titled “priesthood Primer” that will help readers to better understand my first five rebuttals having to do with priesthood issues.
Following that post, I will begin addressing each of the individual rebuttals independently.
I am also going to produce a PDF that contains ALL of the rebuttal points and supporting evidence in one document. It will be posted on the Internet. The advantage of the PDF is two fold. First it provides one comprehensive article that contains all of the rebuttal topics and associated evidence. Secondly, it enables me to provide footnotes containing greater context and clarification.
The online PDF will be a work in process that will be updated as more documentation is added from any comments that are made on each post. I will show the current “version” under the heading so that people will know if there have been updates.
If I am ever convinced that one of my rebuttal points is without merit, and has been adequately debunked by the author or anyone else, I will humbly apologize, eat a little crow, remove it from the PDF, and crawl under a rock and hide for a few days to hide my profuse shame and embarrassment for having made a doctrinal mistake and demonstrating that I am human and fallible. LOL
Conversely, if commenters bring up valid and compelling points of rebuttal that I missed, I will add them to the debate as well, and to the PDF.
By the time the blog series is finished, the PDF will be hopefully be finished as well.
Naturally, it is not just the doctrines contained in PTHG that are on trial here.
Many of the doctrines contained in PTHG are just rehashed and in some cases, re-spun doctrines that have been or are currently taught in the corporate church.
Hence, many doctrines taught by the corporate church are also being challenged in these rebuttals.
The listing of some of the upcoming rebuttal points are listed below-
Is an honest Rebuttal Possible?
Weighing the Doctrines Postulated in Passing the Heavenly Gift
Rebuttal Point #1: Joseph Smith was Instrumental in Restoring Three Priesthoods not just Two
Rebuttal Point #2: Peter James and John did NOT restore the Melchizedek Priesthood in 1829, the Lord restored the Melchizedek Priesthood in 1831
Rebuttal Point #3: The Patriarchal Priesthood is NOT the “third order of the Priesthood”
Rebuttal Point #4: The First High Priests were ordained in June of 1831 NOT June of 1832
Rebuttal Point #5: Priesthood IS necessary to officiate in the Ordinances of Salvation
Rebuttal Point #6 The Twelve do NOT have Equal Authority with the First Presidency in Governing the Church
Rebuttal Point #7 Hyrum was NOT just next in line at the time of the martyrdom, He WAS the Sole Prophet
Rebuttal Point #8 It WAS clearly documented who the Lord had Previously Conferred the Keys On at the time of the Martyrdom
Rebuttal Point #9 It WAS Rigdon’s Right to Claim Leadership in Joseph’s Absence
Rebuttal Point #10 Section 132 could NOT have been received as early as 1829
Rebuttal Point #11 The Book of Mormon does NOT necessarily reaffirm that the rejected Gentile Church will remain part of God’s Plan leading up to the New Jerusalem
Rebuttal Point #12 The Doctrine and Covenants DOES clearly Detail When and Why the Fulness was Lost
Rebuttal Point #13 The First 33 verses of section 132 ARE about Polygamy
Rebuttal Point #14 The Book of Abraham was NOT translated in 1842
Rebuttal Point #15 Joseph Did NOT Receive a Revelation about Blacks and the Priesthood after ordaining Elijah Able
Rebuttal Point #16 The Masonic Temple endowment is NOT part of the pure and simple Gospel of Jesus Christ
Rebuttal Point #17 After the Gentile Rejection, the Remnant of the Book of Mormon was NOT given the Fulness
Rebuttal Point #18 The Fulness of the Gospel is NOT available when God Rejects the Church with its Dead
Rebuttal Point #19 The Church HAS Changed the Ordinances of the Gospel
Rebuttal Point #20 Rigdon is NOT the Reason the Restored Church had an objective of restoring the pattern of the New Testament Church
Rebuttal Point #21 The Gospel Law of Marriage in Section 132 Categorically Contradicts the Gospel Law of Marriage in section 42. Reject the Law of the Gospel contained in section 42 at your Peril!
Rebuttal Point #22 Zion can only be established by Those Who Have Been Appointed
Rebuttal Point #23 What Constitutes a Testimony?
Rebuttal Point #24 Elijah Did come AND Will Come
Rebuttal Point #25 Section 110 IS a true Event that Literally Took Place as Described. The Evidence is beyond Overwhelming.
29 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: an evening with denver snuffer, controversy of zion, denver snuffer, owiw, passing the heavenly gift, pthg, rebuttal, watcher | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
It has now been about a week and a half since Denver spoke in Boise.
I was in attendance.
He has posted frequently since then, including the posting of the letter he got from his stake president regarding the decision of the church court.
He seems to want to make the drama about his departure from the church quite public and to grow his following.
He seems to be convinced that his book accurately explains the correct doctrine and history of the church and how the church has gone astray.
He really knows how to work the crowd, both in person and in print.
Welcome to the Circus
I have tried to limit the sharing of many of my views about Denver’s teachings over the years for a number of reasons.
I did not believe the claims he was making about seeing the Savior and I did not want to get caught up in the eventual circus that it was apparent he was going to cause.
That circus has officially begun with his public refusal to stop publishing his controversial book, his subsequent excommunication and the beginning of his Zion speaking tour that began on September 10th (or 11th, according to how the Jews reckoning of time.)
Typological of Jim Harmston
I had a front row seat on the Jim Harmston affair as Harmston transitioned from faithful member and supporter of the brethren to a self proclaimed and self appointed prophet that was going to set things in order and usher in Zion.
I believe that Snuffer and his loyal disciples may be heading for the same train wreck that was experienced by many of Harmstons Zion-bound followers.
Creating Doubt about Section 110
The other day one of Denver’s passionate followers graced my comments section with a diatribe composed of Denver Snuffer quotes from his book (PTHG) about section 110.
On another blog, another one of Denver’s followers presented the following challenge:
“The arguments and analysis presented in PTHG deserve a substantive rebuttal, if an honest rebuttal is possible.”
I think it is rather remarkable that a disciple of Denvers is so sure that his writings are infallible.
Furthermore, it is remarkable to me that Denver is so confident.
Here is his reaffirmation after being excommunicated, that his controversial book is accurate.
I think it is unfortunate that the Stake President did not provide clarity as to the false doctrine that is contained in the book.
However, I am not sure the church is as concerned with false doctrine as they are with loosing credibility and maintaining the reputation of its leaders from Brigham Young to Tom Monson.
I think the following statement really sums up what the major concern was regarding the book:
“The book’s thesis is in direct conflict with church doctrine. In your effort to defend the restoration, you have mischaracterized doctrine, denigrated virtually every prophet since Joseph Smith and placed the church in a negative light.”
I am personally conflicted about the Snuffer drama because on the one hand, much of Snuffer’s criticism of the modern church leaders is well founded and accurate in my opinion.
In my opinion much of the documentation that he provides about the latter day apostasy of the church is true.
For years I have been declaring that the church has been condemned, rejected, and cursed, and providing scriptural and historical documentation.
Denver also addresses these topics and in some instances provides a more thorough and compelling case than I do, even though he typically concludes his narratives by saying that the scenarios presented are possibilities and that he does not necessarily personally take a stand on many of the scenarios and issues that he presents in the book.
On the other hand, in my opinion, Denver teaches his share of false doctrine in the book and I have come to believe that he has an underlying agenda of his own that is potentially detrimental to those that put their trust in his teachings.
After doing a little soul searching about my silence regarding Denver’s claims, I have decided to accept that challenge tendered by Denver’s disciple and I am going to do a critique-rebuttal on his book, Passing The Heavenly Gift.
It is only recently that I was made aware of the fact that Denver questions the authenticity of section 110 and the associated doctrine of Elijah. I believe some of his writings on this subject are creating doubts in the minds of his followers regarding it.
Having studied and written about section 110 and the doctrine of Elijah for years, I passionately believe section 110 documents a true historical event that literally took place as described.
I believe it is foundational to the history and doctrine of the church and provides a prophetic context to the doctrine of Elijah and the mission of the restored gospel.
I am concerned that once a person rejects that revelation from God and the doctrine of Elijah associated with it, a chain reaction of disbelief could take place.
I am concerned that it could possibly, ultimately cause one’s faith in the restoration to collapse.
At first I was simply going to address the topic of section 110, but now I have decided I will also review and critique the book, Passing the Heavenly Gift.
Because of the continued warnings that his followers have made that I should not be critical of his teachings until I have read his book to get the full context of what he is saying, I have obtained a copy of PTHG, the controversial book for which he has been excommunicated.
I have read it and I believe it contains numerous serious doctrinal and historical errors.
I shall report on it much like I did on the book “the Savior in Kirtland ” that Karl Anderson wrote.
My critique will not be exhaustive, I am only going to briefly touch on about 20 major issues, claims, and interpretations that I consider to be hugely problematic.
This critique is done for, and directed primarily at, readers of my blog that may have erroneously assumed that Snuffer and I are similar in our beliefs and ultimate conclusions. Secondly, it will be written for followers of Snuffer that are looking for a critical review of Snuffer’s teachings to help them better determine just how inspired and doctrinally accurate his writings really are.
Not Intended for Mainstream Members that are Content in their Faith
If you are a mainstream member of the church that has come across this series from a random search, this series containing a critique of Snuffers book is not written for you.
I suggest you leave this site NOW..
It will be disruptive to your faith. You may want to wait until FARMS, FAIR, The Interpreter, or some independent LDS apologist does a book critique on PTHG based on the viewpoint of the corporate church.
Way back when I first became aware of Denver Snuffer and his claims of having multiple audiences with Christ and all of the other associated implications having to do with him having sacrificed all things (See LoF 6:7), being pronounced clean, receiving the second comforter (John 14:16, Doctrine and Covenants 88:3 and having his calling and election made sure, etc., I had no interest in following his blog or reading his books and I just ignored him.
This is because I have a very strong personal belief based on my personal study of the scriptures, that this type of endowment is not currently taking place in the earth.
I believe the scriptures are quite clear about the current collective status of the latter day saints with God.
I believe that the scriptures are clear about why the fulness of the Gospel and associated endowments are not currently being enjoyed by anyone. They clearly identify when they were taken away and even specify when the endowments will be restored to the Gentiles.
I believe Lectures on Faith when it states that one must sacrifice all things before they are counted worthy to be sealed up to eternal life.
I don’t think there is anyone currently living, that has sacrificed all things according to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When studied in context, I am not sure it is possible to sacrifice all things without participating in group consecration, once the true church has been restored and the commandment to consecrate has been given.
The Lord warned the saints several times that if the saints did not receive and live the law of the gospel containing consecration, they would be cut off from the fulness.
After the failure took place, the Lord revealed that as a consequence of failing to successfully consecrate and live the law of Zion, the saints must wait a little season for the redemption of Zion.
It is obvious that not only Zion must wait a little season, but also the saints must wait a little season for the “residue” of the “second ordinances” .
I believe that this type of sacrifice is not currently possible since the saints broke the everlasting covenant in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah.
They collectively failed to live the law of consecration, which was given for the express purpose of protecting the saints.
A secret combination was was plotting the destruction of the church in the secret chambers. ( Regarding the breaking of the everlasting covenant, see Isaiah 24, and Sections 104:4, 104:52, 105.)
Modern revelation is quite clear about the fact that the restored Church was coming out of the wilderness in section 5, and had fully come out of the wilderness by the time section 33 was given.
It also documents that the restored Church of Christ had fled back into the wilderness and would need to come forth out of the wilderness at a future time by the time section 109 was given.
The return of the restored Church of Christ back into the wilderness, is documented by countless historical events, including the official removal of the name of Christ from the name of the church in 1834.
At that time the name of the church was changed to the “Church of the Latter day Saints”.
I realize that some people, including Denver, believe that God continues to deal with each person independently in bestowing the second ordinances, despite the group condemnation and the categorical rejection of the entire church that God has pronounced upon the saints.
But I reject that notion.
I believe it mocks the declarations and pronouncements of God and I believe His pronouncements to the collective body of saints would be of no effect if that were the case.
Critics of the above evidences use several of the Book of Mormon passages to support the belief that the heavens are always open and that all spiritual blessings are always available predicated on faith.
What they don’t seem to realize is that the greater faith necessary to part the heavens is a spiritual gift of God that is withheld when the Lord withdraws his spirit from the inhabitants of the earth.
To be continued….
52 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: boise, Denvcer Snuffer, fortieth year series, Idaho Falls, passing the heavenly gift, pthg, second comforter, September 28th, zion | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
A high profile, believing Mormon, that has written several books about Mormonism, has publicly “denigrated virtually every prophet since Joseph Smith and put the church in a negative light”.
Please don’t jump to conclusions.
I am not referring to the person you think I am.
I am not referring to Denver Snuffer, although those exact words are contained in the Notice of Disciplinary Council that was recently hand delivered to him.
Last week I got a call from one of my sons who said he had heard a remarkable interview on NPR that I needed to hear.
“Just Google NPR and Black Mormon“, he said.
I did so and was fascinated to hear a short interview between NPR’s Jacki Lyden and LDS scholar and author, Terryl Givens. The interview was actually given back in March regarding changes that were made in the new digital scriptures, I glanced at it back then but I had not paid close attention to it at the time.
Givens is a professor of literature and religion at the University of Richmond and a celebrated LDS author who has served as a Bishop. He is very active in the LDS faith and he provides one of the messages of faith on mormonscholarstestify.org.
In the brief five minute interview, Givens was asked about the new digital edition of the LDS scriptures and some of the ground breaking changes that have been made in them.
Givens said, “.. there are some rather substantive changes in terms of the introductions to the actual scriptural material. And those are what are really catching the attention of members of the church.”
Regarding the Priesthood ban on Blacks, Givens said that “it appears that Joseph Smith himself ordained black members of the church to the priesthood” and that “after his death, beginning in the late 1840’s, Brigham Young apparently charted a new direction” with regard to the Blacks and the priesthood.
He said that the priesthood ban was “.. a matter of error or cultural and historical conditioning rather than as the will of God“.
He acknowledged that the change in direction has “been an albatross around the neck of the church and was for many, many years“.
Givens noted that although there had not been any introductory notes to the Official Declaration 2 previously, it now acknowledges that
“The Book of Mormon teaches [that] all are alike unto God, including black and white..It mentioned that during Joseph Smith’s lifetime, a few black male members of the church were ordained to the priesthood. ” and that “church records offer no clear insights into the origin of this practice [of banning Blacks from the priesthood.”
It appears that the “records” that offer no clear insights to the origin of the practice are the scriptures. LOL
When Givens was asked about the practice of polygamy, he noted that again, introductory notes have been added to Official Declaration 1 stating that “The Bible and the Book of Mormon teach that monogamy is God’s standard for marriage unless he declares otherwise.”
Givens said, “I think one could read that almost as an inversion of many Mormons’ historical understanding of plural marriage.
For many years, it was taught that plural marriage represented a higher law, a law to which people could aspire if they were worthy and prepared for this higher law.
Now, that’s been inverted to the point that monogamy is declared to be the standard law for God of marriage. And polygamy represents a brief and momentary historical aberration from that norm.”
Give observed: “That’s a fairly significant change in focus.”
In essence, Givens is saying that from the time of Brigham Young, the church got off track regarding two of the most important doctrines.
Significant errors were made regarding the proper understanding and practice of who the priesthood was to be given to, and what the law of Celestial Marriage is.
In other words, Brigham Young acted falsely in his role of the prophet of the church.
The revelatory guidance he gave to the church was wrong and he made some serious errors regarding Blacks and the priesthood and regarding polygamy and the true celestial doctrine pertaining to marriage.
Obviously, every one of the presidents of the church that followed Brigham’s lead or refused to acknowledge the false doctrines he taught when doctrines were adjusted, were just as guilty as Brigham Young.
Although changes in doctrine have been made and the pendulum is swinging the other way regarding some of the important doctrinal issues, none of the presidents of the church have stood up to the plate and acknowledged these serious mistakes.
Rather, the church has decided to slowly and subtly revise the context of some of the official declarations and retroactively provide explanations of mainstream beliefs so that it will appear to future generations as if the true doctrines were always understood and taught even while false practices emerge for a season.
All of these changes in the scriptures are being made without having to make a formal public apology and acknowledgement that every president of the Church since Brigham Young has perpetuated serious errors and practices.
In essence, Professor Givens publicly “denigrated virtually every prophet since Joseph Smith and put the church in a negative light”.
Will he be hauled into a church tribunal like Denver Snuffer?
I suspect not.
Of course, Givens understands a little more about diplomacy than snuffer does. It was clearly “ cultural and historical conditioning ” that was the culprit, not the incompetence of Brigham Young and those that followed in his footsteps.
Givens has the ability to make someone feel like they just got kissed even though he actually gave them a backhand to the jaw.
In light of the current event having to do with Denver Snuffer, I find the above mentioned interview amazing.
I have previously suggested that John Dehlin is guilty of doing significantly more damage to the reputation of the church and its leaders than Denver Snuffer has done. At least Snuffer continues to sincerely believe.
It seems somewhat unfair that people like Givens and Dehlin are given a free pass to denigrate the reputations of church leaders and yet Denver Snuffer is being called on the carpet for simply being honest about some of the problematic historical issues.
Nevertheless, Snuffer obviously knew he was heading down this path and the brethren have labored with him and given him every opportunity to change his course. As I have observed in other posts, the church is now on the defensive because of the ongoing carnage from the Google Apostasy and they want to avoid high profile disciplinary actions whenever possible. They did not want it to come to this.
Denver surely knew it was going to come to this if he didn’t back off. He has counted the cost and appears to be unflinching in his stance. He does not appear to be terminating his speaking tour or the publication of the book that the church finds so offensive.
As I told a reader in a personal email six months ago, “Denver has put the church leaders between a rock and a hard spot, if they do nothing about him, there will continue to be fallout from what he has written, on the other hand, if they EX him and make a martyr out of him, he has the potential of taking a lot of followers with him and creating a public relations nightmare.”
Either way, tithing income will suffer and that is a major consideration to the brethren.
Unfortunately, Denver has put himself between a rock and a hard spot as well by continually bearing testimony that the modern church is true and that the leaders are God’s anointed and that every member should obey the leaders.
Because of this, Snuffer is going to have a credibility problem at this point regardless of what he does.
If he decided to repent and follow the council of the brethren, it looks like he bagged out on the instructions he has been getting from Christ and the ominous prophecy he made about himself being a servant of the Lord a few months ago.
On the other hand, if he continues going counter to the admonition of the brethren, his past advice to support the leaders looks less than inspired.
What to do?
One of the shocking statements in the letter of the disciplinary council that Denver received is the notice that his witnesses had to be approved by his local church leaders.
“If you wish to bring any witnesses, let me know by Wednesday, August 28th so that I can consider who you would like to bring and their purpose in participating in the council, in addition to the High Council“.
Imagine that!
Now it is no longer the exclusive prerogative of the accused to choose their witnesses and have them testify on their behalf in the court hearing. Apparently, the Stake President can now prevent a witness from being heard for virtually any reason. I don’t remember seeing that in the protocol in the scriptures.
It is no secret that President Hunt has been working closely with the brethren on the Denver Snuffer problem and that they have bent over backwards to try and avert a confrontation.
Their hand has been forced.
It would appear that they have determined that the fallout of this court proceeding will be less, in the long run, than if they allow him to continue unrestrained.
For those who sustain the leaders of the church as prophets seers and revelators, it would appear as if the officially ordained prophets aren’t buying what Denver is selling. They don’t seem to think that Jesus is directing his efforts.
They don’t believe the god that Denver is communing with behind the veil is the same god they are communing with behind the veil.
I have felt this September was going to be memorable, but I hadn’t counted on this particular drama. It will be interesting to see how much traction and publicity this event attracts. One of the great sales strategies is to offer people a choice rather than to ask them if they have decided to make the purchase.
Now weak-minded people that need to follow a prophet have some exciting drama and a choice of which prophet they want to follow. Will it be Monson or Snuffer?
Anyway, it has now been 20 years since the famed September Six were weighed in the balance and found wanting.
September of 93 was a noteworthy time in LDS church history.
Will destiny make Snuffer the September 7th added to the list in September of 2013?
13 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: apostasy, apostate, bishop lundgren, denver snuffer, discipline, facing discipline, Letter of disciplinary council, President Hunt | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
I recently got done listening to three Youtube parts of a podcast series that John Dehlin did with John Hamer on Mormon Stories.
It is titled “A Visual History of the Community of Christ (RLDS) ”
It was absolutely fantastic.
Those of you who are interested in the history of the LDS restoration movement from other perspectives will also find it fascinating.
Although I obviously interpret the events much differently than John Hamer does, I find him to be an honest and credible historian that has much to offer in the research he has done and his associated infographics.
Interestingly, much of the research he has done, in my opinion, supports many of the suppositions I have made.
Obviously, anyone can see what they want to see in a large body of data. I will leave it up to you to make whatever deductions you may from the presentation.
John was raised LDS, left the church, became an atheist and eventually found his way back into faith and into the Community of Christ with his husband. (RLDS)
Here is part of his bio from the BCC blogsite:
“John Hamer is the editor of John Whitmer Books and President of the John Whitmer Historical Association (the Community of Christ’s equivalent of MHA). In Mormon studies, John has produced maps for the LDS Church Historian’s Press, Herald Publishing House, Greg Kofford Books, the Journal of Mormon History, Mormon Historic Studies, the JWHA Journal, and Restoration Studies, among others.”
You can watch the post and youtube videos produced by MormonStories here
I have copied the comments and questions I asked him below.
To see his responses, you will need to visit the post or click here for his specific responses in the comments section of the post.
Those of you who read “the return of Sidney Rigdon” and remember that I posted the shorthand notes of the Sidney Rigdon sermon, hoping someone would step forward and transcribe them, will be happy to know that according to Hamer, the LDS church is apparently doing that or has done it. If I can track the transcription down, I will do a post on it.
[Update as of 7-12-2013- A friend of mine contacted the church historical library and inquired as to whether the sermon has been transcribed and made available to the general public. I am informed that according to Robin Jensen (who works with the Joseph Smith Project) it has been transcribed!!!!
It is not yet available, however, it is going to be published soon in an upcoming issue of BYU Studies!]
Enjoy
John D thank you for doing this interview.
John H I really enjoyed this interview and the research and the charts you have made.
THANK YOU!
I have been studying LDS church history for many many years and it was fun to compare notes with what you have presented.
I plan on putting links to this interview on my blog for my readers to enjoy.
Interestingly I find very few things of huge significance to disagree with you on regarding the historical information you have presented, although my interpretation of the historical documentation is significantly different than yours.
I did find the following things that you brought to light very interesting and informative:
1- William exd by Strang for practicing polygamy
2- John Taylors forced renunciation of his published denial of the practice of polygamy
3- Strang attempted to get the flow of LDS British converts and sent “Martin Harris” to do missionary work.
4- John Whitmer documented Strang as Joseph’s Successor in the official history and then crossed it off.
5- I found your observation that joseph was more concerned about the secrets of the council of the 50 getting out than about being exposed on the polygamy issue.
6- The Cutlerite Church of Christ wrote polygamy out of their history. LOL I remember years ago having a discussion with one of their leaders and how emphatic he was against polygamy.
7- “a church without a prophet is not a church for me” in the hymnal.
8- Joseph’s main concern during the confronation with William Law was not polygamy but the council of 50.
Although I am not convinced that polygamy was all that well known by the majority of the membership at that time, aside from rumors flying around, I do find your suggestion very intriguing and credible.
I vaguely recall that Joseph told his brethren to take off their garments and burn the council minutes.
That would certainly imply that he was concerned about the antics of the council of 50 and the ordination to be king.
I do have a number of questions or observations I would love a response to, if you have the time and inclination.
I apologize for the length of my questions and observations and I understand if you don’t have time to respond:
1- How well documented is it that Emma initially publicly or privately admitted that Joseph practiced polygamy in contrast to her denials in later years? (any refs?)
2- You are clearly saying that from your research that you believe Joseph Smith practiced polygamy and yet, this contradicts what Richard and Pamela Price claim in their research.
I had assumed that they are members of the Community of Christ or an offshoot of it. Am I mistaken about that?
If they are members of the same tradition as you, which belief is the most prevalent among members and leaders of the Community of Christ church on that issue? Yours or theirs?
Are you familiar with their arguments?
Have you met them and conversed with them about their belief on this topic?
My recollection is that in the early years of the RLDS movement leaders were in denial about Joseph’s involvement despite the testimony of some of their leaders like William Marks. Is that right?
3- I have long wondered how Strang could get so many high profile original leaders of the restoration movement to follow him. I appreciated you pointing out why you think he was so successful by using Joseph’s model and how he focused on Kirtland for a period of time.
Do you have any credible figures about how many people initially followed Brigham Young as apposed to how many followed Strang?
Some historians from other traditions have said or implied that Strang had more followers initially. Is that true from your research?
4- Why do you think the LDS church grew so much quicker than the RLDS, given the blatantly heretical belief system of the LDS Church? Didn’t the RLDS church do missionary work initially? I realize that the Modern Mormon church had a head start, but it still seems odd to me.
5- I enjoyed your point about the tension between continuing revelation vs restoration of ancient order.
The tension between these two concepts as I see it is that Modern Mormonism defines continuing revelation as the ability to change previous doctrines when in fact Joseph originally taught that a new revelation that is true will never contradict a previous revelation, that was true.
I believe the original meaning behind “continuing revelation” simply had to do with continually receiving revelations that continue to be consistent with all previous revelations.
Examples might be
A- continually expanding knowledge on previously revealed ancient doctrines and
B- simply continually revealing new things about the ancient order that doesn’t contradict previous revelation.
6- I appreciated you pointing out that the Mechizedek priesthood was never mentioned in the early years of the church and that the office of elder did not originally belong to the Mechizedek priesthood and that there was originally no difference between being a high priest and holding the Melchizedek priesthood.
I found it strange however that you never differentiated between the “higher” priesthood restored by Peter James and John in 1929 vs the “higher priesthood” that was restored by revelation at the Morley Farm in 1831.
Is there a reason why you avoided that topic?
7- You briefly mentioned that you could speak about cutlerites and Strangites… Could you comment on John Hajicek, have you met him and heard his story and claims and belief system?
If so what is your take on his branch of the restoration movement?
8- You made the statement that Hyrum would have been Joseph’s successor but he died.
Are you aware of Joseph’s declaration at a conference that he (Joseph) would no longer prophesy for the church and that the church must recognize Hyrum as the prophet of the Church?
That statement was followed by other comments in later month approaching the martyrdom that implied that Hyrum was the sole man in charge.
-Are you open to the possibility that Hyrum was in fact the sole legal successor to Joseph for the last year or two prior to the martyrdom and that Hyrum was the literal fulfillment to the succession prophecy contained in section 43 of the LDS edition of the D&C?
9- As you know, the Lord said in section 124 that he would reject the church with its dead if they failed to complete the temple in the sufficient time given. I have noticed that some Mormon revisionists have implied tat the temple was completed.
My research shows otherwise.
Would you agree that the temple was not finished?
If so, doesn’t that create a problem for all restoration churches that take modern revelation literally?
10- You mentioned how Apostlecentric the LDS church was. Would you agree that before the succession controversy that the central High Council in Nauvoo was considered to be a higher priesthood authority than the quorum of the Twelve and that the traveling quorum of the twelve had no right to officiate in an organized stake of Zion?
11- You mentioned that you do not believe Joseph was correct in practicing polygamy.
What is your take on his involvement in masonry?
Was it inspired?
12- I see some parallels between the belief system of Albert Pike and Brigham Young as well as the masonry link they had in common. Are you aware of any correspondence that may have taken place between them?
13- I think some Mormon historians are now questioning whether Joseph really propositioned Sidney’s daughter. Are you convinced that the documentation on that is credible?
14- At 54:50 on one of the videos you mentioned that the LDS church has now transcribed Sidney’s address to the saints during the succession crisis.
For years I had the strange shorthand notes on that sermon posted on my blog hoping someone would translate the shorthand into english!!!!
Can you tell me how I can get a copy of the translation (transcription)? links?
15-I need some clarification on something you said that I probably misunderstood.
I thought you said that Brigham Young and the twelve led the church with Brigham as the head of the quorum and the rest of the quorum functioning as his counselor until the RLDS made Joseph the 3rd the official president and prophet of their church and that Brigham did not become the official president of the LDS church until until that time.
My research shows Brigham being ordained as the president of the church with two councilors as a separate quorum from the twelve in about 1853 and yet the RLDS church was not even officially organized as the RLDS church until 1860.
Did I misunderstand what you were saying?
16- You said “the LDS church is not polygamous today” I understand what you are saying, with regard to the fact that they are not currently allowing members in good standing to practice it with living wives, however, I would suggest that from a doctrinal viewpoint, they are currently a polygamous church since:
A- they still continue to publish and believe section 132 which teaches the doctrine as being true.
B-They have not officially acknowledged that the earlier brethren that practiced it were wrong in doing so and
C- They allow living men to be sealed to additional wives for eternity when a previous wife has passed away
17- You mentioned that the Modern LDS church did not begin calling the president of the church the prophet until Pres McKayt’s admin, I have heard that before but never found it documented. Can you refer me to that ref in Quinns book?
18 You made it sound as if the name “Church of Christ” was changed because of confusion with other denominations like that of Alexander Campbells… “possibly in a way to combat this confusion… right before the Zion’s camp march”
I have heard that same speculation from LDS apologists but have you ever seen any hard evidence to suggest that?
The name “Church of Christ” seemed to work just fine during the previous four years.
The historical documentation gives precious little information about what was said at the conference when the name change was voted on.
It does not seem to be a coincidence to me that the name change took place just days after the Lord chastised the church for failing to live the law of consecration as contained in section 42 of the LDS D&C.
Are you aware of any restoration offshoots that believe that the rejection of consecration and the 1835 name change of the church represented the fulfillment of the prophecy in 3rd Nephi 16:10- ?
Such an interpretation seems to be supported by many of the charts and observations that you provided.
Again, Thank you for taking the time to do the interview!
Watcher
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: community of christ, John Dehlin, John hamer, lds church history, rlds | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
At the end of my last post I provided a very brief, bullet point summation of significant events and revelatory declarations that documented the relationship that God had with his saints in the latter days.
It was not meant to be exhaustive, however it has since occured to me that there are a few other significant items that should be included which I have now done.
From time to time I will add to this list as I remember old discoveries or find new ones that merit inclusion to the list.
By the way, I am still waiting to hear from any LDS scholars and apologists to show me problems with the following documentation or my interpretation thereof.
[Added as an update: It is perplexing to me that with probably over 150 scholars and self proclaimed apologists between FARMS and FAIR that have submitted extensive articles defending all of the criticisms from a multitude of anti-Mormon critics, that not one has made an attempt to set me straight in the four or five years I have been blogging. What am I missing?]
Please don’t be shy.
Although the above summary is not conclusive, it provides the major details of how the latter day apostasy had taken place prior to, and resulting in, the act of taking the name of Christ out of the Church in 1834.
Following that, revelation from God began to dry up however God continued to labor with the saints.
Eventually God informs the saints that darkness covered the earth and all flesh had become corrupt, even those who had been previously been sanctified. (Atonement Stature)
Finally, after relocating to Nauvoo, Joseph Smith made the following observation:
“We have been chastened by the hand of God heretofore for not obeying His commands… we have treated lightly His commands, AND DEPARTED FROM HIS ORDINANCES, and the Lord has chastened us sore, and we have felt His arm and kissed the rod…“ (History of the Church, 5:65; from “The Government of God,” an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, p. 857; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical.)
The last major revelation detailing the apostate condition of the saints and warning them that they were on probation, subject to their repentance and reform is now known as section 124.
The Lord gives the following five ominous warnings in section 124
1- The Fulness of the Priesthood (Gospel) had been lost and the temple must be built so that it could be restored again (124:28,34,55 section 113 explains that it will be restored to the earth at a later time)
2- If Saints were not obedient they would be moved out of Nauvoo (124:45-46)
3- They were practicing abominations before the Lord that place curses upon their heads (124:48)
4- Anything more or less than what is contained in The Book of Mormon and the 1835 D&C cometh of Evil (124:119-120)
5- If the Temple was not finished in the sufficient time, the Church would be rejected with their dead (124:31-32)
The good news is that there are countless references to the fact that in the end times the Father will work a Marvelous Work and gather out the elect of God
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
[Editorial Note: I am currently doing a series on another Forum titled “Exploring the Secret History of the Church”..I plan on documenting about 20 or 30 interesting historical events that most members of the Church are unfamiliar with… hence they are, in a sense, “secret historical events”.
I have chosen that forum because it is frequented primarily by two opposing groups of people:
A) those who have rejected the restored gospel
AND
B) those that do believe it, but don’t believe that Joseph Smith ever did anything seriously wrong that caused the saints to stumble at the LAW.
Historical event #1 has to do with the fact that Joseph and Oliver kept the event documented in section 110 a secret from the saints during their lives although they left a written account for future generations to have.
In this follow up to that topic I am pointing out that the primary reasons that Joseph and Oliver were commanded to keep the visitations secret have to do with:
A) A cursing that was pronounced on the saints,
B) The secret ushering in of the ancient, preparatory gospel of Abraham, even the Old Testament covenant God made with people prior to the dispensation ushered in during the meridian of time, and it also has to do with
C) The sin of treachery that Joseph committed against the wife of his youth..
Since the explanation and associated documentation is rather long, I am posting it here instead of in my listing if secret historical events.
To follow along and see other events that will be listed on that forum, click here ]
OK
For years I have made statements on my blog implying that section 110 contains a mysterious and ominous message of doom involving a curse, even though the Lord informs Joseph and Oliver that:
“Your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me lift up your heads and rejoice. Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name. For behold, I have accepted this house and my name shall be here and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house…”
While it is certainly good news that their sins are forgiven, it is also curious news.
Why?
Because three years earlier in section 88 the Lord had already announced that their sins had been forgiven. In that revelation the Lord told Joseph, Oliver and others that their names had been recorded in the book of the sanctified and that they were receiving another comforter which is the promise of eternal life:
” Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom” (Section 88)
Clearly, Joseph and Oliver had been forgiven of their sins back at the time of section 88.
The forgiveness of Joseph and Oliver’s sins was yesterdays news.
Why was it being announced again behind the veil in 1836 as something they should now rejoice in, as if the remission of their sins was something that had just taken place?
I think the obvious answer is that they had sinned sometime after their names had been enrolled in the book of the sanctified.
My contention that Joseph had sinned after being made clean is backed up by several revelations.
One is section 93 given May 6th 1833:
“And now, verily I say unto Joseph Smith, Jun.—You have not kept the commandments, and must needs stand rebuked before the Lord“
Another is contained in a revelation Joseph received on December 5th 1834:
“Verily, condemnation resteth upon you who are appointed to lead my Church and to be saviors of men and also upon the Church; And there needs to be a repentance and a reformation among you, in all things…” (See UnPub Rev Pg 73)
Clearly, Joseph, Oliver and the whole church fell into a condemned state following the entry of their names into the Book of the Sanctified.
The fact that the Lord is now declaring that Joseph and Olivers sins are forgiven is promising but it begs the question, what was the problem? What were the primary sins that had caused them to stumble and why were they being forgiven at that time behind the veil?
Regarding sins that Joseph and Oliver had become entangled in prior to their veil experience, in the case of Joseph Smith, there is strong evidence to suggest that there was some type of serious sin that Joseph Smith had been involved in. He may have been involved in an affair with a gal named Fanny Alger, although he felt he was justified according to the laws of God…
Another observation is that the saints had been promised that all of the pure in heart would “see the face of God” and they were anticipating the endowment of “power from on high“. All of this was to take place in the solemn assembly, one week prior to Joseph and Oliver’s veil experience but it had failed to happen, leaving the leaders of the church devastated and disappointed.
Furthermore, the saints were anticipating the “dispensation of the fulness of times” to be ushered in during this time and yet, the dispensation that is secretly ushered in behind the veil was quite a different dispensation.
It was referred to in section 110 as the “dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham“. A phrase that never shows up in any other place in the scriptures.
“…Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.”
Joseph and Oliver Commanded to Keep Section 110 Secret
As previously pointed out, it seems strange that God would usher in a dispensation of an ancient, preparatory gospel, and command Joseph and Oliver to not reveal it publicly.
They were to only document it in a journal for the saints to discover after the martyrdom.
Brigham Young and his brethren must have been shocked and confused to find this secret revelation containing a brief summary of what took place behind the veil when they obtained the journal and took it with them to Utah.
They must have been baffled at the fact that an ancient dispensation had been restored to the earth and yet, the Lord apparently didn’t want the church membership to know about it during the Kirtland and Nauvoo eras!
It is really difficult to find any official, authoritative and detailed statements from the modern church leaders explaining and clarifying just exactly what the “gospel of Abraham” even is, let alone, a documented reason why it needed to be restored to the earth in 1836.. in secret.
Many LDS manuals and publications insinuate that as part of the dispensation of the fulness of times, all previous dispensations need to be restored and gathered into it.
On a BYU website, author Joel A. Flake states:
On April 3, 1836, the keys of the “dispensation of the gospel of Abraham” were committed to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple as part of the restoration of all things in the dispensation of the fulness of times (D&C 110:12).
See also http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Dispensation_of_the_Fulness_of_Times
The problem with this teaching is that the dispensation of the fulness of times had not yet been restored in 1836!
Several years after the vision behind the veil in 1836, while incarcerated in jail in 1842, Joseph Smith would acknowledge that the dispensation of the fulness of times was, at that time, just beginning to usher in:
“…for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time…”
In the above passage, Joseph was acknowledging that the dispensation of the fulness of times had not been ushered in yet. It was just beginning to be ushered in six years after section 110!!
He was speaking about things that needed to be revealed in the future, not about things that had been revealed and ushered in, in the past.
Clearly the Dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham was not being ushered in as part of the “restoration of all things in the dispensation of the fulness of times“, because the fulness of times had not begun.
In previous posts I have provided historical and scriptural documentation to show that the dispensation of the fulness of times that Joseph was still attempting to usher in, in 1842, was never ushered in.
There are only two possible reasons why the general authorities of the church generally remain quiet regarding the true meaning of the term “gospel of Abraham” in section 110
One would be because they don’t know what the Gospel of Abraham is, why it was ushered in, and what section 110 is speaking about.
The other possibility is that…. they do.
Sadly, the dispensation of the fulness of times was never ushered in during Joseph’s life time. Instead, the saints got downgraded to an ancient dispensation pertaining to the preparatory gospel.
Isaiah speaks prophetically about the restoration of the gospel of Abraham in Isaiah 48 and declares that the apostate saints of the latter days are “suddenly” given the declaration of “former things” because they are “obstinate“.
He then reveals that the Lord will defer his anger in the latter days just as he did anciently when Israel rejected the law:
“Nevertheless, for my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.”
The deferring of God’s anger through an intercessory act is another rabbit hole and another secret historical topic that is intricately interrelated with this topic which will hopefully be discussed again in more detail at another time.
The dispensation of the fulness of times had been predicated on the restoration of the fulness of the priesthood which had been lost and the completion of the Nauvoo Temple by the appointed time. (section 124)
For a detailed analysis of Isaish 48 see the following post:
The Significance of a “Suddenly” Intervention
Isaiah declares the word of the Lord thusly:
“Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did show them suddenly.”
Websters dictionary: SUD’DENLY, adv. In an unexpected manner; unexpectedly; hastily; without preparation.
The prophetic use of the term “suddenly” when referring to a communication from the Lord virtually always has to do with actions he takes when his people are in apostasy and they need some kind of intervention or chastisement.
If you will do a key word search on the word suddenly in the four standard works, you will see an amazing pattern to support this supposition-
Such as when the Lord spoke “suddenly” to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, to chastise Aaron and Miriam.
Another example is the Lord appeared “suddenly” to Paul on the way to Damascus, to chastise him for persecuting the Saints.
A third example is given in Deuteronomy when the Lord warns those that intermarry with the heathen that he will destroy them “suddenly”.
Jeremiah tells us that at the time of the Lords vengeance, Babylon will fall “suddenly”.
A Curse Takes Place at the Temple
When the Lord comes “Suddenly”
In Modern revelation it was prophesied that the Lord would come “suddenly” to his temple with a curse to judgment upon all the nations that forget God, and upon all the ungodly among you (speaking to the Saints).
“HEARKEN, O ye people of my church, saith the Lord your God, and hear the word of the Lord concerning you—
The Lord who shall suddenly come to his temple; the Lord who shall come down upon the world with a curse to judgment; yea, upon all the nations that forget God, and upon all the ungodly among you.” (D&C 133:1-2)
I believe the above prophecy in section 133 is referring to the Kirtland Temple and that it applies to what took place as documented in section 110. Keep in mind, however, that virtually all prophecies have a dual fulfillment. (See also Isa 34:5)
All of the above passages support a reoccurring theme. The Lord acts SUDDENLY when an intervention, a chastisement, or something NEW needs to take place, usually as a result of the apostasy of an obstinate person or people.
The Ark of the Covenant in the Kirtland Temple
Another key to interpreting the message of warning and doom carefully implied in the sudden appearance of Christ and three ministering angels to Joseph and Oliver has to do with the following observation:
“We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.”
A Keyword search using “paved work” reveals that the Lord was apparently standing on or above the ark of the covenant and fulfilling the enactment of ancient sayings and statutes pertaining to the ark of the covenant (see Exodus 25:22)
This and other related passages lead to the atonement statute in Lev 16 which supports the previously mentioned intercessory actions of God’s servants who delay the wrath of God by taking the sins of latter day Israel upon themselves.
The FUTURE FAME of the Kirtland Temple
The following passages in section 110 are speaking about the future fame of the Kirtland Temple
“Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house.
And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen.”
Although there are a few members of the church scattered throughout the world that have a cursory understanding about the past and future significance of the Kirtland Temple, society in general and people in foreign lands have no idea that the Kirtland Temple exists or that it is significant.
The above declaration in section 110 is speaking about “fame” which spreads to foreign lands.
The 1828 Websters dictionary informs us that fame has to do with a “public report or rumor”, not just an event that is inside knowledge to a certain religious group.
It has to do with a “favorable report”
It has to do with a “report of good or great actions”, A “report that exalts the character, celebrity; renown”.
The Websters uses the “fame of Solomon” as an example as well as the “fame of Jesus” (Matt 4). Fame is to “make famous”
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,fame
The Kirtland Temple is not currently famous in foreign lands to a great number of people.
But it will be in the near future.
Those who understand the doctrine of the three watches and the promises pertaining to the future events that will take place in the Kirtland Temple, understand that the Kirtland Temple is going to become famous in foreign lands in the near future when the Marvelous Work begins and the dispensation of the fulness of times is ushered in.
I began speaking about this secret event by stating that Joseph and Oliver share a grand secret with each other. That secret was the experience they both had behind the veil in the Kirtland Temple when they experienced what is documented in section 110.
God apparently commanded them to not publicly reveal it to the saints.
Oliver’s Secret
I believe that Oliver had a secret all of his own that was revealed to him as a result of two things.
One was a vision he had prior to the event that is documented in section 110.
The other has to do with something that was revealed to him as a direct result of the event that is documented in section 110.
Oliver could see something about Joseph that Joseph could not see about himself.
Joseph’s Eyes Were Covered
The Book of Mormon profoundly modifies a passage in Isaiah to reveal that the latter day seers (Joseph and Sidney) would have their eyes covered because of the sins of the latter day saints.
“For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.” (2 Nephi 27:5)
Joseph the seer had his eyes covered because of the sins of the latter day saints. It was because they took the scriptures lightly and failed to live the law of the gospel which includes that law of consecration..
This is why Oliver could see something about Joseph that Joseph could not see about himself.
Shortly after the visitation in the Kirtland Temple, Oliver became very critical of something Joseph had done.
On the surface, it seems totally bizarre that Oliver would become a militant accuser of Joseph Smith in light of everything that had happened and all they had experienced and been through together.
Oliver accused Joseph of committing a grievous moral sin.
Joseph denied that he had sinned.
Oliver described it as “a dirty, nasty, filthy affair”
Interestingly, Joseph did not deny having had a relationship with Fanny Alger, he denied that he had committed adultery with her, implying that he had married her and therefore the act was not adultery.
According to Bushman, “Joseph never denied a relationship with Alger, but insisted it was not adulterous. He wanted it on record that he had never confessed to such a sin. Presumably, he felt innocent because he had married Alger.” (pg 325 Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling)
Oliver has a Vision of Joseph’s Future
Joseph believed that what he was doing was commanded of God through an angel and that by marrying polygamous wives, he was not committing adultery.
Shortly before the vision behind the veil, Oliver Cowdery wanted to understand more about the mission of Joseph Smith so he gave Joseph a patriarchal blessing that came in the form of a prophetic vision.
Interestingly, this patriarchal blessing/vision was received on September 22, 1835. (Moroni had previously appeared to Joseph Smith on this exact date for about six years in a row!)
In the patriarchal blessing it was revealed to Oliver that Joseph would return from the dead to lead Israel into the land of Zion in the literal fulfillment of the parable of the redemption of Zion and that Oliver would be by Joseph’s side, fulfilling his own prophetic calling ….
“For like Joseph of old shall he be; he shall save the just from desolation by the wise counsel of the Almighty;
12. For by his direction shall they gather into store houses and barns till they overflow with the richness of the fruit of the harvest;
13. And by this means shall the just be saved from famine, while the nations of the wicked are distressed and faint.
14. In due time shall he go forth toward the north, and by the power of his word shall the deep begin to give way; and the ice melt before the Sun.
15. By the keys of the kingdom shall he lead Israel into the land of Zion, while the house of Jacob shouts in the dance and in the song-
16. Joy O my soul in that day, for thou shalt be with him and bear thy part in the keys which are confirmed upon thee for an everlasting priesthood forever and ever-“
This vision is consistent with Isaiah 49 wherein the lamenting servant of the last days appears to have failed in his first attempt to gather Israel but then the Lord reveals to him that he will yet, at the “acceptable time” establish the earth and cause Israel to inhabit the desolate heritages.
The vision Oliver had, revealed that Joseph’s fame would eventually spread to foreign lands:
“His fame shall be sounded in foreign lands, even to the ends of the earth, as well as nigh at home: for in this the times shall change, a prophet shall have honor in his own country.”
“He shall sit in the great assembly and general council of patriarchs, and execute the will and commandment under the Ancient of Days, for he shall have his place and act in his station.”
Joseph Wrestles with an Angel
Despite the visions glowing report of Joseph’s future conquest and successful completion of his responsibilities in restoring and gathering Israel, this amazing prophetic vision curiously begins by revealing that Joseph would need to “overcome” and “prevail” over something in the future.
Joseph would yet “prevail” after “wrestling” with an angel.
It was revealed to Oliver that God would need to “sustain” Joseph during a future time.
Notice the use of these descriptives in the opening passages of the blessing:
“Blessed of the Lord is my brother, for the integrity of his heart and the steadfastness of his soul.
2. Upheld by the aim of the Almighty, he shall never fall, but shall be strengthened by his right hand till he overcomes.
3. Like Jacob of old he shall wrestle with the angel, and as a prince shall he have power with God, and shall prevail.
4. Ever faithful to his friends and true to his word, the goodness of the Most High shall sustain him, and thousands shall stand up to defend him from the hand of his enemies and put forth the hand, and ward off the blow were it needful:
5. But ere his foes are aware he shall be hid under the pavillion of the Lord Jehovah..” (the concept of being hid under the pavilion of the Lord is consistent of the Old Testament prophesy in 2nd Sam 7 that explains that the mercy of God would not depart from Joseph despite his transgression and the associated chastisement he would receive.)
This amazing vision was acknowledging that despite the fact that Joseph had had his name enrolled in the book of the sanctified several years earlier, he was in transgression. He still needed to “prevail” and “overcome” in a struggle with an ANGEL.
The fact that Joseph would not ultimately fall and lose his salvation, but would nevertheless need to eventually overcome and prevail over some kind of a stumbling block associated with an angel appears to be one of the grand secrets that Oliver knew about in conjunction with his experience behind the veil.
Oliver had seen in vision that Joseph would wrestle with an angel and eventually prevail, overcome, and repent. He saw this in September of 1835, shortly before the veil experience documented in section 110. He also very possibly knew of the first visit of this angel in Joseph’s life and possibly even the affair with Fanny, before the two of them knelt down behind the veil in the Kirtland Temple.
Even if the affair with Fanny took place after the veil experience, all of the circumstances relating to this amazing string of events makes sense.
Joseph Claimed that an Angel Threatened his Life
Joseph Smith told many people about an angel that commanded him to take plural wives. An account of many of these testimonials can be read at the following link provided by Brian C. Hales, one of the modern day advocates of the false polygamy/spiritual wife doctrine-
http://www.josephsmithspolygamy.com/MISCFiles/JSKnewPMwasDifficult.html
According to one account, the angel visited Joseph on four occasions.
The testimony of Mary Elizabeth Rollins states that the angel visited Joseph three separate times between 1834 and 1842 commanding him to take multiple wives. Other documentation suggests that Joseph delayed obeying the angel for a considerable number of years.
“An angel came to him [Joseph Smith] and the last time he came with a drawn sword in his hand and told Joseph if he did not go into that principle, he would slay him.
Joseph said he talked to him soberly about it, and told him it was an abomination and quoted scripture to him.
He said in the Book of Mormon it was an abomination in the eyes of the Lord, and they were to adhere to these things except the Lord speak… [The Prophet reported that] the angel came to me three times between the years of 1834 and 1842 and said I was to obey that principle or he would slay me.”
Clearly, Joseph was not naive about the law of the Gospel he had been instrumental in bringing forth.
The purpose of bringing forth the LAW of the GOSPEL was to enable them to escape the power of the enemy and to prepare them to be endowed with power from on high:
“And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—
32 Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my LAW; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high” (D&C 38)
He knew full well that monogamy is part of the celestial marital protocol according to the law contained in section 42.
“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else” (D&C 42:22)
A second witness to the truthfulness of this marital monogamy doctrine is found in section 49 and a 3rd witness was canonized when Oliver’s “Article on Marriage” in included in the D&C.
As mentioned in the testimony of Lightner above, Joseph also had the unmistakable declarations of the Book of Mormon emblazoned upon his mind as well.
And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.
Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none. For I the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts or cursed be the land for their sakes. (note that the Book of Mormon defines a chaste woman as someone who is married to a man that only has one wife. Further, it warns that the land is CURSED when these commandments having to do with monogamy are violated. Hold this thought until we get to the curse upon the earth mentioned by Malichi and the curse mentioned by Isaiah)
Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredomes committed among them.
6 And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore, because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and one day they shall become a blessed people.
7 Behold, their husbands love their wives and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator?
And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.
2 For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.
3 And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.
4 And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom.
Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines.
A Contrary Commandment
This is why Joseph wrestled with the angel over the commandment to take plural wives. It was blatantly contrary to the LAW he had brought forth.
It violated the commandments of God in the Book of Mormon and the law of the Gospel as revealed in section 42 &49.
It is amazing how many LDS men and women will pray and fast to know if the law of multiple wives in section 132 is true without first praying to get a testimony that the Law of celestial monogamy in section 42 & 49 is true!
These conflicting doctrines on celestial marriage cannot both be true.
Once a person receives a testimony that monogamy is integral to God’s law of Marriage as documented in section 42, there is no need to even pray about the contradictory celestial law of marriage contained in section 132, even if an angel presents the revelation. Such is dual mindedness and denial of a previous revelation.
Another Gospel
One of the basic tenants of Biblical Christianity is that a believer in Christ will be accursed if they depart from the faith and accept a different gospel than the one revealed in holy scripture, even if an angel from heaven should command it:
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8–9)
Joseph Taught How to Discern a False Angel
Curiously, Joseph once warned that ministering angels of Satan appearing as angels of light had appeared to members of the church and his caution was that a false angel could be detected by the fact that they would contradict a former revelation:
“There have also been ministering angels in the church which were of Satan appearing as an angel of light:— A sister in the State of New York had a vision who said it was told her that if she would go to a certain place in the woods an angel would appear to her,— she went at the appointed time and saw a glorious personage descending arrayed in white … he commenced and told her to fear God and said that her husband was called to do great things, but that he must not go more than one hundred miles from home or he would not return; whereas God had called him to go to the ends of the earth; and he has since been more than one thousand miles from home, and is yet alive. Many true things were spoken by this personage and many things that were false.—How it may be asked was this known to be a bad angel? … by his contradicting a former revelation“. (Times and Seasons 3 [April 1, 1842]: 747)
The Old Testament confirms the above declaration that the word of the Lord takes precedence over conflicting commandments from angels.
It tells a story of two prophets in 1 Kings chapter 13. The first prophet had received instructions from the word of the Lord on how to proceed on his journey. A second prophet intervenes during the journey and informs the first prophet that he was visited by an angel.
He informs the first prophet that the angel had given a new, different commandment to be given to the first prophet. Because the first prophet was willing to accept the testimony of another prophet and the contrary commandment supposedly from an angel, over the word of God, he was destroyed by a lion. (see 1 Kings 13)
The fact that the angel with the drawn sword was giving Joseph a contradictory commandment is a poignant and sobering fact given Joseph’s above warning to the saints.
Many credible researchers, including Bushman, believe that Joseph’s intimate involvement with Fanny Alger took place sometime between mid 1835 and mid 1836.
This makes perfect sense according to the information being presented in this post and based on the fact that both the Kirtland Saints and the Jackson Saints had failed to live consecration and had rejected the fulness of the gospel by the end of 1834..
The Curse is Caused by Breaking the Everlasting Covenant
And by Breaking the Monogamous Marital Vow
Isaiah reveals that the curse that the prophet Malachi speaks about is caused by transgressing the laws, changing ordinances and breaking the everlasting covenant:
1 BEHOLD, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Consequences of Breaking the Monogamous Covenant
Let us take a close look at one of the greatest mysteries of the gospel which has been hidden in plain sight for about six thousand years in ancient scripture and is reiterated in verses 15-17 of section 49-
“Whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God“ (42:15)
Obviously this verse is not only reiterating what the creation story teaches, it is also reiterating what the LAW of the GOSEPEL contained in section 42 states about marriage;
“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else” (42:22)
After declaring that marriage is ORDAINED of God, the Lord informs us that
“Wherefore it is LAWFUL that he should have ONE wife…” (42:16)
The 1828 Websters dictionary states this about the term LAWFUL.
LAW’FUL, a.
1. Agreeable to law; conformable to law; allowed by law; legal; legitimate. That is deemed lawful which no law forbids, but many things are lawful which are not expedient.
2. Constituted by law; rightful; as the lawful owner of lands.
I would submit, based on the fact that marriage is ORDAINED of GOD and that it is CONFORMABLE to and CONSTITUTED by gospel law, that gospel law does not just allow, permit and tolerate marriage but rather that gospel law actually requires marriage.
( admittedly, there are provisions made for those that are not able to comply in the first part of probation)
This is further backed up by the fact that one of the very first commandments that God gives us in Genesis is for the man and woman to leave their parents and to multiply and replenish the earth by uniting with someone of the opposite gender.
After noting that gospel law requires being married to ONE wife, the passage in section 49 continues-
“…and they twain shall be ONE FLESH…”
Again, this, of course, is reiterating what God said in Genesis.
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Gen. 2: 24
I have mentioned in other blogs that I believe this statement is literal when it commands the man and wife to become one flesh. – ( See also Matt. 19: 5-6 Mark 10: 8)
After God separated the female part of Adam out of his body to create his female helpmate, he commanded them to eventually become “one flesh” again. I believe this will happen with Adam and Eve if it has not already happened to them.
There is a deeper reason why monogamy is such a huge issue that is interrelated to the curse that Malachi and Isaiah prophesy about.
The grand secret is contained in the next verse of section 49:
“..and they shall be one flesh, AND ALL THIS THAT THE EARTH MIGHT ANSWER THE END OF ITS CREATION; AND THAT IT MIGHT BE FILLED WITH THE MEASURE OF MAN….” (49:16-17)
Did you catch that?
Eventually the earth will be filled with the MEASURE of man!
What is the measure of man?
MEASURE, n. mezh’ur.
1. The whole extent or dimensions of a thing, including length, breadth and thickness.
The point being made in the passage of scripture is that eventually the earth will be filled with the WHOLE EXTENT of man in his completeness!
The natural man living on this earth is currently incomplete!
The mortal man and woman are each incomplete beings.
Eventually the earth will be filled with men in their complete form… in their “whole extent or dimension”!
Just to make sure that we understand what the Lord is saying, he continues with a clarification-
THAT IT MIGHT BE FILLED WITH THE MEASURE OF MAN ACCORDING TO HIS CREATION BEFORE THE WORLD WAS MADE“
There you have it.
The earth is not going to be filled with incomplete men like those of us that are living after the FALL OF ADAM.
It will be filled with men who are organized in the same way they were ORIGINALLY created during the spiritual creation documented in the Book of Moses and the JST BEFORE THE WORLD WAS PHYSICALLY MADE!!!!!!!! (which was the same way Adam and Eve were created physically as a composite man from the dust and introduced into the garden
He is not speaking about fallen man.
The earth will not be filled with the natural man who is incomplete and is an enemy to God.
It won’t even be filled with repentant mortal males and females who have been filled with the holy spirit. Why? Because they have not reached their full measure yet!
It will be filled with the measure of men who have been completed and perfected by uniting with their female counterpart.
It will be filled with perfected men who are not singularly male or female but rather they are composite and complete.
This is why we are informed that “neither is the man without the woman [singular] neither the woman without the man [singular] in the Lord”
Additionally, we are informed that those that receive the spiritual rebirth through baptism and “put on Christ” loose their singular gender:
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
(Click here for more into on this topic)
In the spiritual creation, before this world was made, God created man as a whole, complete composite being containing both male and female spirit. A meshing of male and female spirit is necessary for completion.
Completion is necessary for perfection.
It is only during this temporal probation that the elect male and female spirits are separated with the commandment for men to marry one wife and become one flesh so that they can return to the whole extent in which they were originally created.
It is the transgressing of God’s laws, the changing of the ordinances and the breaking of the everlasting covenant which includes the marital monogamy covenant that causes the earth to be defiled!
The transgressing the laws, changing ordinances and breaking the everlasting covenant involves many things. Among them is sexual immorality and the defiling of the monogamous marital covenant.
The Curse Upon the Earth is Already Going Forth
There is strong reason to believe that since the four generations have expired since the saints rejected the fulness and the intercessory offering took place, this cursing upon the earth spoken of by Malachi and Isaiah, is already going forth.
Before long, everyone shall see it!
Here is a fascinating testimony of someone who has been paying attention and can see the curse that is upon the earth. TPTB are trying to use bioengineering to delay the curse and they are ultimately making things worse-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Pz4M6-4Js&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WBUmL7ow6w
(Both links contain the same interview. Two are provided in case one is deleted)
Interestingly, one of the first things the servants will do when they get back is to go forth to the notable cities and villages, reproving the world for their ungodly deeds. At this time they will set “forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days.”
They will explain why the curse mentioned in Isaiah and Malachi and other prophecies is going forth and they will condemn all of the different transgressions. This will include failure to live consecration and sexual immorality that violates the law of monogamous marriage and destroys the purpose for which the earth was created!!
But I digress…
We need to discuss the second thing that happened to Oliver Cowdery to reveal to him the grand secret he understood about Joseph Smith and his transgression.
I have suspected for a long time that the visitations and visions that Joseph and Oliver experienced behind the veil had to do not only with a blessing, but also with a cursing.
In other words, I have felt like the 16 short verses contained in section 110 were not only missing some extremely important aspects of what took place behind the veil, they actually send the surface reader in the wrong direction, on a wild goose chase of sorts.
I have suspected that section 110 is intimately connected with the blessing and the curse the Moses prophesied would fall upon latter day Israel in Deuteronomy 30:30
“AND it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee..”
The above passage is not only acknowledging that latter day Israel will receive both a blessing and a curse, Moses is prophesying that in the day when the apostate latter day saints “call them to mind“, (finally understand what took place and acknowledge their transgressions) it would be a sign that the time has come for latter day Israel to repent and come out of spiritual and temporal captivity:
2 “And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
The Book of Mormon also speaks of the time when the gentile church will repent of their iniquity and become clean.
“Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.
5 Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.
If the scenario I am presenting in this paper is true, the curse that was delayed as a result of an intercessory offering is now going forth and the marvelous work is about to begin and the dispensation of the fulness of times will be ushered in as a portion of believing Gentiles finally repent!
I have suspected that section 110 represents a message of doom and it involves a curse that is unleashed upon the earth. Nevertheless, because of an intercessory act, the curse is delayed.
I have speculated in the past that the short narrative contained in that section is incomplete and that there is some very important narrative missing from the document.
The Missing Portion of Section 110
I believe I have finally found the missing portion of this amazing revelation.
In essence, section 110 is not limited to the 16 verses contained in the Doctrine and Covenants.
I have discovered the other 55 verses that are part of that section.
In all, there are 71 verses that provide much more context and a much more detailed explanation of what was taking place and being revealed when Joseph and Oliver had their spiritual epiphany behind the veil.
As with so many of the hidden treasures of knowledge that we stumble upon, these missing passages have been in front of our eyes the whole time. We have been directed to them every time we read section 110, but we simply haven’t noticed or comprehended the directive because of the blindness that God has put over the eyes of Israel.
Paul spoke of this great mystery pertaining to the blindness that we are in.
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Romans 11:25)
God has been withholding this information from us until an appointed time, until the fulness of the Gentiles comes in again.
I am going to suggest that if what I am about to detail from the additional 55 verses is true, then, it explains and answers all of the questions I posed at the beginning of this commentary on the 1st secret historical event that I am addressing.
http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28672#p690570
It explains why God commanded Joseph and Oliver to not tell about their experience behind the veil publicly.
I am also suggesting that the fact that God is now finally opening our eyes and revealing it to us, is a sign that the fulness of the Gentiles is about to come in and the servants of God are about to return in time to fulfill the parable of the redemption of Zion (section 101) and to set forth clearly and understandingly what the desolation of abomination is and who we can escape the curse that is going forth. (section 84:117)
The key to finding the additional information pertaining to what was revealed behind the veil is embedded in section 110.
Here is the key to finding the remaining 55 verses of section 110:
“Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—
15 To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—
16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.”
Bingo
We are being told that the appearance of Christ and three ministering angels and every corresponding event that took place behind the veil on April 3rd 1836 marks the appointed time when the words spoken by Malachi have been fulfilled.
In the past I have made the mistake of assuming that section 110 was only directing me to the last three verses in Malachi, having to do with Elijah being sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
By assuming that, I completely missed out on the context of what was being said.
I have now come to realize that all four chapters of Malachi represent a cohesive storyline and that all of the context is applicable to understanding what took place behind the veil on April 3rd 1836.
Any one verse in the four chapters is ambiguous if not unintelligible by itself.
It is critical to have a contextual understanding. One must read all four chapters to fully comprehend what is being communicated.
Perhaps the most blatant and obvious passage in the four chapters that is actually describing the visitation of Christ to Joseph and Oliver behind the veil is chapter 3 verse one:
“BEHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Again, it is important to remember that ancient prophecies usually have dual if not multiple fulfillments. The Above passage also applies to a future event to take place in Kirtland as well.
The Messenger
Who is the messenger described in this passage?
To understand this, we need to read the previous two chapters to get come clues.
Please notice that the term “my messenger” shows up in the previous chapter.
Chapter 2 of Malachi reveals some amazing and disruptive information about God’s messenger that is spoken about in chapter 3.
But wait, we may as well go all the way back to the beginning of chapter one for context and then we will work our way forward to get the juicy details about God’s messengers.
I don’t have time to do a commentary on all passages in the entire four chapters so I will highlight some of the juicy parts
A Message of Doom
Chapter one begins speaking of the “burden” of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. Some commentators replace the word burden with “doom”.
God Curses Our Blessings
Remember the blessing and cursing prophecy that Moses gave about the latter day Israel in Deuteronomy 30?
Look at this!
“If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.”
God is cursing the blessings of Israel. This is one of the major things that section 110 is pointing us to.
Could this possibly explain why the major gifts of the spirit associated with the fulness of the gospel have not been present in the church since the early days of Kirtland?
Yes a blessing was pronounced behind the veil, but then it was cursed.
God has Corrupted the Seed of the Latter day Israel
God is going to allow “one” to lead the seed of latter day Israel away and corrupt them with false doctrine and priestcraft.
“Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.”
The Covenant of Levi
Joseph and Oliver were designated as the first and second elders of the restored church. They were also referred to as the “sons of Levi” that were to offer an offering unto the Lord.
In this narrative, Joseph God’s latter day servant is referred to as the recipient of the covenant of Levi that received the covenant of life and peace.
The Law of Truth was in his Mouth
He is the latter day servant that initially turned many away from iniquity.
“And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity“.
This great Levitic Priest is the messenger of the Lord that is to seek the law. Joseph The latter day servant is the one who was commanded to lead the saints to Kirtland where they would receive the law of the Lord containing the law of consecration and the law of monogamy. He was then to lead them to Zion where they would live the law.
“For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”
Ye Are Departed Out of the Way
One of the primary burdens that Malachi needed to reveal is the fact that Joseph God’s latter day servant would depart out of the way shortly after bringing forth the law. He would ultimately cause many to stumble:
” But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Can anyone dispute the fact that Joseph God’s latter day servant did in fact initially introduce “the LAW” in Kirtland which contained the law of monogamy and then, over a decade later he secretly began to introduce a contradictory law, which caused many saints to depart out of the way from the true law?
[Those who don’t believe that Joseph ever taught or practiced polygamy may want to read this]
God Made Joseph God’s Servant
Contemptible in the Eyes of the World
” Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.”
This prophecy is unbe-freakin-lievable.
Does the world not consider Joseph Smith to have been contemptible and base when they learn of his secret spiritual wifery in Nauvoo?
How many ex-Mormons and anti-Mormons have accused Joseph God’s latter day servant of being a vile, immoral, base, and corrupt?
Truly Joseph Smith God’s servant of the latter days is considered, base and contemptible by many many people.
This is exactly why Moroni had prophesied well over a decade earlier that the name of God’s servant would be had for good and evil.
According to Malachi, God’s latter day servant began his ministry doing good. He then began doing evil and leading people into error.
Joseph God’s Servant Committed an Abomination
Joseph God’s Servant Committed Treachery
Against Emma the Wife of his Youth
10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
11 ¶ Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
14 ¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
This is what I believe Oliver’s secret was. The Lord revealed to Oliver that Joseph’s relationship with Fanny Alger, whether it was a polygamous marriage or not, was in violation of God’s law on Marriage as contained in section 42. Oliver realized that Joseph’s struggle with the angel resulted in him committing treachery against the wife of his youth.
Malachi testifies that Joseph God’s messenger will be cut off for committing treachery against the wife of his covenant.
Joseph God’s Messenger will be “Cut Off”
Because of His Treachery Against Emma his Wife
12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.
13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
Was he not cut off from among the living?
Was it not his secret “measures” and the abomination of marriage and taking young girls and other mens wives that played a significant role in the controversy in Nauvoo?
Ok.. this brings us up to chapter 3:1
“BEHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Elijah the Preparer and Elijah the Restorer
Who is the servant that prepares the way in the above passage?
The storyline indicates that the servant in Malachi 3:1 is the same servant in Malachi chapter 2. It is Joseph the latter day Davidic servant that begins his ministry by turning many away from iniquity but then he departs out of the way and caused many to stumble.
Nevertheless, we know that prophecies usually have multiple fulfillments including both a literal and shadow fulfillment and in some cases, additional types.
Regarding God’s servant that comes to prepare the way, there is another secret that we will discuss more fully later in this series but for now let me just summarize by saying that Joseph Smith revealed that Elijah the preparer is the Elijah of the Old Testament who was transmigrated into the New Testament as John the Baptist to prepare the way before Christ.
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things, as the prophets have written.
And again I say unto you that Elias has come already, concerning whom it is written, Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and they knew him not, and have done unto him, whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them.
But I say unto you, Who is Elias? Behold, this is Elias, whom I send to prepare the way before me. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist, and also of another who should come and restore all things, as it is written by the prophets. JST Matt. 17: 10-14
After preparing the way before Christ in the meridian of time, John the Baptist made an appearance on the Mount of Transfiguration and also during the restoration movement to bestow the priesthood keys of Levi upon Joseph and Oliver.
He did this physically, by hand. (section 13 and JS history).
It appears that Joseph got the keys from Elijah the preparer and became Elijah the Restorer as a result of what happened in section 13 and 110.
This is why the angel Moroni modified the following verse when he quoted it to Joseph Smith and yet Joseph did not change it when be translated the Inspired Version of the Bible:
These passages from Moroni were referring to John the Baptist who is Elijah the Preparer who bestowed the priesthood by hand upon the sons of Levi:
And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the Promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”
The words of Malachi in the King James Bible and also in the inspired version do not match the above changes made by Moroni because they refer to Joseph, the latter day messenger who is Elijah the Restorer.
The grand secret regarding the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1 on April 3 1836 is that the covenant that Christ secretly restored, that the saints delighted in, was the old testament gospel covenant of Abraham.
The latter day saints delighted in that covenant because they had failed to accept the higher law and see the face of God, and they had rejected the fulness of the gospel and they wanted a lesser gospel of carnal works.
The Lord provide an incredible descriptive of what the gospel of Abraham contains from section 84:
“For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
27 Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.”
I realize that some people are going to challenge the possibility that God would allow a true prophet to reveal the law and do great things and then stumble and break the law himself and lead people astray.
The storyline gets even more unbelievable when the fallen servant returns from the dead to fulfill his prophetic assignments.
When a second fulfillment of the passage takes place, the repentant latter day saints will delight in the fulness of the Gospel Covenant.
I would submit however, that as bizarre as this storyline may appear, it is a recurring theme in the Old Testament. There are multiple accounts of it and that Joseph Smith is the only person that fits the profile.
Click here for additional documentation to support this prophetic scenario of the last great servant that stumbles and then recovers.
Conclusion
It is therefore, dear reader, my conclusion that Joseph and Oliver were commanded by God to not publicly reveal what happened behind the veil on April 3rd 1836 because it represented not only a blessing, but an associated cursing. It involved the ushering in of the preparatory gospel of Abraham to an obstinate people, instead of the expected ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Furthermore,
I believe it was revealed to Oliver Cowdery from a vision he had as well as the content contained in the four chapters of Malachi, that Joseph Smith was wrestling with an angel that was giving a false commandment. A commandment the contradicted the previous commandment of God. One that would result in Joseph Smith committing the act of treachery against the wife of his youth, even the wife of his covenant.
Obedience to the commandment of an angel that was contrary to the law of God would cause Joseph and many of the saints to “depart out of the way” and “stumble at the law” and “corrupt the covenant of Levi“.
Clearly, Joseph and Oliver would have gladly revealed what had taken place behind the veil had the event not resulted in a message of doom and cursing.
Goodness knows that the saints desperately needed validation about their status before the Lord.
The saints were in shock and confusion because of the non-event that had take place a week earlier.
The saints had gathered together in a solemn assembly with the promise that the pure in heart would all see God.
As documented by Karl Anderson in his book “The Savior in Kirtland”, not one soul saw God during the solemn and sobering event.
The Church desperately needed some kind of reassurance that God was looking upon them favorably.
They desperately needed Joseph and Oliver to reassure them that Christ had appeared and that the temple was accepted and that all was well.
Indeed Christ did appear and accept the temple and forgive Joseph and Oliver for their sins and pronounce a blessing. Unfortunately, He cursed their blessings also.
He did this in fulfillment of the prophecies contained in Deuteronomy, Malachi, Isaiah and other places in the bible.
Four generations of apostasy needed to expire before the ultimate promises and purposes of the Kirtland Temple could be realized.
It is now time for blindness to be taken off of latter day Israel.
Watch for the return of the servants and keep you eye on the Kirtland Temple.
PS
Another topic closely related to the secret veil experience of Joseph and Oliver has to do with the taking of the knowledge of the gospel from the Gentiles to the House of Israel as prophesied by Christ.
For more in that topic, see this series
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/are-you-sure-you-are-a-gentile/
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/are-you-sure-you-are-a-gentile-part-two/
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/are-you-sure-you-are-a-gentile-part-three/
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/are-you-sure-you-are-a-gentile-part-four/
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/11/21/are-you-sure-you-are-a-gentile-part-five/
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/four-steps-in-losing-your-innocence-part-6-3/
37 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: brian hales, elijah, Fanny Alger, gentiles reject the fulness, Joseph commits treachery, joseph smith, Joseph Smith’s Polygamy, Oliver Cowdery, oliver's secret, treachery | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
The Savior in Kirtland
By Karl Anderson
Book Review and Critique by OWIW
OneWhoIsWatching [at] gmail.com
Part Two
In part one of this series, I discussed my first three observations about Karl Anderson’s book, The Savior in Kirtland. These three observations had to do with how the heavens were opened but eventually closed during the Kirtland era of the LDS restoration movement. This resulted in at least 22 people documented as seeing visions or visitations of the Savior in the Kirtland era, however, no credible documented visitation or visions ever happend after the Kirtland Temple was defiled. The Savior never appeared to anyone during the Nauvoo era of the LDS restoration era.
I also discussed how the scourge that was prophesied to take place in Kirtland is yet a future event, not one that has come and gone as is sometimes taught by people such as Karl Anderson.
Lastly, I discussed a remarkable quote by Karl Anderson about Sidney Rigdon wherein Anderson said:
“Sidney’s phenomenal work for the Savior is recorded in many journals of those who joined the Church when it came to Kirtland, thus showing a successful fulfillment of his divine work” (pg 18)
Karl also concludes that “Sidney was one of the great leaders of hte Church, without whom the Church could not have been firmly established”
Now, we will cover my next 4-7 observations.
4- The Man of Sin was revealed in Fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians
In his new book, Karl continues to downplay the significance of the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood at the special conference at the Morley Farm just like he did no his first book. He seems to agree with Brigham Young and the modern church that it only had to do with an “ordination” or “calling” to an “office” within the existing priesthood that Peter James and John had restored a few years earlier.
He rejects the characterization that Joseph, Lyman and others gave of the event; that the “Melchizedek priesthood” was literally being restored for the first time and not just the office of High Priest within the existing priesthood restored by Peter James and John as Brigham had speculated.
Karl’s stance on this comes as no surprise since it is the current theology taught by the LDS Church.
The other major event that took place at the special conference was the fulfilling of the prophecy in 2 Thes about the revealing of the Son of Perdition.
Regarding a short blurb about the special conference at the Morley Farm, Karl provides this amazing quote on page 76
“During the meeting the power of the darkness were made manifest in a remarkable degree… Joseph.. Rebuked the spirit.. from the house upon which the spirit left.. and went outside, among the crowd of men standing near the door and made a swath among them several feet wide, throwing them violently to the ground. Joseph said this was the fulfillment of the scriptures where it says the man of sin should be revealed…” pg76
This is really quite remarkable because it shows that the spiritual manifestation of Satan actually has physical power over physical bodies. This is consistent with the associated event of Satan literally throwing a 200 lb man across the room at the conference and other situations when people actually levitated because of evil powers.
The most significant thing about the above quote however is that it provides an exact time, place, event, and context for the literal fulfillment of the following prophecy.
“NOW we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
Notice that the above prophecy by the apostle Paul directly links that end times apostasy with the Latter day Saints if Joseph’s declaration is true.
It also links the use of a temple with the apostate people that have had old Scratch revealed to them.
I have written about the fulfillment of the “man of Sin” prophecy in other posts and will not belabor that topic here.
5- Historical Revisionism about the Nauvoo Temple
On page 80 Karl quotes Brigham Young as saying
“..We completed a temple in Kirtland and in Nauvoo and did not the bells of hell roll all the time wer were building them?”
The statement from Brigham took place many years after Nauvoo, after the saints fled to Utah. It contradicted many other statements Brigham Young had made about the fact that the Nauvoo temple never being completed.
Karl knows better than that. Brigham did too.
In Brigham’s own journal he documents that the Nauvoo Temple was far from finished when the Saints fled Nauvoo. There is a wealth of credible historical information documenting the fact that the Nauvoo Temple was never completed.
I am really disappointed that Karl would knowingly provide a historical quote containing disinformation that will continue to perpetuate the myth that the Nauvoo temple was finished by the saints in the 1840’s.
6- At least 22 church leaders saw Christ or heard his voice. 11 can be identified by name (pg 129)
Karls points out that a minimum of 22 people saw or heard the voice of Christ during the Kirtland era and at least 11 of them can be identified by name.
This is one of the greatest and most profound observations that Karl shares in his book. His years of research have made this most notable observation possible and I think those of us that are truly interested in the Kirtland period of church history and the Saviors personal involvement in it, are indebted to him for taking the time to do this research.
He further breaks the stats down as follows: 8 of the 11 that can be identified saw Christ while three of them heard his voice.
Those that were documented as having seen Christ
Those that heard his voice but did not see him
There are 12 additional documented but unidentified eye witnesses of Christ according to Karl. I believe we can guestimate who most of these people are by a profound discovery that Karl shares in his book. We will discuss this later in this book review.
7- There Is a Difference Between a Visitation and a Vision!
In a footnote on page 129 Karl makes the following observation and warning:
“Some people try to draw a distinction between a vision and an appearance of Deity. This is difficult and perhaps unwise.”
I strongly beg to differ.
I think it is perhaps unwise to not draw a distinction.
I think the scriptures do make a contextual distinction between a vision, which often times shows past and future events as well as current ones, for instructive and faith promoting purposes, as opposed to the literal opening of the heavens for a literal, real time, visitation and communication with deity.
Why is this distinction or lack thereof important to people like Karl and me?
Why does he warn against making this distinction?
Why am I so passionate about the fact that there is a HUGE distinction that needs to be understood?
For one thing, it has to do with salvation and a person’s relationship with deity.
Secondly, because it provides a very important context for what was taking place in pre-1835 Kirtland events vs. post-1835 Kirtland events.
You see; my contention has been that the spiritual gifts and visitations being experienced during the time frame from 1831 to 1834 had to do with the restored “Church of Christ “and, in some cases, the restored, administrative Melchizedek Priesthood which was referred to as the “Church of God“, and the associated promises contained in the Book of Commandments.
The Melchizedek Priesthood that had been restored to the earth in June of 1831. Once this distinction is made, the D&C reads quite differently from section 52 on.
In my opinion, most of the spiritual endowments having to do with post-1834 events largely had to do with the “Church of the Latter day Saints” that was under condemnation and the instructions provided in the Doctrine and Covenants.
For those who are not aware, the name of the restored “Church of Christ” was changed in early 1834 to the “Church of the Latter Day Saints”. More on that later.
Among the many reasons that I feel the spiritual manifestations were of a lessor degree after the end of 1834, than prior to the end of 1834, is because the church in Kirtland and Nauvoo failed to live consecration and achieve temporal equality. The Lord had warned the saints that if they were not equal, He would withhold the abundance of the manifestations of the spirit:
“Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestation of the spirit shall be withheld.” (D&C 70:14)
Clearly, the saints had discontinued attempting to live the law of consecration by the time the Kirtland Temple was ready to be dedicated and were therefore not equal temporally. According to the word of God, they were not worthy to enjoy the full abundance of the manifestations of the spirit from then on.
Having the Heavens Opened and Conversing with the Father and the Son
I believe the act of literally opening the heavens and penetrating the veil of unbelief to transcend temporal time and gaze into eternity and converse with the Father and the Son requires a person to be transfigured.
This spiritual endowment is a Melchizedek Priesthood endowment and it is clearly different and distinct from many of the lesser endowments.
The Book of Moses informs us that one must be transfigured to see God, otherwise their physical bodies would wither and die.
“But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.”
Examples of this in Kirtland would be Joseph, Lyman and Harvey seeing the Father and the Son at the special conference when the Melchizedek priesthood was restored for the first time in 1831. During those visions, Joseph made a statement indicating that he had experienced a change in his body and would not even taste death if someone were to kill him. I believe he, Lyman and Harvey were all transfigured when they saw the Father and the Son. The above passage mandates that all three of them must have been transfigured.
Another example would be the experience that Joseph and Sidney had seeing and conversing with the Father and the Son which is now documented in section 76. Again, from the testimonies given of this experience, they were both quickened by the spirit and transfigured in order to behold the glory of God with their spiritual eyes without having their physical bodies destroyed.
Having a Visitation from Christ
I don’t think a personal, real time visitation and conversation with Christ (within the veil of mortality, without the presence of the glory of the Father) requires transfiguration, however, according the Joseph Smith, it does require a person who has become “pure”.
A perfect example of this is the appearance of Christ and three angels to Joseph and Oliver in the Kirtland Temple (section 110). I think the Melchizedek priesthood had been taken from the earth by the end of 1834 and that in 1836 Joseph and Oliver were functioning under the evangelical-patriarchal priesthood that Peter James and John had restored in 1829.
They did not penetrate the veil of unbelief to see the Father and the Son in eternity. Rather, Christ and three angels came into temporal time and into the temple behind the literal temple veil and conversed with Joseph and Oliver in this world, not in eternity.
Visions of the Past and Future that Provide Instruction
Carrying this scenario further, having a “vision” of Christ in a past historical setting, for example, seeing him on the Cross, or seeing him in a future, prophetic setting, for example seeing him riding on a white horse leading the armies of Israel in battle, in the future, etc., those types of visions are, in my opinion, lesser spiritual endowments than having either a- a literal, real time one on one conversation with Christ, or, b- gazing into eternity to see both Christ and the Father.
Speaking in Tongues
A forth division of spiritual endowment might be the visitation of angels and yet another one might be the speaking in tongues.
One might have the spirit fall upon them and begin speaking in tongues which would be a wonderful spiritual endowment, however, it probably is not in the category of having a vision of Christ and it definitely is not in the category of having a literal visitation and conversation with Christ, let alone, being transfigured to see Christ standing on the right hand of God.
Since the church has not enjoyed any of the above types of spiritual endowments for over one hundred years, it is easy to minimize any possible distinction between them and to also marginalize the importance of having them happen.
Christ categorically appears to ALL the pure in heart
I believe that one of the interesting things that Joseph taught, and that was documented but not emphasized in Karl’s book, is that the spiritual endowment of seeing Christ in the Kirtland Temple was not a random event.
Joseph promised the newly called quorum of 12 apostles that “ALL who are prepared and are sufficiently pure to abide the presence of the Saviour will see him in the solemn assembly. (Pg. 225)
“all who are pure will see Christ… in solemn assembly” (Pg. 242)
Similar statements to other saints are documented in the book (pages 129, 139, and 141.
I believe the scriptures and some of the passages documented in Karl ‘s book indicate that it is a the mandatory requirement to see God in the flesh in order to obtain the highest degree of glory. (I think many people who have died when the fulness of the gospel was not on the earth will be returned to the earth prior to the end of probation to have this endowment)
This is something that is greatly minimized in church commentaries and histories. One of the primary goals and commandments and ultimate fruits of the gospel is the seeking of the face of deity. This is not a random experience. It is not an optional possibility. It is ultimately required for salvation in the highest kingdom. It is incredibly important and it was a major underlying theme of temple theology, in fact, it was one of the main purposes of the temple is for seeing God and conversing with him. This is alluded to in section 124:
“And again, verily I say unto you, how shall your washings be acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you have built to my name?
38 For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was.
39 Therefore, verily I say unto you, that your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name.
40 And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people;
I believe everyone going to the temple in Kirtland understood that they were, in a sense, being tested for purity.
Those that saw Christ, past the purity test.
Those that did not, needed to continue seeking his face after the temple experience. Some responded in a positive way while others became discouraged or skeptical or angry, etc.
There was a huge and very explicit distinction between the elders who saw the face of deity and those who did not.
This was clearly understood among all of the leaders of the church. According to section 67, the jealousies between the early brethren that were ordained High priests was significant. The jealousies had to do, in part, with who had seen God and who had not.
The natural tendency was for those who hadn’t seen God to be skeptical and jealous of those who did, and perhaps some of those who did see God, to be judgmental of those who had not, was horrendous. This amazing pressure resulted in doubts and jealousies between the brethren.
It is interesting to note that there were some brethren at the Morley Farm that got past by and were not ordained and did not see the Father and the Son, and yet, they were motivated to exercise greater faith in the future and eventually did get ordained to be a High Priest and to see the father and the Son.
One example of this was Zebedee Coltin. His testimony of the Father and the Son while in the school of the prophets is one of the most instructive and proves that the Father can in fact come through the veil and appear in this sphere.
Here is what section 67 says about those who became jealous and the promise that one can see God:
“And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.”
The above passage is linking the jealousies and fears with the hope of seeing God.
It ends with the reminder that one must be quickened by the spirit to see God:
“For no man has seen God at any time in the flesh, except quickened by the Spirit of God.”
That provides a second witness to the passage in Moses that one must receive a temporary change in order to see God without being destroyed.
Another distinction that Karl appears to have not noticed or to intentionally obscure, was that only those being called to be High Priests in Kirtland could see the Father and the Son. We shall explore this and other fascinating things as we continue.
Keep watching
Part Three
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/the-savior-in-kirtland-part-three/
8 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: called and chosen, deseret book, high priests, Karl Anderson, karl ricks anderson, kirtland ohio, kirtland temple, owiw, personal accounts of divine manifestations, The Savior in Kirtland, watcher | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
[Warning: If you have been directed to this site by a search engine or a well meaning friend but you are not familiar with the doctrine of three watches or the atonement statute, please do yourself a favor and leave this post until you are familiar with these two doctrines. You need to have a foundation before you read the content in this post]
William Law is unlike most of the high profile leaders of the restoration movement in that he was a late comer to the party. Unlike Oliver, David, Martin, Frederick, Sidney, the Pratts and many others who converted to the gospel early on, he was not converted to the gospel until 1836.
It is amazing to realize that he converted AFTER the fullness had been rejected (the fullness of the gospel was rejected by the latter day gentiles sometime between 1831-1834).
William Law did not personally experience the early Pentecostal events in Kirtland. He did not participate in the restoration of the fullness of the priesthood at the Morley Farm.
He missed out on the dedication of the Kirtland Temple
Ironically Law joined the church the same year that Christ and three ministering angels secretly returned to the earth to transfer the keys to the Old Testament Gospel of Abraham to the apostate latter day saint church. This initiated the taking of the written gospel from the gentiles to the house of Israel scattered among the nations of the earth
After his conversion, he stayed in Canada for a while and missed out on the Kirtland Safety Society fiasco and the great apostasy of the Kirtland era and the ugly era of the Danites in Far West.
He finally felt impressed to lead a group of Canadian converts to Nauvoo in 1839.
His brother Wilson who was somewhat skeptical went with him even though he was not a Mormon. (According to some accounts, Wilson may have converted in Nauvoo)
I really appreciate the faith William exhibited in joining the church during a time when vicious rumors about Joseph Smith and the church were beginning to run a muck.
Who Really Started Mormon Polygamy?
In order to fully appreciate the role the William Law played in the Nauvoo era of the LDS foundation movements and his public exposition of Joseph’s involvement in polygamy, one needs to have a clear understanding of what really took place in Nauvoo and whether or not Joseph Smith is the real instigator of the LDS practice of polygamy in Nauvoo.
“Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy”
Joseph Smith obviously fought polygamy during his public ministry but the real question is, was he secretly teaching and practicing it while publicly teaching against it?
There is a semi-compelling book written by Richard & Pamela Price titled: “Joseph Smith fought polygamy” that contends that Joseph smith was innocent of practicing or teaching about polygamy.
Thanks to some popular LDS bloggers who have been impressed with the book, it has picked up some serious traction in convincing a few Latter day Saints that Joseph was innocent of living polygamy or of being the originator of what is now known as section 132.
I highly encourage anyone who is sincerely interested in objectively hearing all sides of this debate to read it. You can read much of it online and purchase it here .
The contention of the book is somewhat compelling in that Joseph always publicly renounced the doctrine of polygamy during his public ministry. If one goes strictly on what he publicly preached, one must deduce that he never practiced polygamy.
The dilemma is that there is a huge amount of evidence from second hand testimony claiming that he was living a hypocritical, secretive life that contradicted what he was publicly saying from the pulpit.
A Two-Part Conspiracy?
The general premise of the book along with the hypothesis of some who accept the premise of the book, in my opinion, is that there was a grand, two part conspiracy to blame Joseph Smith for introducing section 132 and the doctrine of polygamy when in fact it was really characters like Brigham Young and others that were the culprits.
Part one of the conspiracy in a nutshell is that Brigham Young and his brethren of the apostles were lying when they testified that they had been introduced to the doctrine of polygamy and the eternal nature of spiritual wifery by Joseph Smith.
Brigham supposedly created an elaborate conspiracy and got countless men and women of his followers in Utah to bare a false witness that Joseph was the originator of the doctrine and practice instead of Brigham and others.
In this scenario the hypothesis is that over thirty women who sacrificed much to accept the restored gospel and join the church were enticed into lying about being sealed to Joseph Smith as a spiritual wife and having carnal sex with him. (several other women supposedly lied about being approached by Joseph even though they rejected his offers)
Supposedly their motivation for bearing false witness was for the fame and notoriety of being a wife of Joseph’s or to show their loyalty to the church by obeying the orders of Brigham Young.
For those two reasons, these women supposedly threw the reputation of Joseph Smith under the bus, having to live with the thought of having to face him in the eternities.
If that conspiracy theory seems rather unrealistic, part two of the conspiracy is even more outrageous.
The second part of the conspiracy that supports the contention that Joseph was innocent and never practiced spiritual wifery, is conducted by a host of random conspirators who all personally rejected the doctrine of polygamy and rejected Brigham Young as the legal successor to Joseph Smith.
When I say random, I mean that as a group, they were not united when the great succession crisis took place. They scattered many different directions. There was very little cohesiveness between them. They simply all believed from what they saw and heard that Joseph was the main instigator of Mormon polygamy.
The most notable among them was a group of people in very high church positions including the president of the Nauvoo Stake, three high profile leaders who all served in the First Presidency of the Church with Joseph Smith and two other members of the high council that rejected section 132 when it was read to them:
None of these high profile leaders accepted the doctrine of polygamy and none of them accepted Brigham young as the legal successor to Joseph Smith. Yet they all testified from personal knowledge of the events taking place in Nauvoo that Joseph was involved.
They all testified from personal knowledge that Joseph Smith was the primary secret promoter of the doctrine of polygamy.
Despite the fact that none of these people had an affinity for Brigham Young or the doctrine of polygamy, every one of these people publicly declared that Joseph Smith was the originator of the polygamy revelation and that he secretly practiced it.
There were many other brethren, who were not Brighamites, who also testified of Joseph’s involvement. We will discuss one or two of them as well later in this post, but the above six men create a particularly huge problem with the hypothesis provided by the Prices.
Perhaps one of the biggest holes in the conspiracy theory presented by the Price’s has to do with President William Marks, one of the most honorable, beloved and trusted leaders of the LDS restoration. Marks was called by revelation to be the Stake President of the church in Far West and also in Nauvoo.
At this time I am going to share the content of an email that I have written to Richard and Pamela Price regarding the testimony of William Marks (I am still awaiting their reply) (Richard has now passed away. I understand that Pamela is now finishing up part three of the book):
_________________________________________________________________________
From: One Whoiswatching <onewhoiswatching [at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 10:27 AM
Subject: Questions about your book “Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy” from the OneWhoIsWatching
To: editors [at] @restorationbookstore.org
Dear Richard and Pamela Price
In reading your book titled Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy I came across a disturbing realization.
In chapter six of volume one you make the following declaration followed by a quote from William Marks that he made in 1859, regarding a conversation he had with Joseph Smith just weeks before the martyrdom:
“Joseph was determined that polygamy was not going to continue in the Church. He was standing firmly between the polygamous conspirators and the Church. Standing with the Prophet were Emma, Hyrum, William Marks, and a few others. Most of the Saints were unaware of the deadly struggle going on behind the scenes. Both sides were growing more determined. When Joseph warned the Saints of iniquity in high places, and turned and spoke against Parley, he was aware that a conspiracy existed—that several apostles and others were planning to make polygamy a practice of the Saints and a doctrine of the Church. However, Joseph was determined to eradicate polygamy, even though he realized that his lack of cooperation with the polygamists could cost him his life.
The struggle between the pro-polygamists and Joseph became more and more severe. A few weeks before Joseph’s death it became apparent to him that polygamy could not be eradicated without bringing the struggle into the open. Therefore, Joseph went to High Priest William Marks, the president of the Nauvoo Stake and president of the High Council, as previously noted. He told Brother Marks that he would bring the polygamists to trial before the High Council, and that President Marks must expel them from the Church. Elder Marks later testified:
‘I met with Brother Joseph. He said that he wanted to converse with me on the affairs of the church, and we retired by ourselves. I will give his words verbatim, for they are indelibly stamped upon my mind. He said he had desired for a long time to have a talk with me on the subject of polygamy. He said it eventually would prove the overthrow of the church, and we should soon be obliged to leave the United States, unless it could be speedily put down. He was satisfied that it was a cursed doctrine, and that there must be every exertion made to put it down. He said that he would go before the congregation and proclaim against it, and I must go into the High Council, and he would prefer charges against those in transgression, and I must sever them from the church, unless they made ample satisfaction. There was much more said, but this was the substance. The mob commenced to gather about Carthage in a few days after, therefore there was nothing done concerning it.
After the Prophet’s death, I made mention of this conversation to several, hoping and believing that it would have a good effect; but to my great disappointment, it was soon rumored about that Brother Marks was about to apostatize, and that all that he said about the conversation with the Prophet was a tissue of lies.’(RLDS History of the Church 2:733) ”
The reason I am perplexed by the way you used the above quote from William Marks regarding his conversation with Joseph Smith is that it appears that you intentionally left part of the quote out of your book so that you could put an entirely different spin on what Marks was trying to convey.
Here is what William Marks said just prior to and in conjunction with the portion of his statements that you chose to quote:
“About the first of June, 1844 (situated as I was at that time, being the Presiding Elder of the Stake at Nauvoo, and by appointment the Presiding Officer of the High Council), I had a very good opportunity to know the affairs of the Church, and my convictions at that time were, that the Church in a great measure had departed from the pure principles and doctrines of Jesus Christ. I felt much troubled in mind about the condition of the Church. I prayed earnestly to my Heavenly Father to show me something in regard to it, when I was wrapt in vision, and it was shown me by the Spirit, that the top or branches had overcome the root, in sin and wickedness, and the only way to cleanse and purify it was, to disorganize it, and in due time, the Lord would reorganize it again. There were many things suggested to my mind, but the lapse of time has erased them from my memory. A few days after this occurrence…”
As you can see, the real context of the portion of William Marks testimony that you provided was relative to the fact that the top leadership of the Church, ie, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, had lead the church into apostasy.
Although the contextual statements quoted above do not specifically mention Joseph and Hyrum Smith by name, Marks is stating that it had been made known to him that the “top” and “branches” (highest leadership of the church) had overcome the “root” or remaining members of the church.
Marks was obviously using terminology from the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees in the Book of Jacob. [One could argue that it refers to the leading elders of the church]. He is pointing out that Joseph and Hyrum, the leading elders of the church, or in other words, the “top” “branches” of the tree had become corrupt and had overcome the rest of the church or at least the lower portions of the church. [See online scriptures here and also the Watcher’s Commentary on those verses here]
Richard and Pamela, why didn’t you include the entire quote and explain that William Marks viewed Joseph and Hyrum as part of the polygamy problem?
The second aspect of this situation that perplexes me is that William’s comments from 1859 that you chose to provide a portion of, were really an outgrowth of a more popular and detailed version of the statement that had been given six years earlier in 1853 in the Zions Harbinger and Baneemy’s Organ.
I am providing this previous quote by William Marks for your perusal below:
“When the doctrine of polygamy was introduced into the church as a principle of exaltation, I took a decided stand against it; which stand rendered me quite unpopular with many of the leading ones of the church… Joseph, however, became convinced before his death that he had done wrong; for about three weeks before his death, I met him one morning in the street, and he said to me, “Brother Marks… We are a ruined people.” I asked, how so? He said: “This doctrine of polygamy, or Spiritual-wife system, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow. I have been deceived,” said he, “in reference to its practice; it is wrong; it is a curse to mankind, and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down and its practice stopped in the church. Now,’ said he,’ Brother Marks, you have not received this doctrine, and how glad I am. I want you to go into the high council and I will have charges preferred against all who practice this doctrine, and I want you to try them by the laws of the church, and cut them off, if they will not repent and cease the practice of this doctrine.”
As you can see, William Marks was even more explicit in his earlier declaration about the fact that Joseph was involved in polygamy and by Joseph’s own admission; Joseph had been deceived about the doctrine of polygamy.
Were you unaware of the statement by Marks that I have provided above?
Lastly, in your commentary you made the following statement:
“it became apparent to him that polygamy could not be eradicated without bringing the struggle into the open.”
Surely you are aware that the polygamy issue had already been brought out into the open long before that time.
It is well documented that Hyrum had read the polygamy revelation to the High Council in Nauvoo, [told them that his bother Joseph had received and endorsed the revelation and told them that if they rejected it they would be damned.
Hyrum was the sole president of the Church at the time this took place. (Joseph having said he would no longer prophesy to the church that that Hyrum was the sole Prophet and President)]
Hyrum also presented the revelation to the Elders quorum. Virtually all of the leaders of the church knew from Hyrum, the President of the Church, that He and Joseph had secretly taught and practiced polygamy.
I plan on addressing these issues pertaining to your book in a blog but would like to give you the opportunity to respond to them first.
Can you please clarify if you were aware of the remaining portions of the quote you provided at the time you wrote the book?
Were you aware of William Marks earlier comments about Joseph Smith being deceived by the false doctrine of polygamy?
Are you aware that Hyrum had read the polygamy revelation to the Nauvoo High Council and told them they must accept it or be damned?
Thank you for your consideration and for a timely response
Watcher”
____________________________________________________________________________
I have not had a response to my questions from the Price’s yet nor have they acknowledged getting the email from me. I believe the email address I used is accurate as it is the one currently posted on their website.
I am extremely disappointed that they have not felt compelled to respond.
If I do hear from them in time future, I will update this post with their response.
It appears to me that while doing their research on polygamy, the Prices realized that they needed to maintain William Marks as a credible witness. This is because he is beloved by so many saints from all sides of the issue and was a leading player in the reorganized church they themselves have been involved in. It is also because he was one of the high profile leaders of the RLDS tradition that Richard and Pamela come from and he is well thought of within the movement.
It appears to me that the Prices wanted to do damage control by quoting only a portion of the less incriminating statement of President Marks, hoping that nobody would bother to delve a little deeper into the declarations William Marks had made regarding his knowledge of Joseph’s involvement in polygamy.
Another related point of interest pertaining to William’s testimony is that it was made known to William that God needed to completely disorganize the church and then organize it again at a future time. (This knowledge obviously played a part in Marks involvement in the “Reorganized Church”. My personal opinion is that the Lord was referring to the Doctrine of the 3rd Watch)
Although I don’t expect those providing passionate commentary, like myself and the Prices, to be non-biased in our presentations, I do expect accuracy, completeness and honesty in providing supporting documentation.
I know from personal experience how tempting it is to leave out portions of quotes that don’t support one’s own contentions. I have been very tempted in this area myself and have possibly been guilty from time to time of cutting and pasting quotes for my own purposes when a greater portion of a quote would provide greater context. It is difficult to know where to draw the line on how much of a quote needs to be used and at what point it deludes the point one is trying to make.
Nevertheless, it seems to me that these issues are clearly over the line of credible research and I find it difficult to believe that the Price’s somehow overlooked the portion of the quote that they neglected to provide in their book.
I also find it very doubtful that they were unaware of the earlier, more complete statement that Marks had published six years earlier.
Nevertheless, there may be a legitimate explanation for the issues presented above.
At this point in time, based on the information I have, I find the statements by William Marks to be a huge problem for the credibility of both the Prices and their research. It makes me feel like a person reading their book needs to go back and research every single quote they provide to see what else they have done to color things to support their views.
Before leaving the topic of the reorganized church (which has since changed its name to the Community of Christ) I want to point out that William Marks was not the only high profile participant in the “reorganization” that publicly testified of Joseph’s involvement in polygamy.
Although the official response of the RLDS church during the 1880’s to the 1860’s was that Joseph Smith was never involved in polygamy, there are other foundational members of the reorganization who agreed with Marks. Some noteworthy examples are provided below:
Jason W. Briggs
Jason W. Briggs, one of the original founders of the RLDS Church publicly maintained that Joseph Smith was the originator of Mormon polygamy and that God would punish Joseph for his transgression. He felt that the church needed to quit denying Joseph’s involvement , deal with the issue, and move on.
Issac Sheen
Issac Sheen, the editor of the first official RLDS periodical was another person who publicly admitted that Joseph had been involved in polygamy however, he believed, as did William Marks, that Joseph was in the process of repenting and trying to undo the damage shortly before his death.
James Whitehead
James Whitehead, another member of the reorganization who served as a clerk to Joseph Smith III also affirmed that he witnessed Emma give plural wives to Joseph Smith Jr on several occasions. (reference to the above three documented witnesses)
William Marks is not the Most Compelling Witness
Interestingly, the testimony of William Marks is probably not the most devastating and damaging challenge to the supposition being presented by the Richard and Pamela Price, nor are the testimonies of people like William Law, John C. Bennett, Sidney Rigdon, Austin Cowles, Leonard Soby, Jason Briggs, Issac Sheen and James Whitehead.
Interestingly, the optic of polygamy was an issue that didn’t begin in Nauvoo and some of the most credible and revealing testimony of Joseph’s involvement in comes from people like Oliver Cowdery and even William McLellin, how had both left the church by 1838.
Many years later McLellin would write three letters to Joseph Smith the 3rd testifying of Joseph’s involvement. However, even more compelling than those testimonies is the fact that there is hard evidence that Joseph’s own brother publicly introduced the doctrine of polygamy among the leading quorums of the Church in Nauvoo with the declaration that it came from Joseph.
Hyrum Smith Let the Cat out of the Bag
A more damaging testimony that Joseph Smith was involved in Polygamy is actually provided by his brother Hyrum Smith.
There is now a remarkable new book out by John S. Dinger that , in my opinion, completely destroys the myth that Joseph and Hyrum were not involved in polygamy. It brings forth credible historical evidence that has been suppressed and obscured for over a century.
It is called “The Nauvoo City and High Council Minutes”.
These official minutes of the Nauvoo City Council and the Stake High Council have been suppressed for years by the Mormon Church. Their reason for not allowing researchers to have access to them is “confidentiality”. That is apparently what they told John Dinger.
However, it came to the attention of Dinger that copies of these minutes could be obtained via certain Universities so he obtained the information from them and the rest is history… church history.
The book can be purchased from Benchmark Books.
Unfortunately, it is a very expensive book. You may need to take out a second mortgage on your house to purchase it.
You can listen to some interviews about the book with Dinger here and here. Unfortunately the polygamy issue is not addressed in the interviews as in depth as one would desire since most Mormons take for granted that Joseph Smith was involved in it.
In my opinion, this new book provides conclusive documentation that is extremely damaging to the belief that Joseph and Hyrum never practiced or promoted polygamy.
I am actually planning on doing a post in the future that lists numerous fascinating tidbits from the book for those who cannot afford to purchase it but for now, I am simply going to provide a brief summary of the major sequence of events pertaining to polygamy in Nauvoo, most of which are documented in the Nauvoo City and High council minutes along with related historical documents.
In my opinion, the information I am going to summarize from these sources proves beyond question that Joseph and Hyrum did in fact promote the polygamy revelation and doctrine of polygamy.
Sequential Listing of Events Relating to Polygamy
Leading up to the Publication of the Expositor
May 17th 1842
On May 17th 1842 John C. Bennett, a councilor to Joseph Smith in the First Presidency, resigned as Mayor of Nauvoo.
He would later claim he was forced under duress to resign as Mayor and to swear an affidavit stating that Joseph never taught a secret doctrine about illicit intercourse with females. In mid June Joseph would make allegations about Bennett and Bennett would go on to write an expose about the secret polygamous practices and other controversial events in Nauvoo (pg 84 &86)
May 19st 1842
With the resignation of John C. Bennett, the purpose of the council meeting on this date was to vote on Joseph Smith as the new mayor. As this election was going forward, Joseph Smith received a revelation, wrote it down and “threw it across the room to Hiram Kimball one of the [city] Councilors. [according to Hiram’s wife, Sarah, Joseph had asked her to be one of his plural wives]”
“Verily thus saith the Lord unto you may servant Joseph by the voice of my Spirit, Hiram Kimball has been insinuating evil & forming evil opinions against you with others, & if he continue[s] in them he & they shall be accursed for I am the Lord thy God & will stand by thee & bless thee. Amen.” (pg 84)
May 21st 1842
Although the allegations that would later be made by John C. Bennett about Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy were a major concern to Joseph and Hyrum with regard to the non-Mormon population, the Bennett allegations were not their only concern.
William Law and others would do just as much damage within the church by exposing the secret doctrine of polygamy to the main body of the saints.
The beginning of the sequential events that brought Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy to light within the church, as documented in the Nauvoo City and High Council Minutes seems to begin on May 21st 1842 when Chancy L. Higbee was brought before the High Council by George Miller on charges of for “unchaste” and “un-virtuous” conduct with the widow Sarah Miller.
It was in this hearing that Higbee testified to the High Council that Joseph Smith had authorized him to have these types of relations if they were kept secret. Hoping to destroy the credibility of Higbee, Hyrum Smith motioned that Chancy Higbee be expelled from the church.
This hearing marked the first of over 20 similar cases that would take place during the next few months with many of them resulting in similar testimony that Joseph Smith and/or the leading brethren of the church had authorized such acts.
(Ironically, Chancy Higbee would ultimately end up violently opposing the doctrine of polygamy and help William Law and others expose Joseph Smith, while his accuser, George Miller, would eventually become converted to the practice and become a polygamist… a rather amazing turn of events.)
August 1843
Finally, after hearing about 23 similar cases in just a few months and then continuing to hear rumors following that, members of the high council began to have serious suspicions about Joseph Smith’s involvement in secretly teaching and practicing polygamy.
For this reason, they confronted Hyrum Smith in August of 1843 about this issue. (Joseph Smith was home sick. It seems odd that they would not wait to confront Joseph personally however, one must remember that Hyrum was also being implicated and was now the sole President of the Church (even though many people did not give Hyrum the respect of the office still considered Joseph to be God’s mouthpiece) and was therefore responsible to dictate policy and take action against adulterers. Additionally, Joseph was probably keeping a low profile, waiting to see what the reaction to Hyrum’s pronouncement would be.)
On this occasion Councilman Dunbar Wilson “made inquiry in relation to the subject of plurality of wives as there were rumors respecting it, and he was satisfied there was something in those remarks and he wanted to know what it was.”
At this time, Hyrum Smith, who was probably relieved to just get it out in the open, read the revelation on polygamy to the High Council.
After reading it, he made the following declaration: “Now, you that believe this revelation and go forth and obey the same shall be saved, and you that reject it shall be damned”
The reading of this revelation to the High Council followed by the stern warning to obey it, by Hyrum, appears to be the first official documented public outing of Joseph Smith, in front of multiple witnesses, by a credible source, as the instigator of polygamy. It clearly identifies Joseph as the one who received and was secretly introducing the revelation on polygamy. (Although it appears that the original version of the revelation was significantly shorter than the one Brigham Young canonized in 1876)
To Joseph and Hyrum’s horror, the reading of the revelation and the ominous command to obey it or be damned created a veritable shit-storm within the High Council and the members of the church that this knowledge leaked out to.
President William Law, a councilor to Joseph Smith in the First Presidency, joined in with three members of the High Council in openly and publicly rejecting the revelation.
Those three members of the High Council were President William Marks, High Councilman Leonard Soby and High Councilman Austin A. Cowles. (there is conflicting documentation as to whether Soby initially rejected it or not)
Austin Cowles
The reading of the polygamy revelation has been documented by numerous witnesses including Austin Cowles who published his testimony in the Nauvoo Expositor. From the book, I quote:
“At this meeting Hyrum Smith taught his brother Joseph’s doctrine of plural marriage, as confirmed by statements by those in attendance.”
“Hyrum Smith ‘read the said revelation in the said Council’”.
Leonard Soby
“[Hyrum Smith] presented to said Council the Revelation on polygamy enjoying its observance and declaring it came from God; unto which a large majority of the Council agreed and assented, believing it to be of a celestial order, though no vote was taken upon it, for the reason that the voice of the prophet in such matters as understood by us to be the voice of God to the church, and that said revelation was presented to said Council as before stated, as coming from Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Lord was received by us as other revelation had been”
Four Other Witnesses from the High Council Signed Afficavits
In 1869 the following members of the high council also signed affidavits that Hyrum read and taught the doctrine of polygamy:
According to the testimony of Charles Smith, Hyrum Smith also read the revelation on polygamy to the Elders Quorum in the winter of 43-44.
Joseph was “outed” before the Nauvoo Expositor was Published
Although William Law is often blamed for being the primary one to “out” Joseph Smith as a practicing polygamist, the truth is that Hyrum and others had already done it.
The resignation and falling out with Bennett and the 23 cases brought before the High Council and the reading of the revelation by Hyrum Smith to the High Council and Elders Quorum culminated in the preliminary outing of Joseph Smith.
June 8 1844
Nevertheless, it appears that when Joseph and Hyrum Smith realized that strong opposition was taking place from other high profile leaders within the church, they attempted to do damage control. (There is even some evidence to suggest that they realized they had been deceived and were repenting of what they had done.)
Hyrum Tells a Little White Lie
On June 8 1844 Hyrum is noted in the City council minutes as stating that when he had previously read the polygamy revelation to the High Council, the revelation only had to do with how polygamy was practiced anciently.
According to the council minutes, “Hyrum referred to the revelation [he] read to the [Nauvoo Stake] High Council- that it was in answer to a question concerning things which transpired in former days & had no reference to the present time”
Obviously, Hyrum was back-peddling and trying to close Pandora’s Box, but it was too late. The damage had been done and the box was now opened.
One can make a strong case that Joseph and Hyrum realized that they had made a serious doctrinal error and that they were trying to partially repent for what they did.
The declaration of William Marks that Joseph had acknowledged to him that he (Joseph) had been deceived on the doctrine of polygamy is evidence of this. It seems to coincide with William Law’s testimony in the Expositor that Joseph was willing to repent by discontinuing the practice but was not willing to publicly confess what he had done.
Other evidences of a partial repentance are supported by the fact that Joseph abruptly stopped taking plural wives (although there are other reasons, why his whirlwind celestial courting practices may have come to an end, including the fact that he was trying to avoid being arrested) and by the fact that he was also backtracking on numerous other things that he had done, ie, he told his brethren in the secret quorums to take off their special garments, destroy minutes of the council of fifty containing documentation that he had had himself ordained king, etc.
Interestingly, even though many Mormon historians identify April of 1841 as the first documented plural marriage that Joseph entered into, section 124 suggests that Joseph and others were practicing abominations earlier than that:
“by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practise before me, saith the Lord.” (verse 48)
This is supported by documentation showing that after Orson Pratt returned from his mission to England in 1841 he heard rumors about Joseph Smith’s conduct toward his wife. … According to Sarah Pratt, Joseph had asked her to become his plural wife in the fall of 1840.
Joseph’s journal noted that Joseph was “conflicting with Orson”.
Another evidence of Joseph’s possible involvement in polygamy prior to April of 41 comes from Ebenezer Robinson who recalled the following declaration from Joseph Smith’s younger brother Don Carlos:
“Ebenezer Robinson claimed that Joseph Smith’s brother, Don Carlos, stated: “Any man who will teach and practice the doctrine of spiritual wifery will go to hell, I don’t care if it is my brother Joseph.’ ” (The Return, vol. 2, p. 287 also In Sacred Loneliness 152)
According to Ina Coolbrith Joseph’s brother Don quietly made plans to leave Nauvoo and go back to Kirtland in protest because he opposed the secret doctrine of polygamy.
Coolbrith claims that Joseph asked Don if he had a last request while on his deathbed and that Don’s response was “Yes, I have, Joseph Smith, I want you for the rest of your life to be an honest man”. (there are conflicting stories regarding statements made by Coolbrith)
As alluded to earlier, there are testimonies about Joseph’s involvement in polygamy as early as Kirtland (see Oliver’s Secret)
There are really just countless people outside of Brigham Young’s supposed conspiratorial group in Utah that believed Joseph Smith was secretly practicing polygamy while publicly preaching against it. Another fairly well documented historical fact is that the Relief Society was suspended in Nauvoo by Joseph Smith because Emma was using it to preach against polygamy. Note how Emma taught the relief society that they should follow the teachings that Joseph taught from the stand, implying that his private teachings were not congruent with his public teachings:
“On this day Emma Smith stated that “It is high time for Mothers to watch over their daughters and exhort them to keep the path of virtue” We therefore warn you, and forwarn you … we do not want anyone to believe anything as coming from us contrary to the old established morals & virtues, & scriptural laws. … All persons pretending to be authorized by us … are and will be liars and base imposters & you are authorized … to denounce them as such … whether they are prophets, Seers, or revelators, patriarchs, twelve apostles … you are alike culpable & shall be damned for such evil practices” .Emma urged the women to follow the teachings of Joseph Smith as he taught them “from the stand,” implying that his private teachings should be disregarded. (Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, p 173-4) https://runtu.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/suspending-relief-society/
I could go on providing countless 2nd hand stories about Joseph Smith and polygamy prior to and after April of 42 that are outside of the supposed Brigham Young conspiracy theory, but there is really no point beyond the evidence provided thus far.
I really just wanted to address the issue because in wrapping up this segment on William Law, I needed to provide documentation that Joseph’s participation in polygamy was really the central issue of the last days of Joseph’s life. (It would also be the hidden but central issue during the succession crisis)
To summarize part two of the conspiracy theory presented by the Price’s, in addition to the countless people in Utah that Brigham Young supposedly got to bear a false witness about Joseph, you still need to deal with all of the other testimonies that we have briefly discussed and the fact that Hyrum read the revelation to the High Council and Elders Quorum.
Here are some of the non-Utah, witnesses that testified that Joseph practiced polygamy:
It seems to me that the conspiracy theory promoted by the Richard and Pamela Price is beyond ridiculous based on all of the testimony from members of the church in Nauvoo that were NOT part of the supposed conspiracy that Brigham Young was leading.
Again, there are high ranking members of the church during the Kirtland era as early as 1836-8 that testified that Joseph was involved in polygamy, the most notable one being Oliver Cowdery and the Fanny Alger affair.
Oliver is not the only high profile leader of the church that left the church during the Kirtland/Far West era that testified of Joseph’s polygamy.
William McLellin, one of the original members of the quorum of the twelve apostles later wrote that Emma Smith substantiated the Smith-Alger affair. According to McLellin, Emma came upon Joseph and Fanny one evening while searching for Joseph. She saw “him and Fanny in the barn together alone” on the hay mow.
McLellin, in a letter to one of Joseph Smith’s sons, added that the ensuing confrontation between Emma Smith and her husband grew so heated that Rigdon, Frederick G. Williams, and Oliver Cowdery had to mediate the situation. After Emma related what she had witnessed, Smith, according to McLellin, “confessed humbly, and begged forgiveness. Emma and all forgave him.”
Now, having presented evidence to support the proposition that both Joseph and Hyrum had been involved in the teaching and practice of polygamy and the spiritual wife doctrine, let me remind any readers who have wondered upon this blog post without having understood about the atonement statute that I am not accusing Joseph of being evil.
I consider him to be a victim/intercessor.
Let’s remember the following warning that the Lord gave Joseph over a decade earlier:
“Satan thinketh to overpower your testimony in this generation, that the [marvelous] work may not come forth in this generation..”
Satan has largely been successful in overpowering Joseph’s testimony and preventing the marvelous work from going forth in that generation. The work was hindered! ( section 10)
One needs to remember that this ugly problem that the early brethren having their testimonies overpowered was all foretold in prophecy.
God’s Seers had their eyes covered and their awareness lost. But it was initially brought about because of the wickedness of his people according to Isaiah.
“For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.”
Ancient prophecy about Joseph Smith foretold that he would be raised up to appoint the place of gathering and build the house of the Lord and do much good but then he would “commit iniquity” and God would “chasten him with the rod of men“.
Nevertheless, according to that prophecy, God’s “mercy shall not depart away from him“.
“If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.”
Ancient prophecy about Joseph Smith foretold that after God raised him up to speak all of the words that God commands him, Joseph would then presumptuously teach false doctrine. As a result, Joseph must die.
“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”
Joseph became Contemptible and Base among the People
Another of many applicable ancient prophecies that might be introduced at this time if the mind-blowing snippet from Malachi:
“The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law
I realize that the doctrine I have introduced, claiming that Joseph was an intercessor that provided an atonement offering, stretches many people beyond their limits to belief, but there is an obscene amount of evidence to support it.
Isaiah speaks of the time when the gospel is taken to the kings of the earth and they are astonished and forced to consider things they had never previously considered when the Lords servant returns to gather the people and is exalted and extolled despite having had a tarnished reputation that was worse than any other reputation of any other human being…
“ Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
As many were [astonished] at thee; his visage [reputation] was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
So shall he [gather] many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.”
The above scenario is consistent with the following prophetic passages in section 101 in the parable of the importuning of the judges, governors and rulers who are having to consider things they had never considered when the strange act goes forth.
“And if the president heed them not, then will the Lord arise and come forth out of his hiding place, and in his fury vex the nation;
And in his hot displeasure, and in his fierce anger, in his time, will cut off those wicked, unfaithful, and unjust stewards, and appoint them their portion among hypocrites, and unbelievers;
Even in outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Pray ye, therefore, that their ears may be opened unto your cries, that I may be merciful unto them, that these things may not come upon them.
What I have said unto you must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse;
That wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered;
That I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work, that men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God.”
Realizing that God used people as his “chastising rod” to put Joseph and Hyrum to death for speaking and teaching presumptuously, it becomes apparent that those directly and indirectly involved in the death of Joseph and Hyrum were essentially being inspired to be God’s avenging sword of justice.
Just as Brigham Young became the prophetic “hand of a fit man” that led the scapegoat Sidney Rigdon into the wilderness, William Law played a valiant role in identifying when God’s servant like Moses, spoke “presumptuously“, so that the chastising rod of God’s justice could punish the intercessory atonement offering servant.
The second prophetic role that William Law played had to do with another prophecy that had been given over a decade earlier.
The Opportunity for the Church to Reform
| In March of 1829 the Lord declared that:“if the people… harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them..” (B of C 4:5) |
| In an un-canonized revelation given on December 5th 1834 the Lord declared:“..there must needs be a repentance and a reformation among you, in all things..”(Unpublished Revelations pg 73) |
| In a discourse given July 16th 1843 Joseph’s diary saye:“…went to the Grove and heard Pres. J. preach on the law of the priesthood. He stated that Hyrum held the office of prophet to the church by birth-right & he was going to have a reformation and the saints must regard Hyrum for he had authority.” (WofJS pg 232-3 July 16th 1843 see also boap) Joseph was openly acknowledging that the saints were in a state of apostasy and he was pointing to his brother Hyrum as the sole prophet of the church with the authority to conduct the reformation of the saints. Obviously, this was during the time that Joseph and Hyrum were secretly practicing the secret wife doctrine. It was one month before Hyrum read the revelation to the High Council. |
The above quotes establish the following facts:
1- God had prophesied of a future opportunity to reform the apostate church, before it was even officially organized and restored
2- Years later the Lord acknowledged that it was time to have reformation
3- Eventually Joseph acknowledged that there needed to be a reformation and said that Hyrum, as the sole President of the Church must do it.
Clearly the Lord had foretold and eventually commanded that the apostate church needed to have a reformation.
William Law Fulfills the Prophecy
Amazingly, William Law is the one that God had prophetically ordained to offer the true reformation of the church.
As a member of the First Presidency, He led the cause after Hyrum was converted to polygamy by Brigham Young..
He and a few close associates actually broke away from the apostate church and formed the “Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints”!!!
They invite all of the saints to repent and reform.
Here are a few statements from the Expositor-“
We are earnestly seeking to explode the vicious principles of Joseph Smith, and those who practice the same abominations and whoredoms; which we verily know are not accordant and consonant with the principles of Jesus Christ and the Apostles; and for that purpose, and with that end in view, with an eye single to the glory of God, we have dared to gird on the armor, and with God at our head, we most solemnly and sincerely declare that the sword of truth shall not depart from the thigh, nor the buckler from the arm, until we can enjoy those glorious privileges which nature’s God and our country’s laws have guarantied to us-freedom of speech, the liberty of the press, and the right to worship God as seemeth us good.-
We are aware, however, that we are hazarding every earthly blessing, particularly property, and probably life itself, in striking this blow at tyranny and oppression: yet notwithstanding we most solemnly declare that no man, or set of men combined, shall, with impunity, violate obligations as sacred as many which have been violated unless reason, justice and virtue have become ashamed and sought the haunts of the grave, though our lives be the forfeiture.
Many of us have sought a reformation in the church, without a public exposition of the enormities of crimes practiced by its leaders, thinking that if they would hearken to counsel, and shew fruit meet for repentance, it would be as acceptable with God, as though they were exposed to public gaze,“For the private path, the secret acts of men,
If noble, for the noblest of their lives.
..but our petitions were treated with contempt; and in many cases the petitioner spurned from their presence and particularly by Joseph, who would state that if he had sinned, and was guilty of the charges we would charge him with, he would not make acknowledgment, but would rather be damned; for it would detract from his dignity, and would consequently ruin and prove the overthrow of the Church.
We would ask him on the other hand, if the overthrow of the Church was not inevitable, to which he often replied, that we would all go to Hell together, and convert it into a heaven, by casting the Devil out; and says lie, Hell is by not means the place this world of fools suppose it to be, but on the contrary, it is quite an agreeable place: to which we would now reply, he can enjoy if he is determined not to desist from his evil ways; but as for us, and ours, we will serve the Lord our God!
It is absurd for men to assert that all is well, while wicked and corrupt men are seeking our destruction, by a perversion of sacred things; for all is not well, while whordoms and all manner of abominations are practiced under the cloak of religion. Lo! the wolf is in the fold, arrayed in sheep’s clothing, and is spreading death and devastation among the saints: and we say to the watchmen standing upon the walls, cry aloud and spare not, for the day of the Lord is at hand-a day cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate.
It is a notorious fact, that many females in foreign climes, and in countries to us unknown, even in the most distant regions of the Eastern hemisphere, have been induced, by the sound of the gospel, to forsake friends, and embark upon a voyage across waters that lie stretched over the greater portion of the globe, as they supposed, to glorify God, that they might thereby stand acquitted in the great day of God Almighty.
But what is taught them on their arrival at this place?– They are visited by some of the Strikers, for we know not what else to call them, and are requested to hold on and be faithful, for there are great blessings awaiting the righteous; and that God has great mysteries in store for those who love the lord, and cling to brother Joseph.
They are also notified that Brother Joseph will see them soon, and reveal the mysteries of Heaven to their full understanding, which seldom fails to inspire them with new confidence in the Prophet, as well as a great anxiety to know what God has laid up in store for them, in return for the great sacrifice of father of mother, of gold and silver, which they gladly left far behind, that they might be gathered into the fold, and numbered among the chosen of God.—
They are visited again, and what is the result? They are requested to meet brother Joseph, or some of the Twelve, at some insulated point, or at some particularly described place on the bank of the Mississippi, or at some room, which wears upon its front–Positively NO Admittance.
The harmless, inoffensive, and unsuspecting creatures, are so devoted to the Prophet, and the cause of Jesus Christ, that they do not dream of the deep laid and fatal scheme which prostrates happiness, and renders death itself desireable; but they meet him, expecting to receive through him a blessing, and learn the will of the Lord concerning them, and what awaits the faithful follower of Joseph, the Apostle and Prophet of God,
When in the stead thereof, they are told, after having been sworn in one of the most solemn manners, to never divulge what is revealed to them, with a penalty of death attached that God Almighty has revealed it to him, that she should be his (Joseph’s) Spiritual wife; for it was right anciently,and God will tolerate it again: but we must keep those pleasures and blessings form the world, for until there is a change in the government, we will endanger ourselves by practicing it-but we can enjoy the blessings of Jacob, David, and others, as well as to be deprived of them, if we do not expose ourselves to the law of the land.
She is thunder-struck, faints recovers, and refuses. The Prophet damns her if she rejects. She thinks of the great sacrifice and of the many thousand miles she has traveled over sea and land, that she might save her soul from pending ruin, and replies, God’s will be done and not mine.
The Prophet and his devotees in this way are gratified. The next step to avoid public exposition from the common course of things, they are sent away for a time, until all is well; after which they return, as from a long visit. Those whom no power or influence could seduce, except that which is wielded by some individual feigning to be a God, must realize the remarks of an able writer, when he says, “if woman’s feelings are turned to ministers of sorrow, where shall she look for consolation?”
Her lot is to be wooed and want her heart is like some fortress that has been captured, sacked, abandoned, and left desolate. With her, the desire of the heart has failed-the great charm of existence is at an end; she neglects all the cheerful exercise of life, which gladen the spirits, quicken the pulses, and send the tide of life in healthful currents through the veins. Her rest is broken.
The sweet refreshment of sleep is poisoned by melancholy dreams; dry sorrow drinks her blood, until her enfeebled frame sinks under the slightest external injury. Look for her after a little while, and you find friendship weeping over her untimely grave; and wondering that one who but so recently glowed with all the radiance of health and beauty, should so speedily be brought down to darkness and despair, you will be told of some wintry chill, of some casual indisposition that laid her low!
But no one knows of the mental malady that previously sapped her strength, and made her so easy a pray to the spoiler. She is like some tender tree, the pride and beauty of the grove-graceful in its form, bright in its foliage, but with the worm praying at its heart; we find it withered when it should be most luxuriant.
We see it drooping its branches to the earth, and shedding leaf by leaf until wasted and perished away, it falls in the stillness of the forest; and as we muse over the beautiful ruin, we strive in vain to recollect the blast or thunder-bolt that could have smitten it with decay. But no one knows the cause except the foul fiend who perpetrated the diabolical deed.
Our hearts have mourned and bled at the wretched and miserable condition of females in this place; many orphans have been the victims of misery and wretchedness, through the influence, that has been exerted over them, under the cloak of religion and afterwards, in consequence of that jealous dispositon which predominates over the minds of some, have been turned upon a wide world, fatherless and motherless, destitute of friends and fortune; and robbed of that which nothing but death can restore.
Men solace themselves by saying the facts slumber in the dark caverns of midnight. But Lo! it is sudden day, and the dark deeds of foul fiends shall be exposed from the house-tops. A departed spirit, once the resident of St. Louis, shall yet cry aloud for vengeance.
It is difficult–perhaps impossible–to describe the wretchedness of females in this place, without wounding the feelings of the benevolent, or shocking the delicacy of the refined; but the truth shall come to the world. The remedy can never be applied, unless the disease is known.
The sympathy, ever anxious to relieve, cannot be felt before the misery is seen.–The charity that kindles at the tale of woe, can never act with adequate efficiency, till it is made to see the polllution and guilt of men, now buried in the death-shades of heathenism.—
Shall we then, however painful the sight, shrink from the contemplation of their real state? We answer, we will not, if permitted to live. As we have before stated, it is the vicious principles of men we are determined to explode. It is not that we have any private feelings to gratify, or any private pique to settle, that has induced us to be thus plain; for we can respect and love the criminal, if there is any hope of reformation: but there is a point beyond which forbearance ceases to be a virtue.
The next important item which presents itself for our consideration, is the attempt at Political power and influence, which we verity believe to be preposterous and absurd. We believe, it is inconsistent, and not in accordance with the christian religion.
We do not believe that God ever raised up a Prophet to christianize a world by political schemes and intrigue. It is not the way God captivates the heart of the unbeliever; but on the contrary, by preaching truth in its own native simplicity, and in its own original purity, unadorned with anything except its own indigenous beauties.
Joseph may plead he has been injured, abused, and his petitions treated with contempt by the general government, and that he only desires an influence of a political character that will warrant him redress of grievances; but we care not-the faithful followers of Jesus must bear in this age as well as Christ and the Apostles did anciently; although a frowning world may have crushed him to the dust; although unpitying friends may have passed him by; although hope, the great comforter in affliction, may have burst forth and fled from his troubled bosom; yet, in Jesus there is a balm for every wound, and a cordial to assuage an agonized mind.
Among the many items of false doctrine that are taught the Church, is the doctrine of many Gods, one of the most direful in its effects that has characterized the world for many centuries. We know not what to call it other than blasphemy, for it is most unquestionably, speaking of God in an impious and irreverent manner.
It is contended that there are innumerable gods as much above the God that presides over this universe, as he is above us; and if he varies from the law unto which he is subjected, he, with all his creatures, will be cast down as was Lucifer: thus holding forth a doctrine which is effectually calculated to sap the very foundation of our faith, and now, O Lord! shall we set still and be silent, while thy name is thus blasphemed, and thine Honor, power and glory, brought into disrepute? See Isaiah c 43, v 10; 44, 6-8; 45, 5, 6, 21, 22; and book of Covenants, page 26 and 39.
In the dark ages of Poperty, when bigotry, superstition, and tyranny held universal sway over the empire of reason, there was some semblance of justice in the inquisitiorial deliberations; which, however, might have been dictated by prudence, or the fear of consequences; but we are no longer forced to appeal to those states that are now situated under the influence of Popery for examples of injustice, cruelty and oppression-we can appeal to the acts of the inquisitorial deliverations, which, however, might have been dictated by prudence, or the fear of consequences: but we are no longer forced to appeal to those states that are now situated under the influence of popery for examples of injustice, cruelty and oppression-we can appeal to the acts of the inquisitorial department organized in Nauvoo, by Joseph and his accomplices, for specimens of injustice of the most pernicious and diabolical character that ever stained the pages of the historian…
On thursday evening, the 18th of April, there was a council called, unknown to the Church, which tried, condemned, and cut off brothers Wm. Law, Wilson Law, and sister Law, (Wm’s. wife,) brother R. D. Foster, and one brother Smith, with whom we are unacquainted; which we contend is contrary to the book of Doctrine and Covenants, for our law condemnest no man until he is heard.
We abhor and protest against any council or tribunal in this Church, which will not suffer the accused to stand in its midst and plead their own cause. If an Agrippa would suffer a Paul, whose eloquence surpassed, as it were, the eloquence of men, to stand before him, and plead his own cause, why should Joseph, with others, refuse to hear individuals in their own defence?—
We answer, it is because the court fears the atrocity of its crimes will be exposed to public gaze. We wish the public to thoroughly understand the nature of this court, and judge of the legality of its acts as seemeth them good.
On Monday, the 15th of April, brother R.D. Foster had a notice served on him to appear before the High Council on Saturday following, the 20th, and answer to charges prefered against him by Joseph Smith. On Saturday, while Mr. Foster was preparing to take his witnesses, 4l in number, to the council-room, that he might make good his charges against Joseph, president Marks notified him that the trial had been on Thursday evening, before the 15th, and that he was cut off from the Church; and that same council cut off the brother Laws’, sister Law, anad brother Smith, and all without their knowledge.
They were not notified, neither did they dream of any such thing being done, for William Law had sent Joseph and some of the Twelve, special word that he desired an investigation before the Church o General Conference, on the 6th of Ap’l. The court, however, was a tribunal possessing no power to try Wm. Law, who was called by special Revelation, to stand as counsellor to the President of the Church. (Joseph,) which was twice ratified by General Conferences, assembled at Nauvoo, for Brigham Young, one of the Twelve, presided, whose duty it was not but the President of the High Council-See Book of Doctrine and Covanants, page 87.”
As you can see, William Law was the one foreordained to point out the errors of the church and offer the “reformation” that God had prophesied about.
He not only addressed the false doctrine of spiritual wife-polygamy, he also condemned the false multiple God doctrine that had been preached at the King Follett funeral and he pointed out how excommunications were being conducted contrary to the laws of God, without giving the accused the opportunity to be heard.
[refering to the fact that we can all become Christs and then become exactly like the Father and that the Father had once been a human being]
Unfortunately, the saints refused to repent and the Lord covered the eyes of all of the leaders of the church, including those of William Law, after he was forced to flee from Nauvoo for his life.
Despite the fact that the reputation of William Law has been assassinated by the modern corporate church, I am here to tell you that he was a good and noble man who was inspired to do what he did.
He helped to fulfill prophecy by publicly outing the abominable practices of God’s anointed servant and to help ignite the prophecy chastisement that was foretold in prophecy.
He also provided the opportunity for the saints to repent and return to the original precepts of the gospel as contained in the Book of Mormon and the 1833 Book of Commandments.
I firmly believe that William Law will return with brother Joseph and Sidney and others to complete his calling. Section 124 confirms this.
Praise God for President William Law.
(BTW, it is easy to get swept up in the currently popular “Joseph Smith is evil for sleeping with 14 year old girls” movement.
It is important to view all of this through the broader, prophetic context and to realize that Joseph had the sins of apostate latter day Israel placed upon him. Because the Saints cumulatively rejected the higher law of the gospel in 1834, Joseph, as their intercessor had their sins placed upon him and thus acted them out, Just as Moses sinned before the Lord after providing an atonement offering for ancient Israel.
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[Editorial Note: Although it appears to have been established that William Law did not personally participate in the mob that killed Joseph Smith and he denied having anything to do with the murder, there is a popular story in Mormonism about two teenage boys, Dennison Lott Harris and his friend, Robert Scott who testified that William Law and others held secret meetings plotting to destroy Joseph Smith to prevent the false prophet from doing further damage.
There is also another interesting story about two Mormon missionaries who obtained an affidavit from William Law’s sister stating that he made a deathbed confession admitting that he did in fact have some indirect involvement in the death of Joseph.
I have a copy of that affidavit in my files somewhere. It is also probably on the Internet somewhere.
Based on ancient prophecy, I am not sure it ultimately really matters what Law’s personal involvement was one way or the other.He was inspired to do what he did.
There is much information I could not include in the above article including the pleading of William Law to Joseph to repent and also the attempts by both Hyrum and Sidney to work out a deal with Law and reinstate him back into the First Presidency on condition that he would all off the dogs during the heated issue of Joseph’s involvement in Polygam, but Law would only be reconciled upon a public confession by Joseph Smith that the polygamy doctrine was from the devil and that Joseph had sinned… For those who don’t have the Book by Lindon Cook on Law, this article is amazing]
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
“Oh How Great is the Nothingness of Man”
I realize that many people will never allow themselves to believe that William Law was a good, noble and inspired counselor to Joseph Smith who was simply trying to get him and the church to repent and return to the foundational principles and ordinances.
One of the reasons why people reject William Law is because after he was rejected by the apostate church and had to flee from Nauvoo for his own safety, the Lord began to cover his eyes as prophesied in Isaiah and as required by the atonement statute. Hence, he began to doubt and eventually he rejected the validity of the original restoration. Naturally, he lost even more credibility with all branches of the restoration movement when he did that.
God made fools out of all of the Leaders and members of the Restored Church
By understanding the atonement statute, the scapegoat doctrine and the intercessory offering that the leaders of the LDS foundation movement offered in behalf of the apostate latter day saints we can realize that all of the early leaders of the church were playing roles in a prophetic scenario that required them to have their eyes covered.
One of the truly amazing things about the LDS restoration movement in the 2nd watch is that God categorically made a fool out of everyone involved to demonstrate that the work of men can be frustrated if they are not being led by God. (Section 3:3)
The work of man always fails once the Lord withdraws His spirit.
When the angel Moroni declared to Joseph Smith that his name would be had for good and evil he was saying that the name of Joseph Smith would justifiably be known for good and evil because after doing much good under the direction of the spirit, he would then loose his awareness, temporarily fall from grace and do much evil as God used him to deliver the latter day saints over to Satan for a little season.
“…by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God…”
(Deut 8:3, Matt 4:4, Mor 7:25, D&C 84:44, 98:11)
As we have shown in previous posts, scripture warns us time and again to discern every message regardless of who the messenger is.. We are to put our trust in the word of the Lord not in his mortal messenger.
Mortal messengers can lose the spirit and fail us, God’s word does not fail us.
God never commands us to categorically put our trust in a human messenger after they have delivered an inspired message from God. We are to discern every message regardless of who delivers it.
Personal revelation is required to pass the test.
One of the great lessons of the failed attempt to establish Zion in the 2nd watch is that when the saints collectively rejected the fullness of the Gospel, God withdrew his spirit from every single leader and member of the church and they all temporarily fell from grace with the prophetic promise that the light would shine forth again after a little season. Thankfully, Joseph, William, Sidney and others are retained mercy despite falling from grace.
Every one of the early high profile leaders from Joseph Smith, to all of those who served as his counselors, to the three witnesses to the eight witnesses to the 23 High Priests called at the Morley Farm to the Twelve Apostles and on and on, all of them humiliated themselves after God withdrew his spirit from them.
We can go down the list and find no exceptions.
“Those who live in glass houses…”
Most latter day saints will be shocked to find out that they have inherited lies.
The Lord rejected the restored church with their dead back in Nauvoo after becoming a condemned church in Kirtland.
The apostate church has been delivered over to Satan. They have been seduced into a satanic covenant containing the same blood oath and other ear marks of the covenant that Satan and Cain entered into.
We latter day Saints have been shaking hands with the devil for the better part of 200 years. Isaiah spoke of this in shock and amazement. The Latter day saints are taking comfort in a false covenant thinking that it will protect them when the overflowing scourge passes through:
“ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves… your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report”
Obviously, the latter day church has a role to play. The Book of Mormon is true and taking it to the world is a good thing that is helping to prepare the world for the Marvelous Work.
Testifying of the “name of Christ” is another good thing.
Testifying “of Christ” and claiming to know that he lives when a person has never seen him is not a good thing.
We live during the little season of spiritual darkness, deception and delusion when God has turned his face from the latter day saints. The greater endowment of having the heavens parted, seeing the Father and the Son, being endowed with power and and receiving one’s calling and election is not available during this designated time when the fulness of the gospel is not available to the saints.
The Marvelous Work that is about to come forth is when the light of the fulness of the gospel will re-emerge to light up this earth.
Those who claim to be parting the heavens and getting their calling and election at this time when the fulness of the gospel has been rejected and is being withheld are ether deceivers or they have been deceived.
If it was actually possible for people to get their calling and elections made sure at this time, most of the prophecies about the light shining forth and about the servants returning and about God’s deliverance would be false and unnecessary.
Originally, in the early years of the restoration it was clearly understood that the testimony of Jesus, was an essential part of the calling of an apostle. This is why the 12 apostles who were called in 1835 were told that their callings as apostles would not be complete until they saw God.
When John the Revelator said the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, he was probably explaining that it takes the spiritual gift of prophecy to see God and Christ since they live in eternity which is comprised of what we perceive to be the past present and future at the same time.
The true definition of “testimony” is given in section 76:22-23
“…this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him…”
As you can see, a person needs to actually see Christ and the Father in order to have a testimony that they live.
It is blasphemous for people who “believe” that God lives to testify that they have the “testimony” of Christ. Clearly, they don’t.
Joseph Smith told the early brethren who were anticipating the solemn assembly in the Kirtland Temple that those who were pure would see Christ. This is what the real “endowment” was, to have the heavens opened, receive power and see God.
“I feel disposed to speak a few words more to you, my brethren, concerning the endowment: All who are prepared, and are sufficiently pure to abide the presence of the Savior, will see him in the solemn assembly.” (DHC VII P. 308-310)
After years of having the awkward situation of members of the church asking modern general authorities if they have seen Christ, Joseph Fielding Smith took it upon him self to change the doctrine of testimony so that apostles were no longer required to have a direct visitation from Christ in order to say they had the apostolic testimony.
“Every member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles should have, and I feel sure have had, the knowledge of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This does not have to come by direct visitation of the Savior, but it does come from the testimony of the Holy Ghost. … The testimony of the Holy Ghost is the strongest testimony that can be given. It is better than a person visit” (emphasis is in the original – Doctrines of Salvation, 3:153)
It will one day be apparent who the true apostles and prophets are that have the true testimony of Jesus.
The Latter day Saints who do not repent when the servants return and warn them will not stand when the overflowing scourge passes through.
William Law and William Marks were considered “worse than dead”
Here is an entry from the 1840-1845 Journal of Heber C. Kimball:
“About 4 years ago next May [i.e., May 1842] nine persons were admitted into the Holy order 5 are now living–B. Young–W. Richards George Miller N. K. Whitney & H. C. Kimball two are dead [James Adams and Hyrum Smith], and two are worse than dead [the apostatized William Law and William Marks].” HC 5″
As you can see, some of the junior leaders of the church who were called to be apostles (but had not yet recieved the testimony of Jesus and should not have been allowed to preside over the church in established stakes of Zion), like Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young, John Taylor and Williard Richards began labeling people like William Marks and William Law as “worse than dead” because they rejected the secret oaths that Joseph began to administer.
They were considered “evil” for questioning Joseph Smith and trying to reform the church back to the simple pattern provided in the New Testament.
These men began to realize that the bizarre rituals Joseph was initiating people into were contrary to the simple gospel of Jesus Christ that had previously been revealed. The true endowment of visitation and power was being replace with a Masonic ritual containing blood oaths and secret handshakes and swearing by the neck.
William Law in particular became quite outspoken prior to the martyrdom about these strange practices and also began declaring polygamous relations as adulterous. He was sticking with the original celestial law of monogamy clearly outlined in the law of the Gospel contained in section 42. (see also section 49)
Sidney Rigdon and William Marks agreed with William Law about the false doctrines and abominations taking place in the church but they did not become as publicly vocal about these issues as William Law until after the martyrdom.
In defense of Sidney Rigdom’s decision to remain relatively silent regarding Joseph’s secret spiritual wife practice and his false teachings regarding the nature of God, he had been given an unconditional commandment to “not forsake” Joseph in section 35 and he appears to have taken that commandment very seriously even though he knew that Joseph was engaging in questionable behavior. Shortly after the martyrdom several people spoke of Sidney’s prounouncement that the Church had not been led by the spirit for a long time. Here is one of the accounts:
““he[Sidney] had known for some years that Joseph had not been led by the spirit of God [and gave this] as the reason why he did not attend with him as his counselor” See journal of Joseph Fielding
Isaiah prophesied that the Saints would cast away the “Law”
(Pun intended?)
Isaiah saw all of these amazing things happening. He could see that everything would become distorted and turned upside down shortly after the restoration of the church because the saints would reject the law of the gospel in section 42 and would try to add additional temple rituals and counterfeit endowments on top of the true and complete saving ordinances outlined in section 20.
By setting aside the celestrial law of monogamy laid out in section 42 in preference to the spiritual wife doctrine now canonized as section 132, the saints were casting away the law of the Lord:
“because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”
(Isa 5:24)
The good news in the ominous prophetic view that Isaiah provides in chapter 5 is that although the Lords “anger is not turned away”, “his hand is stretched out still”. (Isa 5:25)
Isaiah informs us that eventually the Lord will “lift up an ensign” and his word will “hiss unto them from the end of the earth” and “they shall come with speed swiftly”. (Isa 5:26-27)
The latter day saints have been temporarily forsaken
The Lord informed Moses that the latter day saints would break the covenant and go a whoring after other Gods. He foresaw that God would temporarily forsake the saints and hide his face from them
16 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?
18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. Deut 31:16-17
Isaiah also prophesied of the same event that was revealed to Moses pertaining to the God of Israel forsaking his people for a time.
5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
It is important to realize that the Marvelous Work is yet a work to come forth and it is important to begin realizing the truth about what really happened. The Lord compassionately delivered his people over to Satan.
We need to know the truth about the early leaders of the church because they will play integral roles in the Marvelous Work during the 3rd watch.
If we take the unconditional promises seriously which are contained in the revealed word of God, we will realize and anticipate that great and noble men like Joseph Smith Jr., William Marks, William Law, Frederick G. Williams, Sidney Rigdon and others who have all suffered from character assassination will return to fulfill their callings when the Marvelous Work begins.
This post is a tribute to William Law, one of the truly great men of the kingdom. I realize that virtually everyone on just about every side of Mormonism hates William Law but I am simply taking God at his word that William will repent and return and be filled with the spirit of God.
Viewing the Character and Prophetic Role of William Law through God’s Word
Here is what God has to say about William Law in the last major prophetic revelation that was given to the saints in Nauvoo:
“Let my servant William Law pay stock into that house, for himself and his seed after him, from generation to generation.” (124:82)
It was a great honor to be able to pay stock in the Nauvoo House. Not everyone was allowed to. William Law was a scriptural literalist that was counted worthy by the Lord to help fund the Nauvoo House because he believed the word of God as contained in the standard works as they stood in 1841..
One of the qualifications for being able to pay stock was to be grounded in the faith and in the scriptures. Anyone who taught or professed any doctrines, commandments or saving ordinances that constituted more or less than what was currently canonized in the Book of Mormon and that Doctrine and Covenants at the time section 124 was given, was considered impure and not worthy of pay for stock in the Nauvoo House:
. 119 And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God;
120 For that which is more or less than this cometh of evil, and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen.
In addition to the great honor of being able to pay for stock in the Nauvoo House, William Law was to be given the same keys as Hyrum, by which he might obtain blessings of knowledge.
97 Let my servant William Law also receive the keys by which he may ask and receive blessings; let him be humble before me, and be without guile, and he shall receive of my Spirit, even the Comforter, which shall manifest unto him the truth of all things, and shall give him, in the very hour, what he shall say.
From the above prophecy it is clear that William was foreordained to have the “truth of all things” manifest to him by the comforter. William was to be given utterance in the “very hour” of what he was to say.
As we shall see as this story about William Law continues to unfold that he was foreordained to expose the secret practices and false doctrines that were being introduced into the church in Nauvoo. He was the one that invited the Saints to REFORM. ( as prophesied in the Book of Commandments)
This next passage from section 124 provides a great key verifying that William Law was to return in the 3rd watch with the fullness of the Melchizedek priesthood notice.
98 And these signs shall follow him—he shall heal the sick, he shall cast out devils, and shall be delivered from those who would administer unto him deadly poison;
99 And he shall be led in paths where the poisonous serpent cannot lay hold upon his heel, and he shall mount up in the imagination of his thoughts as upon eagles’ wings.
100 And what if I will that he should raise the dead, let him not withhold his voice.
101 Therefore, let my servant William cry aloud and spare not, with joy and rejoicing, and with hosannas to him that sitteth upon the throne forever and ever, saith the Lord your God.
102 Behold, I say unto you, I have a mission in store for my servant William, and my servant Hyrum, and for them alone; and let my servant Joseph tarry at home, for he is needed. The remainder I will show unto you hereafter. Even so. Amen.
If you do a keyword search on “heal sick” and “cast out devils” and miracles and “poison” you will be taken to a handful of prophetic passages that describe how the Lords servants will return to gather the elect with full power in their priesthood.
William Law is going to return at the time of controversy and he will be doing miracles.
He will heal the sick, cast out devils and remain unharmed with people attempt to poison him.
Amen.
He will even raise the dead!
Amen.
Many latter day saints will probably say he is an imposter or possessed and filled with a demon and they will close their eyes and their ears at what is happening as people like him and Sidney, and William and Lyman and Joseph and many others return.
Another passage in section 124 commands the saints to hearken to the counsel of William along with Joseph and Hyrum;
“And hearken unto the counsel of my servants Joseph, and Hyrum, and William Law, and unto the authorities which I have called to lay the foundation of Zion; and it shall be well with him forever and ever. Even so. Amen” (124:118)
Section 124 also calls William Law along with Sidney Rigdon to be counselors to Joseph Smith.
126 I give unto him for counselors my servant Sidney Rigdon and my servant William Law, that these may constitute a quorum and First Presidency, to receive the oracles for the whole church.
127 I give unto you my servant Brigham Young to be a president over the Twelve traveling council;
It is important to remember that Joseph Smith did not call William Law and Sidney Rigdon to be his counselors…
God did.
And God never called Brigham to preside over the church or to preside in Zion.
Brigham was called to be one of the 12 apostles which is a life long calling as a traveling missionary council.
William Law’s appointment, by revelation, as a councilor in the First Presidency is something that William Law pointed out in the expositor.
We are going to take a close look at William and view him through the eyes of God in the next installment
Keep watching
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
I have been blogging for about three years now.
The general purpose of my blogs are to get people back into the scriptures and to take the scriptures seriously and literally and to BELIEVE THEM!
I encourage people to revisit what the scriptures actually say compared to what LDS lesson manuals and leaders claim that they teach.
The primary purpose of my first blog is to provide scriptural testimony that the Marvelous Work and a Wonder did not begin during the 14 year ministry of Joseph Smith but rather it is a future event, one that very possibly begins to come forth within the next few years. It is true that the New Testament church of Christ was restored to the earth along with many truths, however, the work of Joseph Smith and others had to do with laying the foundation of the Marvelous Work which would come forth at a future time.
Another false doctrine that has been taught is that the dispensation of the fulness of times was ushered in back during Joseph Smith’s public ministry. Extensive documentation exists in the scriptures pertaining to what the dispensation of the fulness of times really entails and how it was not ushered in, in 1820’s as many erroneously teach.
The truth is that the saints were just beginning to attempt to usher it in when they transitioned from Far West to Nauvoo (as verified in section 128) but they failed.
It is clearly explained in section 124 and other passages of scripture and confirmed by LDS church history that the Lord rejected the Latter day Saints as a church along with their dead when they failed to repent, live the gospel law of consecration, restore the fulness of the priesthood which had been lost and complete the Nauvoo Temple.
The Second blog of mine (this one) deals with deep doctrine and brings to light many of the false and insidious doctrines that the modern corporate church teaches.
Needless to say, I don’t get many visitors to either of my two blogs and when I do, they usually flee once they see a little bit of the highly controversial content.
I fully understand why they do.
The LDS people have been indoctrinated to think that they belong to the only true church that has been restored but cannot fall into apostasy like the New Testament church did.
They have been indoctrinated to believe that it is a grievous sin to ever question authority or to doubt the general authorities.
They have been indoctrinated to think they should never exercise critical thinking while reading the scriptures and history of the church, or read material having an alternate view.
For these reasons, it must be a terrifying thing to happen on to sites like mine.
Ancient prophets referred to the time we live in as a period of “hidden darkness“, meaning that God’s people would think they live during religiously enlightened times even though we ourselves and the entire world are in all actuality in a state of spiritual darkness.
The scriptures have informed us that the reason that our minds have been darkened is because God placed blindness over Israel way back in ancient times and that the blindness would not be removed until the appointed time, when the dispensation of the fulness of times is ushered in.
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom 11:25)
It has never been my intent or desire to provide this information to people who are happy and content to be in the latter day corporate church. I believe they are probably where they need to be at this time..
This is why I like the blog platform. It provides a format where people only find this information if they are actively searching for it.
My interest is in providing this information to those who feel strongly that the restored gospel is true but they are having a difficult time reconciling the original gospel that was restored by Joseph Smith with the one that is being lived and promoted by the current corporate Church.
Many of these people are concerned about the direction the modern church. Some are experiencing a crisis of faith because of some of the troubling and disconcerting information that has surfaced about LDS church doctrine and the history of the Church.
Recently I blogged about the Google apostasy that Marlin Jensen spoke about at Utah State University.
Although that particular post ranked on the first page of Google pertaining to most of the key words associated with the topic, I only got a hand full of unique visitors at my blog. My usual 40 to 50 visitors grew conservatively to about 60 or 70, however, three of the visitors that made comments appeared to be paid influencers.
The irony of being visited by paid shills right after making a post that addressed the general topic of how the church was actively taking measures on the internet to counteract negative public opinion, was unbelievable to me. One would think that the church would not want to take the chance of shilling someone who already suspects the church of trying to influence public opinion. That would produce a high probability of being caught wouldn’t it?
After doing a little research and finding what I consider to be compelling evidence that I was being shilled by paid influencers, I decided to expose what was being done on a following post about the Google apostasy.
That following post seemed to hit a nerve.
Within about a week I got 497 unique visitors to that last blog post resulting in nearly 1,400 views to various posts and articles I have previously written on this blog. (I don’t keep track of the stats on the other blog and therefore don’t know how many people have visited it recently)
Although 497 unique visitors is really not many visitors compared to what most popular blogs get, it still represents a huge increase from what I normally get.
Interestingly, nearly 15% of those unique visitors were driven to my post from something somebody posted on facebook. Since I don’t have or want a facebook account, I have no idea who it was or what they said. (But I am curious)
Nearly 20% of those unique visitors were driven to my post from an LDS chatboard called “LDS Freedom Forum“.
Someone on that forum actually posted the content of my blog into a post in the forum (although he surgically removed the links my post provided to the controversial doctrinal information about the false doctrines that the church teaches.)
In my opinion, this type of content would never have attracted any viewers ten years ago. The fact that it has generated as much interest as it has may be a sign that things are changing. One wonders if something like this could actually go viral in a big way at some point in time.
It has been interesting to read the comments that my post generated from members of that forum. It would appear to me as if the Church has been shilling that forum for some time to keep people from straying too far off the path and to keep them in spiritual oppression and bondage.
In my opinion however, any paid shills probably don’t do near the damage that ignorant members of the church do in their attempts to defend their faith and call their fellow brethren to repentance for being critical of the authorities.
Nevertheless, I noticed something quite encouraging as I read some of the comments. Even though most of the commenters were your typical apologists discounting the evidence and warning everyone not to be critical of the brethren, there were a few commenters that had seemed to understand the severity of our current situation and just how wrong it is for a religious organization to be involved in this type of activity.
Some of the more rigid and sanctimonious ones with blinders on ominously warned that this must mark the beginning of the separation of the wheat from the tares (with the wheat staying in the church and loyally but blindly following the brethren of course).
Curious to know what would happen if someone actually posted a scathing rebuke of how the brethren no longer allow themselves to be held accountable by the church membership, I had a very controversial article that addresses this topic posted within that particular thread.
I frankly did not even think the forum moderator would allow it to be published on that site but to my surprise, they did.
The short pontification actually generated one or two positive or neutral comments that were followed by a few private emails of encouragement.
This got me thinking, “could it be that God is finally beginning to take blindness off of Israel in preparation for the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times?”
Anyway, I have decided to copy the pontification and paste it for your review below, followed by a short poll for you to state how you would respond if the church was shilling you.
Enjoy
Pontification Posted on the LDS Freedom Forum
This discussion has been an interesting one to follow. Both of them actually, since this tread has morphed into at least two topics or more… but, getting back to the original discussion, I believe many of the issues being brought up in this thread parallel some of the fundamental underlying issues pertaining to the war in heaven which is being continued here in hell or, a I mean earth.
(having to do with oppression, force, authoritarianism, intimidation, kissing the Pope’s a#* I mean ring vs. liberty, free speech and agency and taking the spirit as your guide, etc.).
It is really interesting to see people on one side of the debate always talking about finding safety in following the “brethren” and staying true to the “church” while the people on the other side of the debate speak of “following the Holy Ghost” and being true to the “gospel”.
I would like to ask the folks on this forum a two primary questions:
1. “Is it possible to file a complaint against someone to the appropriate church authorities and request that a disciplinary church court be held to evaluate their standing in the church without being ‘critical’ of their actions or statements?”
Please think this question over really carefully cuz it is a trick question.
I personally don’t think it is possible to bring someone into a church court without making a critical assessment of something they have done wrong.
Obviously we are to love the sinner but not embrace the sin that is committed. Nevertheless, we still hold those wonderful “courts of love” that result in destroying people’s reputations, families and livelihoods… and for good reason.. usually.
I don’t think that being critical is categorically bad.
Sometimes it is bad, but sometimes it is necessary and justified.
In fact, God requires the church membership to make judgments about people’s actions and to take action in order to protect the church from being overcome with sin.
If someone brings something to the attention of the appropriate church authorities that they think is a serious offense that warrants a bishop’s court or high council court, I would think that they are being critical, but they are only wrong in being critical if they are wrong about their accusation.
Here are some examples of sinful actions that might result in justified critical thoughts from members of the church:
A person gets drunk and smokes weed and gets high daily but enjoys having a temple recommend.
Does that warrant a critical judgment that could result in a complaint to church authorities?
A person commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife.
Does that warrant a critical judgment that could result in a complaint to church authorities?
Are any of those complaints worthy of disciplinary action by a church court and if so, don’t they require someone to observe them and make a critical judgment that results in a complaint to the church authorities?
I think they do..
And I think that there are times when the church needs to take action against those who are sinning.
In other words, if a lay member of the church or someone in authority thinks that someone in the church has made a serious enough mistake that a disciplinary church court should be held, they are making a critical observation.
Here is a text book example of how the Lord mandates criticism within the church:
“Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out. But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive; But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.”
That commandment from the Lord contained in section 42 commands the church to make a critical but accurate judgment about a person’s actions and if necessary, to “cast out” those who don’t repent of adultery.
Does it not take criticism to observe that someone is committing adultery and then to cast the unrepentant adulterer out of the church for adultery?
Of course it does.
Here is another mandate from the Lord to look at fellow church members critically:
“And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it; For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.” (3rd Nephi 18: 28-29)
How can any member of the church follow the above mandate from the Lord in preventing people from partaking of the sacrament unworthily if it is a sin to be critical of others?
Is it only the people who are in leadership positions who are allowed to make critical judgments?
Obviously, church courts are conducted by those who are in certain leadership positions and ultimately it is those people that have the awesome and unenviable responsibility of passing disciplinary judgment on their fellow saints, but I would venture to guess that in most cases, the sin is brought to the attention of the leadership by a concerned member of the church who is not going to ultimately be sitting in judgment in the church court.
Do lay members of the church have the right and responsibility to make these critical observations when they see them?
Of course they do. That is what the Lord has commanded us to do.
Remember, the following passage in the New Testament?-
” JUDGE not, that ye be not judged.”
It represents a corrupted passage of scripture.
It was corrected and restored to it’s original statement in the JST
“Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged; but judge righteous judgment.”
Question #2. (this one is also a trick question of sorts)
Why did the Lord provide specific instructions on how to hold a church court for the President of the Church?
Was he being facetious or disingenuous when he gave us that protocol or was he being serious?
If it is really a cardinal sin to ever be critical of the Prophet of the Church and if we are to turn and look the other way and leave it up to the Lord to correct the situation whenever the president of the Church does something that is potentially harmful to the church or his own personal spiritual well being, WHY DID THE LORD GIVE US INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHURCH CAN BE DISCIPLINED OR EXCOMMUNICATED?
I would suggest that it is because the Lord, in his infinite foreknowledge and wisdom knew that Presidents of the church are human beings that are subject to making serious mistakes just like everyone else.
I would suggest that He knew that there would (or at least could) be future circumstances when a president of the church might do something wrong for which he would need to be corrected, if not cut off.
Interestingly, there are people in this forum who seem to believe that it would be a mortal sin to ever be critical of the president of the church and other general authorities.
[b][u]The very belief that nobody should ever be critical of the president of the church completely negates the Lords instructions on how to hold a church court on the president of the church.[/u][/b]
If church members have no right or responsibility to make righteous judgments about how the church is being governed then it appears as if the Lord made a very serious error in providing a protocol for holding a disciplinary counsil concerning the conduct of the president of the church.
It is interesting to note that Joseph Smith was actually brought before a disciplinary court as a result of a complaint by a fellow saint stemming from issues that took place during Zions Camp.
The brother who filed the charges was named Sylvester Smith, one of the captains who served in the Zion’s Camp expedition. The charges had to do with “criminal conduct” along with the fact that Sylvester felt that Joseph had used “insulting and abusive language” towards him.
One can only imagine what was going on in the minds of the council members who tried the case. Perhaps they were wondering what would ever happen to the church in the event that the Lord’s prophet seer and revelator was ever excommunicated from the church.
The court ultimately rendered a verdict in favor of Joseph.
To the credit of Sylvester Smith, who was reprimanded as a result of the church council that he caused to be held, he did not leave the church because of that incident.
To the credit of Joseph Smith who was deeply humiliated in front of the entire church by the court proceedings and some of the testimony that was given by other witnesses that sided with Sylvester, he did not seek retribution of any kind.
Within a year after Sylvester brought charges against the Prophet, he was called to serve on the Kirtland High Council and shortly after that, he was called and ordained as one of the inaugural presidents of the Seventies which would indicate to me that neither Joseph Smith or the Lord harbored ill will against him for bringing the critical charges against the prophet.
There are obviously some disagreements between members of this forum as to whether there are serious problems within the church.
One thing is for sure, if there ever are serious problems with the leaders of this church, the problem can never be corrected based on the absurd notion that members of the church never have the right to ever be critical of church leaders and that only the leadership of the church have the right to be critical of their own sins.
The truth is that church leaders need to have the positive burden and tension of knowing that they are being watched by loving members who understand sound doctrine and want to accept their responsibility of participating in keeping the church on the right path.
I believe the Lord originally put two very important measures for a checks and balances between the leadership and the lay membership of this church. I believe those two measures are as follows:
1- He made members of the church responsible for bringing anyone, including church authorities into a church court anytime they commit a grievous sin.
2- He put in place the law of common consent giving the membership the right to reject new doctrines, commandments or church callings that is presented before the church
I believe both of those checks and balances have been negated by false teachings and perceptions currently held in the church.
Members have been brainwashed to believe that they can never be justified in bringing criticism against a general authority and they have been brain washed into believing that refusing to sustain the brethren in any doctrine, commandment or new leadership calling is categorically wrong and sinful.
If the church was running the way the Lord meant for it to run, someone would request that the Church look into the allegations and associated evidence that has been publicly provided regarding the use of paid employees to sway public opinion and to lie about who they actually represent.
After all, two separate witnesses who probably don’t even know each other have obtained evidence and made allegations. One has actually provided compelling information which the church has made no attempt to refute or explain. (and you can be sure there are people in high places that know about the post that started this discussion.
“in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established”
If the allegations turn out to me wrong, everyone including the general authority over the strengthening the church members committee will feel much better after having the truth be brought to light and the authorities vindicated.
If in fact the allegations are true, an investigation needs to be held to see just how far up the chain of command the responsibility goes and the necessary disciplinary action needs to take place even if it goes all the way up to an Apostle or President. By that holy process given to us by the Lord we can correct the problem and move forward.
[polldaddy poll=6256953]
Click here for Google Apostasy Part 1
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
On Saturday, March 31, 2012 a blogger by the name of Denver Snuffer claimed that the Mormon Church was using employees to post online responses using personas and anonymous identities with the intent to influence public opinion within church circles. Here are his comments below:
” The City Creek multi-billion dollar project has excited a lot of criticism. The result has been dismay by many faithful Latter-day Saints. Their anxiety over the project has become the subject of many conversations on the Internet.
To grapple with this outpouring of criticism and in some cases disgust, the church has paid employees and volunteers who post on-line responses using personas, or anonymous identities to beat back those who express concern. Many of the multiple personas are put up by the same church employee.”
.
Snuffer is a faithful member of the church and an attorney. He did not explain how he obtained this sensitive information however; it is difficult to believe that he just made it up.
[Editorial Note: Snuffer has since been excommunicated from the church for apostasy]
Although I found his accusations fascinating, that the LDS church was using paid shills to influence the thinking of members of the church, I didn’t really put much additional thought into it.
Recently however, I encountered a situation that has caused me to focus my attention on this issue.
In my last blog post I commented on the recent remarks of Elder Marlin K. Jensen at Utah State University and how the current “Google Apostasy” represents the greatest turbulence and crises of faith among Mormons since the Kirtland apostasy back in the 1830’s.
Jensen had acknowledged that many Mormons were experiencing a crisis of faith because Google and the internet was bringing to light some very perplexing and distressing doctrinal and historical issues pertaining to the LDS religion. Jensen then assured the audience he was speaking to, that the church was taking measures to deal with the situation.
In that post I mentioned that the church had hired an SEO expert to try and redirect people searching on the internet to neutral and positive websites instead of negative anti-Mormon websites. I speculated that they were probably doing some online reputation management work as well.
In my blog I also mentioned that I am working on a paper that will provide a biblical profile of the calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith that will explain why he did all of the bizarre, contradictory things that he did. I claimed that my paper would provide a legitimate biblical/prophetic answer for every single disturbing issue that skeptics of Mormonism like to bring up. ( I had hoped to release the paper by April 6th but now it is looking like it will be closer to May 20th)
Within a very short period of time I had several visitors make comments… three of the visitors that made comments are the topic of this post.
The first commenter I want to speak about had a screen name of “Ted“.
Ted took issue with one of the critical comments that I made where I claimed that the current general authorities of the Mormon Church were not very knowledgeable about church history or doctrine.
He felt that the talks from the brethren are inspiring and that they do contain scriptural references. He then appeared to be in somewhat of an agreement with me that difficult issues should be addressed more adequately by the Church on their websites. Here is one of his comments:
“I love Rough Stone Rolling, and would love more direct approaches to dealing with challenging issues on the Church websites“.
This passionate statement appeared to be agreeing in part with some of the things I had said on my post.
Nevertheless, the person who was presenting himself as a hard-hitting and passionate member of the church ( who loves controversial books on LDS church history) made the authoritarian observation that:
“..what these men [the general authorities] speak is scripture”
I will come back to Ted and his very calculated remarks in a minute but for now, let me just say that the IP address from which Ted’s comments came is 216.49.181.254
Within 5 minutes after Ted posted his remarks, a fellow by the screen name of Evan Valenatine made the following declaration:
“I am glad that the church is putting in an effort to counteract the effects of these websites, and I hope that they do more.”
I will also return to Evan in a minute but for now, please make note of the IP address that he was posting from:
216.49.181.254
I thought it was interesting that these two different people were coming from the same IP address.
Perhaps they live in the same home or apartments I thought to myself.
At this point my curiosity got the better of me so I did a reverse IP address search to see who owns that particular IP address.
Guess who owns it…
Well, we will get to that in a minute. The story gets better.
A few days later a person using the screen name of “Mark-e-Mark and the Funky Bunch” paid my blog post a visit quoting Heber C. Kimball and warning that the “very first step of apostasy commenced with losing confidence in the leaders of the church”
He then lovingly counseled me to “not rely so much on the logical“.
“faith is rarely logical” he assured me.
You will never guess what IP address he was posting from so I will simply tell you.
216.49.181.254
That’s right, he was posting from the same IP address as Ted and Evan.
Imagine that, Ted, Evan and Mark-E were all taking issue with me, sticking up for the modern corporate church and they were all posting from the same IP address, what a coincidence!
I had a doctrinal exchange with Mark-e-Mark, and told him why I felt he was putting his faith in the “arm of flesh“. He visited me again to make a rebuttal.
Following his rebuttal, he apparently began making comments on another controversial LDS blog using a different screen name. Then, he had another thought that he wanted to make on my post. In his rush to make the response on my blog, he forgot to change the screen name he had been using to make comments on a different controversial LDS related blog site.
The screen name he mistakenly used this time was “I love the Circus”
Naturally, that screen name also came from 216.49.181.254
He then acknowledged that he had made a mistake in using the circus screen name and changed back to Mark-E-Mark..
In the spirit of mocking me and my screen name, Mark-E-Mark decided to create a unique screen name of “onewhoiswaiting” which would apparently be dedicated to making comments on my blog. Apparently, in anticipation of cyberstalking my future posts he decided to go to the trouble of creating a screen name that would be dedicated to countering the information on my future blog posts.
As you have probably already guessed, all of these people and comments that I have been speaking about were coming from the same IP address and according to the reverse search service that I used, that IP address is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After doing a little further research, I believe I have identified exactly who one of the people is. I have reason to believe he is a full time employee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. He was hired away from Microsoft and works in the LDS Church “user research” division.
Perhaps the user research division is the same division that Denver Snuffer was referring to.
I even know which arm of the church he works for and the general physical location of the building that houses their “user research” specialists.
The block it is on appears to be located on or close to 21st South between 4th and 5th East in Salt Lake City Utah.
The map below shows an Arial view of the general location where their facility is located, according to the analytics provided by wordpress.
After realizing that Ted, Evan, Mark-E, and “I love the Circus” were all coming from the same IP address that is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and that the people (or person) posting comments appeared to be employees of the Mormon Church, I wanted to give Mark-E Mark the opportunity to come clean and admit that he was a paid influencer working for the Mormon Church if in fact he was.
I made the following statement/question:
“I am going to invite you to publicly acknowledge whether or not you are on the payroll of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
I think readers of this blog have a right to know if you are an independent influencer acting solely on your own, or if you are a paid influencer who is attempting to do damage control and retain tithe payers for the LDS Church who are troubled about disconcerting things they are finding out about church doctrine and history.”
Here is his response:
“I am just a normal guy. My goal is not to influence anyone. I do act independently and if my statements are of influence, then so be it. That is for your readers to decide. I am not [a] paid influencer “attempting to do damage control and retain tithe payers for the LDS Church”. Truth stands on it’s own.”
There you have it… That was his response
It also occurred to me that perhaps these people were just rogue employees of the church who were making these posts from their employers IP (some during work hours, some late at might) without being directed to do so. So I emailed MarkE and the others and showed them this post before posting it, giving them the opportunity to respond and explain what their real motivation was and whether they were directed by their employer or not.
It has been over a week with no response.
I have been feeling pretty important and honored to realize that the user experience department of the LDS Church may be among my very small group of blog followers. Members of the church should be aware that this may be an activity the church is investing in.
Are the brethren concerned about the information I have been blogging about?
If so, they must deem something that I am saying to be disruptive enough to do this types of activity.
Is there something they don’t want you to know?
Things I have been blogging about
It is actually difficult to know for sure what concerns them the most because I have written over 300 posts and articles on a large array of issues during the last three years.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know the truth about the fact that the Marvelous Work is a future event that takes place in the third watch.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know the truth about Kirtland and the Jerusalem Isaiah spoke about.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know the truth about what really happened at the special conference at the Morley Farm and the fact that there are actually three levels of priesthood.
Perhaps they don’t want the truth revealed about the true role of prophets and how God does use prophets to teach false doctrine and lead the unfaithful and ignorant astray.
Perhaps they don’t want people to understand that salvation in the highest kingdom is only obtained through the spiritual rebirth and baptism of fire which they cannot administer.
Perhaps they don’t want people to understand that the stone that Daniel saw rolling forth in power has nothing to do with the current Mormon Church.
Perhaps they don’t want it understood that after the true Church of Christ was restored and then fell into apostasy, the name of the condemned church was changed to the Church of the Latter day Saints and then eventually to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
Perhaps they don’t want people to realize that the church that came forth out of the wilderness of darkness, according to modern revelation, went back into the wilderness of darkness within a few years after the restoration.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know how to identify the seven signs of the only true church and to realize that those signs are vacant in the current Mormon church.
Perhaps they don’t want people to understand what ancient prophecy actually says about the ministry of Joseph Smith and about the atonement statute.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know the real truth about the succession doctrine and what really happened during the succession crisis.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know about why Joseph and Oliver kept the visitation of Christ and three angels at the Kirtland Temple and the related events contained in section 110 a secret from the saints.
Perhaps they don’t want people to know who Sidney Rigdon really is and why we have not seen the last of him
Perhaps they don’t want people to know the truth about section 132 and the spiritual wife doctrine
There are legitimate biblical and historical answers to every disturbing issue that skeptics bring up
The powers that be apparently don’t want people who are experiencing a crisis in faith to see the shocking, yet comforting and faith promoting answers to all of the disturbing information out there about Joseph Smith and the LDS restoration movement. It appears they would prefer that people lose their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ rather than to learn the truth about the modern corporate church.
My how the evolving leadership of the corporate church over the last 180 years has deviated from being focused on taking care of the poor and the cause of Zion, to building billion dollar shopping malls and encouraging shoppers to purchase $10,000 designer watches. It would appear as if they have become preoccupied with silencing the small voices like mine instead of listening to THE still small voice.
Naturally, I am curious to know who is over the “paid employees and volunteers who post on-line responses using personas, or anonymous identities to beat back those who express concern.” if in fact Denver is correct.
In my next post I am going to provide a link to a synopsis of what actually happened during the 14 year public ministry of the prophet Joseph Smith.
In that synopsis I will provide a credible biblical explanation of what took place during the LDS restoration movement. In it, I am going to bring to light the disruptive information that the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter days Saints desperately don’t want to the membership of the church to know.
It will contain a response to all of the difficult questions being asked by skeptics and unbelievers.
[Related article that has since come out by the NYT “Some Mormons Search the Web and Find Doubt“]
.Click here for Google Apostasy Part 1
.Click here for Google Apostasy Part 3
Click here for Google Apostasy Part 4
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Wikipedia
“A shill, plant, or stooge is a person who publicly helps a person or organization without disclosing that he has a close relationship with that person or organization. Shill typically refers to someone who purposely gives onlookers the impression that he is an enthusiastic independent customer of a seller (or marketer of ideas) for whom he is secretly working. The person or group who hires the shill is using crowd psychology, to encourage other onlookers or audience members to purchase the goods or services (or accept the ideas being marketed). Shills are often employed by professional marketing campaign….. Shilling is illegal in many circumstances and in many jurisdictions[1] because of the frequently fraudulent and damaging[vague] character of the shill’s actions..”
14 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: denver snuffer. paid shills, exmormon.org, google apostasy, John Dehlin, LDS, Marlin K. Jensen, mclay, mormon, mormonstories, NYT article, Related article that has since come out by the NYT "Some Mormons Search the Web and Find Doubt, Simon Southerton, Some Mormons Search the Web and Find Doubt | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
I don’t seem to make much time for blogging anymore… I have several unfinished series that will apparently remain unfinished for some time. My energies have been focused in a different directions.
I recently made a Walipini (earth sheltered greenhouse) and it has really been a fun project. We should get our first freeze in this neck of the woods within the next three weeks and then I will see if all of my hard work has paid off. I hope to provide pics on one of my posts some time in the future.
I want to share a few things that have been happening and/or things that have been on my mind lately.
In this post I will be rambling about various related and unrelated things-
A month or two ago NEPT send me the following link to a newspaper article which I found very interesting.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52412444-78/polygamy-mormon-hudson-lds.html.csp
It is also very timely since it is about polygamy and lots of people have been blogging about polygamy lately…
A fellow by the name of Mark recently sent me the following heads up
“Hi Watcher,
Not sure if you ever read Denver Snuffer’s posts – but his latest I thought you may find interesting: his conclusion that Joseph never taught that plural wives was a requirement for exaltation – that only came from Brigham.
http://denversnuffer.blogspot.com/2011/09/joseph-smiths-limited-plural-marriage.html
_____
Snuffer presents an interesting case that Joseph did not teach the multiple wives was necessary for the highest salvation.
By the way, Rock has been threatening to revisit the topic of polygamy again.. It will be interesting to see if he changes his stance on whether JS participated in the practice or not…. I always find his articles entertaining and thought provoking.
Anyway,
The above newspaper article is about a paper presented at the recent FAIR conference. It was given by a prominent BYU professor who is a high profile Mormon feminist. Valerie Hudson is really quite a high powered gal… here is her website…. http://vmrhudson.org/
She has created an organization to promote LDS scholarship. You can read about it along with some interesting article here http://squaretwo.org/
At the FAIR conference Hudson proposed a different interpretation of section 132. One that suggests that polygamy was given as a temporary sacrifice, not an ongoing blessing.
If I felt that section 132 was a valid revelation I would be sorely tempted to take her interpretation of it seriously.
I would love to see the actual transcript of the talk she gave. I noticed a comment on a blog that indicated that it was retty much the same as what is in this article on her site http://www.squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleCasslerPolygamy.html (I don’t know if that is true)
I believe she has an amazing amount of courage to publicly dictate why the doctrine of polygamy will never be lived again by the Latter day Saints.
Rumor has it that she has really pissed of some of the brethren by her remarks.
While checking out some of her article I read an interesting one she wrote entitled
The Curious Appeal of Roman Catholicism
for Certain Latter-day Saint Intellectuals
In that article she references that fascinating conversion to Catholicism of Mormon professor Richard Sherlock.
Click on the following link to here USU philosophy professor Richard Sherlock explain why he left Mormonism and converted to Roman Catholicism http://usu-shaft.com/2011/audio-of-dr-sherlocks-conversion-story/
Frankly, I was underwhelmed with the guy and his deductive reasoning abilities. I suspect he is a Jesuit plant who never understood the Mormon religion.
The only thing of interest in his entire talk was that he made reference to the unscriptural doctrines that Joseph Smith introduced in the 1840’s.
Of course, I have pointed out in several blogs why the gospel and associated doctrines of Mormonism in the 1830’s is so incredibly and radically different than the gospel and related doctrines of Mormonism of the 1840’s… which reminds of another interesting event.
The folks at Mormon stories sponsored a tribute to D. Michael Quinn. I really appreciate the research and integrity Quinn has put forth in getting the truth out about Mormon history. I owe him big time for providing critical historical information that has helped me get down the rabbit hole more quickly and to find missing pieces of the prophet puzzel.
If you are interested in hearing Quinns story and answers to questions during his recent visit to the City of Salt, click here. http://mormonstories.org/?p=1787
When someone asked Mike about the future of the church, he said, “Historians don’t make good prophets”.
After hearing some of Quinns personal beliefs and his love for Brigham Young, I would add that “historians don’t make good theologians” either!
Speaking of the huge change between the 1830’s and 1840’s, the folks over at Mormon Expression had an essay contest where they invited folks to send in a 10 minute audio essay about anything related to Mormonism.
The Mormon Expression Podcast is largely directed to those who have lost their faith relating to Mormonism. I was curious to see if there were any disenfranchised Mormons over there that were well read in church history and the scriptures and I wanted to see what kind of response I would get if I summarized what happened at the special conference at the Morley Farm.
Hence, I sent in an audio summary of the Special Conference.
You can hear it by clicking on the link below (if I did this correctly)
ests]
Sadly, the recording did not generated much discussion. However, there was one person by the name of Jason that made a comment.
In responding to him I was able to chrystalize in my mind how differently the process and methodology is of how believers and non believers interpret LDS history. I was also able to respond to the false idea perpetuated by anti-Mormon scholars that JS never mentions the first vision or restoration of priesthood until 1835 (the comments will make more sense if you listen to the recording first).
I thought some of you might find the exchange between me and Jason interesting. I have provided our exchange below-
JASON: The June 1831 Conference always fascinated me since I first read about it for the first time in Bushman’s Rough Stone Rolling. I appreciate your faith-promoting interpretation because you remain consistent with the facts.
However, I believe an alternative explanation is more plausible. Namely, Smith actually believed the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored for the first time in 1831 when he declared it so at that time.
It isn’t until later that Smith retroactively claimed that he received the Melchizedek Priesthood from Peter, James, and John in 1829. In his traditional fashion, Smith fashioned a more charismatic, more grandiose story of priesthood restoration to gain a following at a time when members were leaving in droves.
Martin Harris and David Whitmer had never heard of angelic beings who restored the higher priesthood until quite later. Indeed, few members had ever heard of this account until well after the alleged date of the priesthood’s restoration in 1829. Indeed, Oliver Cowdry and others later retrofitted the Book of Commandments with the higher priesthood’s restoration by the hands of Peter, James, and John. D. Michael Quinn thoroughly addressed this problem in the first Mormon Hierarchy book.
However, Smith’s problem was that he already claimed to have received the Melchizedek priesthood “for the first time” in June of 1831. It’s a quandary that even Bushman couldn’t really comfortably resolve in Rough Stone Rolling.
OWIW: That is an interesting theory Jason.
Can you be more specific about when Joseph changed his story at a “later” time, because people were leaving in droves?
I don’t think he ever changed his story, I think there was perhaps a problem with semantics. Joseph did say that all priesthood was Melchizedek. In that context, it is true that the patriarchal priesthood restored by PJ&J was a portion of Melchizedek, however, I think it is easily documented that Joseph did not deviate from the concept that there were three separate and distinct divisions of priesthood, nor did he deny that the Melchizedek priesthood was restored for the first time at the Morley Farm.
Joseph Smith gave a very detailed explanation of the three divisions of priesthood very late in his life, during the Nauvoo period, on August 27 1843. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parall…
Additionally, section 124 also indicates that the fulness of the priesthood had been lost from the earth, yet the second priesthood which governs the saving ordinances was clearly still on the earth and being used and spoken of in revelation during the Nauvoo period.
JASON: OWIW,
Richard Bushman raises this theory in Rough Stone Rolling when he writes, “the late appearance of these accounts [referring to the accounts of restoration by Peter, James and John] raises the possibility of later fabrication.” (Pg. 75).
The current version of Priesthood restoration does not appear until around 1835. The Book of Commandments was a chronological recording of all of Joseph Smith’s revelations and would have covered the time that Smith alleges to have received the Melchizedek Priesthood in 1829. However, such an account makes no appearance.
Grant Palmer writes in, An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins, that “Accounts of angelic ordinations from John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John are in none of the journals, diaries, letters, or printed matter until the mid-1830s.” Pgs. 223-24).
When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery complied the 1835 D&C, they added a significant amount of verses to D&C section 27 from the original chapter in the Book of Commandments. Of the 649 added words, Smith and Cowdery provided account of the visit from Peter, James, and John. This link provides a comparison of the later additions and alterations of the 1835 D&C with the original Book of Commandments: http://www.saintswithouthalos…..
Anyway, Mormonthink.com provides a comprehensive review of this problem and raises other significant issues that suggest Smith retroactively added the angelic account of priesthood revelation after the June 1831 conference. As for the members leaving at this time, I believe that information is generally accepted, but I cannot provide an immediate source.
As discussed above, we know that no account of the angelic restoration appeared until the mid 1830s, and I believe that this was a time of great upheaval in Kirkland. It’s also the same year in which Smith tells more grandiose stories of the First Vision and purchases the Egyptian Papyri and announces that he found a text written by the hand of Abraham. Add all of these events together, and we see a pattern of Smith making grandiose claims as a method to instill zeal and belief in its membership during a time when doubts and disenchantment with Mormonism pervaded.
OWIW: Jason-
Thank you for a more detailed response.
I am not questioning that people left in droves during the Kirtland era. Indeed I have seen estimates of up to 50% of the membership and 30% of the leadership that left during the Kirtland apostasy.
My point was that the Kirtland apostasy was pretty much completed by 1838-9 and yet we have Joseph still teaching about the three levels of priesthood in 1843. Joseph was still clearly teaching about the three levels of priesthood long after the Kirtland apostasy.
I also agree with you that Joseph did not speak about certain things until later in his ministry which understandably causes lots of people indigestion.
One of the intriguing aspects of the LDS restoration movement is how Joseph intentionally withheld information at times and then revealed it later.
I realize this makes him look like a deceiver who is back tracking and trying to revise history… Your logic is very understandable… I get it.
I am simply suggesting that there is another possibility. Not the sanitized possibilities provided by the corporate apologists, but rather a third possibility.
In one of the very early meetings of the church, 1830 or earlier, Hyrum got up in front of the first elders and invited Joseph to get up and give all of the particulars of what had happened to bring the church up to the point of having it ready to be legally organized. Hyrum saw this as an incredibly fortuitous opportunity for Joseph to strengthen the testimonies and knowledge base of the new converts who were to take the gospel to the nations.
To the shock and dismay of Hyrum, Joseph flatly declined and said something to the effect of “it is not necessary that the elders should know all of the particulars at this time”.
I apologize for not having the exact quote and the reference handy on that event, I suspect that you may be familiar with it since you appear to be pretty well read in the history of the church.
Again, Joseph’s decline to take that opportunity to clearly lay out what happened in the first vision and the visitation of angels restoring the priesthood is disconcerting at best.
A similar scenario took place with the visitation of angels in the Kirtland Temple many years later.
How strange that the two people who experienced the visitation and the scribe who recorded it NEVER ONCE PUBLICLY MADE MENTION OF IT DURING THE REMAINDER OF JOSEPH’S LIFE!!!!
It would be published for the first time about 16 years later and not canonized for 40 years!
There was apparently a congregation of people sitting on the other side of the veil during the visitation and yet Joseph and Oliver quietly got up and left instead of sharing the event with the congregation… go figure.
Why would Joseph not want to the contemporary saints that event??
They had labored hard to complete the Temple and the Savior accepted their efforts… why not publish the event?
Yet he obviously wanted future generations to know about it by virtue of the fact that he had it recorded and documented in the history which obviously had a good chance of surviving him.
I believe that skeptics of the restoration movement, who reject it, view and judge the scriptures in modern revelation through the eyes of their own interpretation of the associated historical events… thereby assuming that Joseph was simply making up the revelations.
Conversely, I believe that skeptics of the restoration movement (like myself), who accept the basic storyline, as presented in the scriptures, view the history through the eyes of modern revelation.
I believe that is why skeptic believers and skeptic non-believers interpret historical events in an opposite way.
I really appreciate the fact that you have researched these issues and that you have sound reasons why you are rejecting the storyline.
Although there is little chance of either of us changing the views of the other, I love to dialogue with people like you because I love having my views challenged and I love challenging the contrary views… that is how we all pick up additional information that we may not have previously had and we have the ability to examine things at a deeper level.
Regarding the claim that Joseph really did not make mention of the first vision or the restoration of the priesthood by angels until years after the fact,.. I agree. However, regarding the claim that he did not do so until approximately 1835ish, I don’t think that is accurate.
Here is a quote taken from one of the journals of Joseph Smith. I believe he is in fact alluding to the first vision, the restoration of the priesthoods by angels and, interestingly enough, he then alludes to the restoration of the third priesthood, making a distinction between the third priesthood and the previous two priesthoods.
The statements in brackets are provided by believing contributors of Boap.org who seem to be somewhat baffled by what is being said…
“When Joseph Smith dictated his first attempt at a personal history in 1832 he made this remark:
‘A History of the life of Joseph Smith Jr an account of his marvilous experience and of all the mighty acts which he doeth in the name of Jesus Christ the son of the living God of whom he beareth record and also an account of the rise of the church of Christ in the eve of time according as the Lord brought forth and established by his hand firstly he receiving the testimony from on high
[The first vision]
secondly the ministering of Angels
[Moroni -Book of Mormon plates]
thirdly the reception of the holy Priesthood by the ministring of Angels to adminster the letter of the Gospel – the Law and commandments as they were given unto him – and the ordinencs
[John the Baptist (are Peter, James and John included here?)],
forthly a confirmation and reception of the high Priesthood after the holy order of the son of the living God power and ordinence from on high to preach the Gospel in the administration and demonstration of the spirit the Kees of the Kingdom of God confered upon him
[visit of Peter, James and John, or is this a reference to the restoration of the office of high priest?]
and the continuation of the blessings of God to him &c”
http://webcache.googleusercont…
As you can see from the comments in brackets, it was difficult for traditional Mormon scholars to believe what they were reading but they had no other alternative than to accept the possibility that the reception of the “holy” priesthood, by angels, (plural), had to probably be referring to BOTH of the first two priesthoods since the Aaronic priesthood was the first to be restored, and it was restored by just one angel.
This set up the next part of Joseph’s statement which speaks of the restoration of a “high” priesthood which is separate and distinct from the two previous priesthoods that were both restored by angels.
He identifies it as the “High Priesthood after the holy order of the son of God“
Again we see question marks in the brackets from the LDS scholars postulating that the third priesthood was possibly referring to the restoration of the office of “High Priest” which is how the modern corporate church inaccurately defines the event that took place at the Morley Farm.
Finally, notice how the first two priesthoods were for the purpose of administering the “letter of the Gospel – the Law and commandments.. and the ordinencs” while the priesthood after the order of the Son of God was to “preach the Gospel in the administration and demonstration of the spirit”
I believe the above entry by Joseph Smith in 1832 demonstrates that he did in fact make reference to these experiences long before 1835.
————-END OF EXCHANGE BETWEEN WATCHER AND JASON
Next item..
Tomorrow is the 22nd of September which is a very special and holy day. It is the day of the year that Moroni came to visit Joseph Smith seven years in a row!
According to author and self proclaimed Davidic Servant, Dr. David B. Cohen MD, a major event will be marked by September 22 2011. I have noticed other prophecy enthusiasts claiming that we will have three days of darkness and earthquakes, etc. some claim it marks the opening of the sixth seal while other claim it will be the opening of the seventh seal… they claim that much of the turmoil this month will be because of the so-called commet Elinen.
I guess we don’t have long to wait and see if anything of significance happens.
Lastly, I have been pondering the tree of life vs the tree of the knowledge of good and evil lately… naturally my finding are quite heretical…
Many people thing that the tree of life represents love and grace while the tree of knowledge represents works and law.
I disagree.
I hope to do a short post about it in the future.
9 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
We shall now address some of the major doctrinal issues that came out in the trial of Sidney Rigdon which was recorded in the Times and Seasons.
I wish I could provide the entire proceedings that were reported in the Times and Seasons but this article and series has already become too long.
Those wanting to read the whole account may acquire a copy of it from Colliers Publishing or look it up in the Times and Seasons or check here.
Although section 102 states that a court may be held by the “Bishop’s Council” OR the “High Council of the Church of Christ“, it appears as if the trial for Sidney Rigdon’s was an amalgamation of those two options.
Apparently, Bishop Newel K. Whitney presided over the court but the High Council of the Church of Christ of the Nauvoo Stake acted as the council of twelve high priests in the Bishops Council.
As the stake President, William Marks acted as a member of the High Council but did not preside over the church court.
Unlike courts held today in modern times, Marks did not preside over the court, he simply participated as the presiding member of the high council.
Brigham Young and his brethren of the Quorum of the Twelve did not have the authority to preside in a stake of Zion. That is why Brigham Young stated in his opening remarks, that “The Twelve are to be regarded as witnesses in this trial, and not Judges: we present ourselves before this court as witnesses, and we are prepared to bring other testimony forward if necessary.”
Obviously, Bishop Whitney and the High Council were being coerced and controlled by the quorum of the Twelve and it appears that Brigham was directing the hearing even though it should have been the presiding officer over the high council or Bishop Whitney. If not for the conflict of interest between Brigham and the Twelve and Rigdon, there is no reason to believe that the local leaders would have ever called a court.
It should also be understood that the quorum of the twelve was actually not united in their beliefs at the time of the succession crisis.
It appears that there were actually only six members of the quorum who testified at the trial of Sidney Rigdon, they are-
In additional to those six, W.W. Phelps also testified.
Several members of the quorum that appear to not be present at the trial and ultimately rejected the authority of Brigham Young were as follows;
The quorum of the Twelve
It is important to remember that many changes had taken place in the original quorum of the Twelve by the time that the death of Joseph and Hyrum took place.
Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the quorum of the Twelve and the adjustments that were made-
” In 1835, the Three Witnesses were asked by Joseph Smith, Jr. to select the original twelve members of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve. They announced their choices at a meeting on February 14, 1835.[1] The Three Witnesses also ordained the twelve chosen men to the priesthood office of apostle by the laying on of hands.[1] Below is a list of members of the quorum prior to the succession crisis of 1844.
Ten of the eighteen followed Brigham Young to Utah Territory and remained part of the Quorum in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (indicated below as “LDS after 1844”). Thomas B. Marsh and Luke S. Johnson later rejoined the Latter-day Saints in Utah, but did not resume their former places in the Quorum. Three of these apostles went on to be apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). One, John E. Page, went on to be an apostle in the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) or “Hedrickite” church. Another, William Smith, later asserted his claim to head his own “Williamite” church organization before ultimately joining what is now the Community of Christ (where he did not resume his place in the quorum). Lyman Wight, likewise, organized his own branch of the church. William E. M’Lellin joined with multiple post-1844 church organizations in succession, each of which recognized his apostleship.
The list includes the dates when each apostle was ordained. In some cases, the date of the calling is used when the actual date of ordination is unclear.
Sidney Rigdon Claimed to have the Spirit of Revelation & Prophecy
When Sidney Rigdon returned to Nauoo after the death of Joseph and Hyrum and locked horns with the Twelve, he claimed to have had a vision while he was in Pittsburgh. He claimed that the vision was a continuation of the Vision that He and Joseph had had which is documented in section 76.
Among other things he claimed that it was shown to him in vision that the Twelve would withdraw fellowship from him, the temple would not be completed and the church would be rejected with their dead.
Orson Hyde accused Rigdon of intimating that he, Sidney was the stone that the builders rejected (see Psalms 118:22, Matt 21:42, Mark 10:12, Luke 20 :17, Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7, Isaiah 22:25)
Sidney was obsessed with great battles to take place in the future and that he would become a great conqueror.
We will touch again on the significance of Sidney’s vision later on as we review accusations made by the Twelve however, keep in mind that when Joseph Smith presented greater clarification to section 76 by writing a poem about it, he revealed that verse 29 was not speaking about a past war with Satan but rather about a future one in which Satan would encompass the saints round about.
“For Satan, old serpent, the devil’s for war,-
And yet will encompass the saints round about.”
Perhaps one of the most intriguing statements that Sidney made was an innuendo that the Lord had shown Sidney what would befall himself (Sidney) as a result of the apostasy of the church… A possible implication having to do with the sins of latter day Israel being artificially put upon the head of the Lords scapegoat servant. That statement, as it applies to Sidney’s role as the scapegoat in the atonement statute, may explain why Sidney would have such a strange and troubled history after he is rejected by the church led away from the congregation of Israel –
Perhaps the most important significance of the vision that Sidney claimed to have had is that Sidney was claiming to have the spirit of prophecy which is consistent with his calling as a prophet seer and revelator of the church.
Elder Hyde defends the Secret “Measures” –
The first accuser to follow the opening remarks of Brigham Young was Elder Hyde.
According to Elder Hyde’s testimony, Sidney had said to Elder Hyde and his brethren of the Twelve-
“You are not led by the Lord, and I have known for a long time that you were not led by the Lord”
Elder Hyde attempted to defend the actions of the Twelve, claiming that the “measures” they were involved in had come from Joseph Smith-
“I defy any man to show that we have adopted any measure, only what Joseph has directed us”
Elder Rigdon was obviously making a categorical observation that the twelve were not being led by the spirit. He was also accusing the Twelve of departing from the pure and simple gospel of Jesus Christ that had been restored to the earth.
Elders Hydes use of the term “measures” was alluding to the secret quorums and secret ordinations and secret teachings about spiritual wifery and the associated practice of practice of polygamy, the secret revelation that would eventually become known as section 132, secret council meetings where secret ordinations were being introduces, etc.
In essence, Rigdon was confirming that another gospel, one that was contrary to the true gospel of Christ, had been introduced to the saints and that the prophecies in 2nd Thess the and the original text of section five of the D&C had come true, the Lord had sent strong delusion upon the church for believing a lie and therefore, because of their hardened hearts the Lord had turned them over to Satan-
It is interesting that the primary debate during the succession crisis was not focused on the doctrine of succession and the pure gospel as documented in the accepted scriptures or the importance of the church being led by revelation, rather, Orson Hyde was defending the actions of the Twelve by stating that the secret “measures” they were following were given to them by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Why would the Lord Contradict Himself?
Orson quoted the Prophet Joseph as saying-
“The Lord bids me to hasten and give you your endowment before the temple is finished”
This hastening to give the endowment was supposedly done so that the keys of the kingdom could be transferred from Joseph to the Twelve and so that the Twelve could bear off the kingdom triumphantly even if Joseph were to be killed and the temple not finished.
There are several very serious doctrinal problems with the alleged pronouncement of Joseph Smith.
Perhaps the most obvious one is that the logical and doctrinal choice for handing over the keys of the kingdom would be other members of the first presidency and just about anyone other than the missionary quorum of the Twelve who had been expressly forbidden by the Lord to ever preside in a stake of Zion.
Another point is that Joseph Smith was no longer the prophet seer and revelator of the church and therefore was not even authorized to receive new doctrine and new covenants for the church, especially new doctrine and new ordinances and covenants that contradicted previous revelations.
If anyone would have been revealing new doctrine and new ordinances and covenants and secretly handing the keys of the kingdom to anyone in the church, it would have been Hyrum who was the only presiding member of the presidency who was authorized to act as a prophet seer and revelator of the church at the time!
Even if Joseph had been the acting prophet seer and revelator of the Church, the saints would have been duty bound to reject the new “measures” being introduced since they contradicted the previous revelations and the four standard works of the church which had been voted on and sustained by the church as the LAW of the CHURCH.
The reason that the Lord provides a protocol for excommunicating the president of the high priesthood is because no mortal person is infallible! That would include Joseph Smith, who according to the succession prophecy in section 42, would not always abide in the Lord.
Fourthly, the Lord had commanded the saints to not add to or diminish from the doctrines contained in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. (D&C 124:119-120)
Lastly, Orson’s claim that Joseph had been inspired by the Lord to reveal and bestow the temple endowment BEFORE the temple was finished, so that the kingdom could roll forth, contradicted what the Lord said in sections 124.
Clearly, section 124 stated that if the temple was not finished, the church would be rejected with their dead. How could the kingdom roll forth if the church is rejected with their dead? Hence, there was nothing gained by prematurely revealing the “full endowment” just in case the temple was not finished by the appointed time.
Further, the prophet Hyrum Smith had clarified the warning in section 124 and made it clear that the key of knowledge that unfolds the dispensation of the fullness of times cannot be turned until the temple was completed and the baptismal font finished.
“…they have neglected the House of the Lord, the Baptismal Font, in this place, wherein their dead may be redeemed, and the key of knowledge that unfolds the dispensation of the fullness of times may be turned, and the mysteries of God be unfolded, upon which their salvation and the salvation of the world, and the redemption of their dead depends, for ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ ‘there shall not be a general assembly for a general conference assembled together until the House of the Lord shall be finished, and the Baptismal Font, and if we are not diligent the church shall be rejected, and their dead also,’ ‘saith the Lord,’ therefore, dear Brother, any proceedings otherwise than to put forth their hands with their might to do this work, is not according to the will of God, and shall not prosper; therefore, tarry not in any place whatever but come forth unto this place from all the world, until it is filled up and polished, and sanctified according to my word…”
In another sermon given in May of 1842 Joseph Smith stated that there were
“keys of the kingdom,” and “certain signs and words by which false spirits and personages may be detected from true, which cannot be revealed to the Elders till the Temple is completed.“
Obviously all of the above documentation testifies to the fact that there would be no advantage to the so called endowment and special keys being given to anyone before the completion of the temple.
If Joseph had made the declaration that Brigham claimed he made, it would have contradicted previous revelations and statements of Joseph Smith.
Everything was predicated upon the completion of the temple.
If Joseph really did make the proclamation that Orson (and Brigham) claimed he made, Joseph was contradicting himself, Hyrum and the Lord.
Nevertheless, it makes sense that Joseph may have done these things in fulfillment of the original prophecy in section 5 foretelling that God would turn the saints over to Satan.
The Testimony of Parley P. Pratt
The next accuser of Sidney Rigdon was Parley P. Pratt, a previous disciple of Rigdon’s who had helped to bring Rigdon into the church.
Pratt quoted Rigdon as saying-
“I shall now take the liberty to publish to the world, all the secret works of this church… I now the result both on you and the Church, and myself…”
Again, we see from the testimony of Pratt that the central issue of the succession crisis had to do with the secret acts of many of the leading brethren of the church, including most of the twelve apostles.
Rigdon was threatening to expose the secret abominations that were being practiced by Young, Hyde, Pratt and their brethren.
Again, when Rigdon said he knew what the result would be on the church and even himself, one has to wonder if in fact the Lord had shown him in vision that the sins of the church would be artificially placed upon his own head and he would himself eventually be turned over to delusion, per the prophecy in the atonement statute. (Lev 16)
According to the testimony of Pratt, Sidney Rigdon claimed that the vision he had in Pittsburgh revealed that the twelve apostles would withdraw fellowship from him.
The Testimony of Amasa Lyman
Next, Amasa Lyman attached the character of Sidney Rigdon by claiming that he had not been valiant in his calling for 4 or 5 years. He also said ,
“Now where has this individual been for these years past? Has he been laboring to support and uphold the man whom God has appointed to bring forth His work? Has he been endeavoring for the last four or five years to build up the principles taught and laid down by the man of God? There are men here present who have travelled through the length and breadth of these united states, and to Europe, and some who have travelled as far as the Palestine to carry out the establish the principles which have been laid down by our deceased prophet, and yet the Great God has not made known to any of these men the wonderful things made known in this revelation.
Neither has Elder Marks nor the twelve received any such wonderful revelation. but this man who has been asleep[ all the while, when he was not too sick to sleep and smoke his pipe, and take his drink; correspond with John C. Bennett, and other mean, corrupt men. This is the character of the man on whom shines the light of revelation, this is the man who says that the Twelve have gone astray and this Church is not led by the Lord!”
Wow!
What interesting charges these are!
Apparently Sidney Rigdon, like Joseph Smith and many others of the elders living in Nauvoo was known for enjoying an occasional smoke and an occasional drink.
This is fascinating.
The accusers were actually the ones that really should have been on trial for fornication and adultery and yet they were suggesting that Sidney Rigdon should be excommunicated for not obeying the word of wisdom!
With regard to the fact that Sidney Rigdon had not been overly active during the last five years, if you have not read my tribute to Sidney Rigdon to understand why Rigdon had been largely silenced for a period of time, please read the article here.
Furthermore, as we will see as we progress further into the details of this kangaroo court, President Marks would later stand up and declare that it is not appropriate according to church procedure to retry someone for something they have previously been tried for and exonerated from.
Sidney Rigdon had already been accused of corresponding with Bennett and for not being active in his calling in the Presidency and had been exonerated by the Church and by Hyrum Smith and by Joseph Smith.
Sidney Rigdon had already previously been accused of not being active in his calling in the first presidency for the last five years and he was forgiven, and President Hyrum Smith had led the vote in sustaining President Rigdon in his calling.
According to Amasa, Sidney Rigdon had testified that he had seen in vision that the “the temple must be forsaken and not be finished, and all that Joseph has done must be rejected.”
That prophecy of Rigdon’s about the saints eventual failure to complete the Temple is really quite remarkable since the saints had every intention of finishing the temple when Rigdon arrived at Nauvoo. At that time there was no apparent reason why the temple would not be finished.
In conjunction with this, Sidney quoted Isaiah “The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner”
Another interesting thing that came out of this trial is that Sidney Rigdon had said that the “vision was a continuation of the vision recorded in the book of doctrine and covenants”
Sidney was linking his credibility as a prophet to the fact that he had been the co-testator with Joseph Smith in providing the testimony of the Father and the Son as contained in section 76.
After Brigham and his six conspirators had finished making their accusations, Brigham Young said-
“I shall now wait and see if there is anyone to produce testimony in favor of the opposite side of the question.”
At this point in time, “President William Marks arose and said he felt disposed to say a few words in defense of Elder Rigdon”
“there has been a strong team against him. They all seem to speak against him and there I nothing said in his favor. If feel to take up the opposite side of the question and say something in his defense, for I have always been a friend to Elder Rigdon.”
William Marks was pointing out that bishop Whitney and/or Brigham Young, whoever was conducting the trial, was not following the protocol given in section 102 which requires the council to draw straws to see which members of the quorum defend the accuser and make sure that his character and reputation are not tarnished.
Marks made the bold declaration that revelatory protocol was not being followed as it had been in past trials-
“It has always been the case before this High Council, that there are two sides to the question, there are some to speak in favor of the accused, but there seems to be only one side to this subject.”
… it has always been the case before the High council that some should speak in the defense of the accused, I feel to volunteer to speak in his behalf. It is no more than right that both sides should be represented.”
“in regard to his character, there are many things said which appear to be objectionable”
“I hear objections to his authority and to his conduct for four or five years past. There charges brought before the conference, last fall, and one or two days spent in hearing of them, and it seemed to me, that every exertion was made that could be made, to criminate him and cut him off.
There was time given to bring all the charges that could be got at, but there was not a single particle of the charges sustained, if I recollect right, as to proving him guilty of committing any of the acts specified in the charges.
Now I think if Brother Rigdon was restored at that time we ought not to go beyond the conference to fetch up charges today, but here are charges fetched up for years back. It is known that he was restored to full faith and fellow ship last fall. I have heard Brother Joseph say repeatedly since that time that all things was right between them….”
Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marks was standing in the gap!
He was calling out the accusers and pointing out the inappropriate things they were doing and saying.
He declared that the church court was not in accordance with the protocol in the scriptures.
He was boldly stating that most of the things that were being brought up had already been brought up in a previous hearing and that Rigdon had been found innocent and restored to his calling.
Imagine the courage it must have taken to stand up against the crowd, realizing he was putting his own standing in jeopardy!
The reason Marks had to get up and “volunteer” to defend Rigdon is because nobody else was doing it. The court had neglected draw straws and appointed members of the high council to defend and protect the rights and the character of Rigdon.
One the things missing in the trial was any volunteered comments from any members of the high council!
Why?
Because they all knew that Brigham and the Twelve were orchestrating the Kangaroo trial and they knew that the outcome of the trial had been predetermined. They understood that if they spoke favorably about Rigdon, it could cost them their membership, as it eventually did cost Marks his.
Praise God for the integrity of President William Marks, one of the most honest, steady, valiant leaders of the LDS restoration movement.
In the next part of this series we shall finish hearing the testimony of William Marks. In my opinion, he provides the most clear and scripturally sound explanation of the law of succession and his testimony will stand as a witness against the seven accusers the members of the high council, Bishop Whitney and the apostate members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter days.
Clearly the saints who chose to follow Brigham Young and the majority of the twelve chose to be led by rulers rather than prophets. They chose to be led by dogma and the teachings of man rather than by revelation.
They chose to discard the man who had been chosen by revelation and ordained to be a prophet seer and revelator according to the voice of God out of heaven in favor of a man who openly proclaimed that he was not a prophet.
More on the testimony of William Marks in the next installment.
Keep Watching
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After the Fulness was Rejected
The Lord Covered the Eyes of the Seers
In part three of this series we discussed how the gospel was fully restored and then rejected sometime between June of 1831 and the end of 1834. After that, something NEW had to be done for the salvation of the church. That took place in 1836. It had to do with the restoration of the gospel of Abraham and the setting up or foreign missions to take the gospel to the nations of the world. From that time on, the church grew further and further into a state of apostasy and darkness. Because of this, Hyrum was commissioned to reform the church after the saints got to Nauvoo.
One cannot understand the truth about what happened during the LDS succession crisis without understanding what the fulness of the gospel is, the fact that it was fully restored and then rejected by the end of 1834. The context in which the saints gathered to Nauvoo is that they were a fallen and apostate people who had lost the fullness of the priesthood as documented in section 124.
I documented that the gospel law of monogamy had clearly been established by the Lord in modern revelation in sections 42, 49 and the article on Marriage and that it was an eternal law, not a temporal or temporary law. There is no higher marital law than the law of monogamy.
I did this because the secret practices pertaining to spiritual wifery and polygamy that were taking place in Nauvoo at the time of the succession crisis are the crux of what the succession crisis was really all about regarding the struggle between Sidney Rigdon and the majority of the Twelve Apostles under the leadership of Brigham Young.
The primary issue in Nauvoo was that the saints had collectively strayed from the original gospel ordinances and covenants.
It is critical to understand that every ordinance and covenant necessary for salvation is contained in sections 20 and 42 and that the saints were commanded to not add to or take away from what had been revealed in those two revelations. (The “Baptisms for the Dead” that would be introduced in Nauvoo are a subcategory of baptisms and the ordinance of “washing of feet” that was done in the Kirtland Temple and also before the Kirtland Temple was completed, is not an ordinance of salvation, but rather an ordinance for those in the ministry.)
It is because the saints had stayed from the ordinances, covenants and commandments that the Lord commissioned the prophet Hyrum Smith to lead a reformation of the church.
The Lord had acknowledged in section 124 that the saints were practicing abominations during the Nauvoo era-
“..And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord.
For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practise before me, saith the Lord…”
.
The practice of secret combinations and secret abominations began infiltrating the church shortly after the fulness of the gospel was rejected in Kirtland.
Secret doctrines and secret oaths were infiltrating the restored church. They were bringing darkness upon the saints.
Although Joseph was being accused by some people of his day of organizing the Danites and some historians believe that Joseph Smith at least encouraged the creation of the Danites and other secret organizations within the church shortly after the Kirtland Temple was defiled and the saints had to flee from Kirtland, we find him condemning secret bands as late as 1839.
“I would further suggest the impropriety of the organization of bands or companies, by covenant or oath, by penalties or secrecies; but let the time past of our experience and sufferings by the wickedness of Doctor Avard suffice and let our covenant be that of the Everlasting Covenant, as contained in the Holy Writ and the things that God hath revealed to us. Pure friendship always becomes weakened the very moment you undertake to make it stronger by penalty oaths and secrecy.”
Joseph was publicly testifying against the practice of secret oaths by “penalties or secrecies” and encouraging people to stick with the EVERLASTING COVENANT.
Indeed, the only covenant the church members should be involved in was the EVERLASTING COVENANT of baptism.
Shortly after the death of Joseph and Hyrum, Apostle William Smith, their brother, and his supporters publicly condemned the secret doctrine of secret oaths and covenants that Brigham Young and other leading brethren were participating in.
“… we do solemnly protest against the doctrine of secret oaths and covenants and we also view this as among the principal causes that have overthrown our brethren…”
William saw the practice of secret oaths as the primary thing that led the leaders of the church into apostasy.
Emma Smith made a profound observation shortly after the death of Joseph and Hyrum. She said-
“…secret things… cost Joseph and Hyrum their lives!”
The Real Succession debate was about the Spiritual Wife Doctrine
and the False Masonic Covenant- Temple Endowment
It appears to me from my study that Brigham Young and his brethren of the Twelve would very probably have found the leadership of Sidney Rigdon acceptable if Rigdon would have embraced the spiritual wife doctrine and the Masonic secret oaths and covenants that were being intertwined with each other.
I believe the following testimony by Joseph Newton is accurate-
“I was at Nauvoo during all the time that Elder Rigdon was there on his last visit to that place, and am well acquainted with the cause of all the difficulties that existed, and now exist between him and the twelve and their adherents. It was said to me by many that they had no objection to Elder Rigdon but his opposition to the Spiritual Wife System.”
The Saints departed from the Ordinances during the Kirtland Years
After the saints arrived in Nauvoo Joseph Smith published the following statement-
“We have been chastened by the hand of God heretofore for not obeying His commands… we have treated lightly His commands, and departed from His ordinances, and the Lord has chastened us sore, and we have felt His arm and kissed the rod; let us be wise in time to come and ever remember that ‘to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (HC 5:65)
Joseph was primarily paraphrasing and combining two passages of scripture.
He was addressing the chastisement from the Lord in section 84 when the saints were brought under condemnation for taking lightly the Book of Mormon and modern revelation.
He was also paraphrasing Isaiah 24 and acknowledging that the latter day saints were the express people that Isaiah had identified in prophecy as the culprits who would bring about the defiling of the earth in the end times by breaking the everlasting covenant. This was done by transgressing the laws and changing the ordinance-
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 24:5 See also section one wherein the Lord prophesies that it was the saints of the restored church that would fulfill this prophecy of Isaiah)
The saints were defiling the true everlasting covenant of baptism by replacing it with the Satanic everlasting covenant of spiritual wifery and associated masonic oaths and covenants and swearing by the neck. The redefinition of what the “New and Everlasting Covenant” is given in section 132.
The Joseph Smith we read about in Nauvoo is a very different Joseph Smith than the one we read about in the early Kirtland era.
The Kirtland Joseph was confident and full of the spirit of revelation. His personal life was quite consistent with his public teachings. During the first years of Joseph Public ministry he would bring forth about 100 revelations.
The Nauvoo Joseph was schizophrenic, erratic and paranoid and there is evidence that seems to indicate that his personal life was not congruent with what he was teaching.
One day he would appear to be confident, prophetic and chastising the saints for departing from the ordinances and failing to complete the temple. The next day, according to multiple testimonies, he would be off secretly teaching the spiritual wife doctrine, conducting secret polygamous marriage ceremonies and introducing doctrines and rituals that contributed to leading the saints into further darkness.
Less than ten significant revelations directed to the church were received by Joseph during the last seven years of his life, after the saints defiled the Kirtland Temple and fled from Kirtland.
Only one significant revelation was received during the Nauvoo years.
Again, it would be easy to place the blame on Joseph, but those who understand the prophetic aspects of what was being enacted in the atonement statute (Lev 16) will realize that it was the rebellious saints, beginning in the Kirtland era that rejected the fulness of the gospel and brought darkness upon Joseph and his brethren during the Nauvoo era.
Truly it was the saints of the restored church Isaiah was speaking about when he acknowledged that the revelatory gifts of the latter day prophets and seers would be covered because of the iniquity of the people-
“For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.” (2 Nephi 27:5)
Did Joseph wake up and try to Repent Before his Death?
There are many evidences that make it appear that the Lord was allowing Joseph to begin to wake up and see that his eyes had been covered and that he had been deceived shortly before his death. It also appears that Joseph finally acknowledged that he had been involved in some abominable practices and he was trying to repent.
Although he had been taking on spiritual wives at a break-neck pace in 1843, he completely stopped taking additional wives during the last 8 month before the martyrdom.
William Marks testified that Joseph realized that spiritual wifery was a sin and that he had been deceived.
He wrote in a July 1853 letter to the Zion’s Harbinger and Baneemy’s Organ that he met with the prophet a short time before his death.
He quoted Smith as saying privately, “This doctrine of polygamy, or spiritual wife-system, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow. I have been deceived; it is a curse to mankind , and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down, and its practice stopped in the Church.
Several others that knew Joseph Smith during those trying times also claimed that Joseph was trying to repent including Issac Sheen who became affiliated with the RLDS movement in 1859 and edited the church periodical Saints’ Herald, wrote in the first issue of that paper (March 1860) that though “Joseph Smith taught the spiritual wife doctrine,” he “repented of his connection with this doctrine, and said it was of the devil.”
Although Brigham Young vehemently denied ever hearing Joseph Smith proclaim that he had been deceived and that the spiritual wife doctrine was false, he conceded in a discourse given in 1866 that “joseph was worn out with it“.
Joseph Has the Spiritual wife Revelation Destroyed
LDS historian Michael D. Quinn acknowledged that “Smith was, in fact, willing to destroy the original manuscript of the 1843 polygamy revelation.
Joseph F. Smith wrote that the prophet “consented for her [Emma Smith] to burn the paper containing the original copy of the revelation.”
An obscure 1853 publication also reported that the original text of the polygamy revelation “by Joseph Smith’s command was burned.”” (Quinn page 147) Quinn references Letter of Joseph F. Smith to William E. McLellin, 6 Jan. 1880, fd21, box 5, Scott G. Kenney Papers, Manuscripts Division, Marriott Library.
“Emma Smith remembered that the prophet did more than consent to the revelation’s destruction. According to her 1847 account, while alone in their Mansion House bedroom, Smith “told her that the doctrine and practice of polygamy was going to ruin the church” and then he burned the revelation.
According to Quinn, “It makes sense that while he was alone with her the night of 23 June 1844, only hours before surrendering for trial, he directed his attention to destroying the written evidence of polygamy.”
(Quinn page 147)
Joseph Smith destroyed the Council of Fifty Minutes
There is an abundance of historical documentation that indicates that Joseph Smith was using masonry, the Danites, secret anointed quorums and the counsel of 50 to try to establish the kingdom of God that Daniel prophesied about.
The diary of William Clayton shows that Joseph Smith told his secretary to burn the Council of Fifty’s minutes.
A possible reason for destroying the minutes of the council of fifty is that Joseph Smith had had himself ordained and anointed as the King in those secret meetings. It would appear that that act may have been a very grievous sin.
In the Book of Mormon the Lord warns that there will be no kings upon the land of America until Zion is established and Christ himself reigns as king and that he who attempts to rise up as a king shall perish-
“And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.
And I will fortify this land against all other nations.
And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.
For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words.
Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations.” (2nd Nephi 10)
Modern revelation confirms that during “time” there are to be no mortal kings ruling over the latter day saints but in eternity Christ will be the king-
“But, verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your king and watch over you.” (D&C 38:21)
Smith Removed his own Garments
and admonishes the apostles to do the same
Another aberration of the secret rituals that Joseph Smith was implementing was the temple garment. It is very revealing that Joseph had instructed the members of his secret quorum to remove them shortly before his own death-
“Heber C. Kimball said Smith sent word to the apostles on the east coast to destroy their garments they had received in the endowment since 1842.” (Quinn page 147) Quinn references History of the Church 6:519 which mentions the letter, and Heber C. Kimball’s diary, 21 Dec. 1845, found in the book “Smith, An Intimate Chronicle, page 224”
“Smith removed his own endowment “robe” or garment before he went to Carthage Jail and told those with him to do likewise.
His nephew Joseph F. Smith later explained, when Willard Richards was solicited [by Smith] to do the same, he declined, and it seems little less than marvelous that he was preserved without so much as a bullet piercing his garments.””
(Quinn page 146) Quinn references Heber J. Grant journal sheets, 7 June 1907, LDS Archives.
While Joseph F Smith puts a positive spin on Williard Richard’s refusal to remove his own garments, it should be remembered that it was masons that stormed the jail and murdered Joseph Smith. The fact that Williard Richard’s fellow masons murdered Joseph Smith and left Willard unharmed could simply be because he is not the one they wanted to murder. Others might suggest that his being left unharmed hardly bodes well for his role in the Carthage conspiracy to murder Joseph Smith.
Was it a marvelous miracle that saved Willard’s life, or his involvement in a secret brotherhood and possibly even his own participation in a secret plot?
Again, the words of Emma ring loud and clear. “It was indeed secret things” that caused the murder of Joseph and Hyrum.
Joseph Smith sent an order for the Nauvoo Legion to Attack Carthage
“The morning of 27 June, Smith sent an order (in his own handwriting) to Major-General Jonathan Dunham to lead the Nauvoo Legion in a military attack on Carthage “immediately” to free the prisoners.
Dunham realized that such an assault by the Nauvoo Legion would result in two blood baths – one in Carthage and another when anti-Mormons (and probably the Illinois militia) retaliated by laying siege to Nauvoo for insurrection.
To avoid civil war and the destruction of Nauvoo’s population, Dunham refused to obey the order and did not notify Smith of his decision. One of his lieutenants, a former Danite, later complained that Dunham “did not let a single mortal know that he had received such orders (from Smith).”
“[Later that same day] Around 5 p.m., more than 250 men approached the Carthage Jail. When informed of this by the panicky jailer, Joseph Smith replied: “Don’t trouble yourself, they have come to rescue me.” (Quinn, Page 141) Smith quickly discovered that the mob wasn’t his rescue army. After exchanging gunfire with the mob, Smith was killed.
Jonathan Dunham Commits Suicide
On July 28th 1845, Jonathan Dunham, despondent about disobeying Smiths orders to rescue him from jail, commits suicide.
Later disclosures indicate that Dunham, who was a captain of Nauvoo’s police, major-general of the Nauvoo legion, and a Council of Fifty member, accomplished the suicide by asking a native American friend (Lewis Dana, a fellow member of the fifty) to “kill and bury him”. (Mormon Hierarchy- Origins of Power pg 652)
Joseph Smith Kills Two Men in a Shoot Out?
Amazingly, many members of the restored church are not even aware that Joseph had a pistol when the attack in the Carthage Jail took place.
According to several accounts, some contained in Quinn’s above mentioned book, Joseph shot three members of the mob. According to some accounts, two of the three eventually died from the wounds inflicted at that time-
“Elder Cyrus H. Wheelock came in to see us, and when he was about leaving drew a small pistol, a six-shooter, from his pocket, remarking at the same time, ‘Would any of you like to have this?’ Brother Joseph immediately replied, ‘Yes, give it to me,’ whereupon he took the pistol, and put it in his pantaloons pocket.”
“I shall never forget the deep feeling of sympathy and regard manifested in the countenance of Brother Joseph as he drew nigh to Hyrum, and, leaning over him, exclaimed, ‘Oh! my poor, dear brother Hyrum!’ He, however, instantly arose, and with a firm, quick step, and a determined expression of countenance, approached the door, and pulling the six-shooter left by Brother Wheelock from his pocket, opened the door slightly, and snapped the pistol six successive times; only three of the barrels, however, were discharged. I afterwards understood that two or three were wounded by these discharges, two of whom, I am informed, died.“
“I had in my hands a large, strong hickory stick, brought there by Brother Markham, and left by him, which I had seized as soon as I saw the mob approach; and while Brother Joseph was firing the pistol, I stood close behind him. As soon as he had discharged it he stepped back, and I immediately took his place next to the door, while he occupied the one I had done while he was shooting.”
Reporter John Hay, of the Atlantic Monthly identified three men who were shot by Joseph Smith: John Wills in the arm, William Vorhees in the shoulder, and William Gallagher in the face. Hay was a son of Charles Hay, a surgeon of the Carthage militia and apparently a member of the mob.
“Smith had two loaded six-barrelled revolvers in his room. How a man on trial for capital offences came to be supplied with such luxuries is a mystery that perhaps only one man could fully have solved; and as General Deming, the Jack-Mormon sheriff, died soon after, and left no explanation of the matter, investigation is effectually baffled. But the four shots which I have chronicled, and two which had no billet, exhausted one pistol, and the enemy gave Smith no time to use the other. Severely wounded as he was, he ran to the window, which was open to receive the fresh June air, and half leaped, half fell, into the jail yard below.”
– John Hay, “The Mormon Prophet’s Tragedy,” Atlantic Monthly (December 1869) 671-678.
In another contemporary account from a faithful Latter-Day Saint:
“Of the three barrels discharged by Joseph, it is believed he hit three men: an Irishman named Wells-who was in the mob from his love of a brawl-in the arm; Voorhees-an oversized kid from Bear Creek known for his lack of good sense-in the shoulder; and a man named Gallagher-a Southerner from the Mississippi Bottom-in the face.”
“Two other men were known to get hit in the hall, one a man named Townsend from Fort Madison, Iowa Territory, who died nine months later from the arm wound that wouldn’t heal, and another named Mills, who was shot in the arm.”
– Elder Reed Blake, 24 Hours to Martyrdom, p. 129
D&C Section 135 is part of John Taylor’s account of the incident. It states: “Joseph leapt from the window, and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming ‘O Lord my God!'”
That “canonized” version of events gives one the false impression that Smith was praying to God. The edited D&C version omits Heber C. Kimball’s details of Smith’s actions:
“When the enemy surrounded the jail, rushed up the stairway, and killed Hyrum Smith, Joseph stood at the open window, his martyr-cry being these words, ‘O Lord My God! 
This was not the beginning of a prayer, because Joseph Smith did not pray in that manner. This brave, young man who knew that death was near, started to repeat the distress signal of the Masons, expecting thereby to gain the protection its members are pledged to give a brother in distress.”
– Mormonism and Masonry, p. 16-17
“President Young said the people of the United States had sought our destruction and they had used every Exertion to perfect it. They have worked through the masonic institution to perfect it. Joseph & Hyrum Smith were Master Masons and they were put to death by masons or through there instigation and he gave the sign of distress & he was shot by masons while in the act.” – Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, August 19th, 1860, Volume 5
“The mob forced the door open. Joseph dropped the pistol, sprang to a big windowsill and stood there glaring down at a crowd of men below with their bayonets at the ready. Some reports say he tried a final ploy with the Gentiles, giving the Masonic hand signal of distress and uttering the accompanying code, “Is there no help for the widow’s son?”
There were, almost certainly, Masons in the crowd below. But Smith’s appeal to members of that fraternal order was probably a very bad decision on his part. As he teetered on the windowsill, a rifle ball fired from upstairs slammed into Joseph’s back, sending him to the ground below as he shouted, “Oh Lord, My God.”
Joseph landed on his shoulder with a snap of cartilage. A disguised militiaman with his face painted black dragged the wounded Joseph across the yard and propped him up against the side of a well. An officer ordered a firing squad, and four men sent rifle balls into the Prophet, killing him at last.”
One of Joseph Smith’s alleged polygamous wives, Zina D. Huntington, declared:
“I am the widow of a master mason, who, when leaping from the window of Carthage Jail pierced with bullets, made the masonic sign of distress.” – Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Andrew Jenson, Volume 1, page 698
The Nauvoo Environment
Ok, I covered several of the chaotic events of Joseph’s last months for several reasons.
One is that they give context to the fact that Joseph’s eyes had been covered, he had sinned as foretold in ancient and modern prophecy and it appears that he began to realize the awful state that he and the saints were in and wanted to repent and set things right.
Ironically, he had been a major part of the reason that his brother Hyrum had been called to try and reform the church. (of course, ultimately it was not his own sins but rather the sins of latter day Israel that caused him to do what he did. He was part of the literal fulfillment of Lev 16))
Another reason that I covered this most painful sequence of events is that they are important in understanding the psyche of the inhabitants of Nauvoo. It appears that many of the leaders of the church had been publicly teaching one thing while secretly teaching contrary doctrines.
Some of the saints were privy to the secret things going on while others were not. It depended on which circles you were in and whether you were called into one of the “anointed quorums”. This created havoc and division among the saints.
If you are a seasoned student of church history you probably didn’t learn anything new in this post.
If you are someone who has just recently begun to wake up, you may be in shock right now.
Perhaps you have just learned that Joseph’s last several months and the events surrounding his death are a little different than the LDS lesson manuals depict.
Please notice that the following passage in the Book of Mormon. It clearly states that directly after the Lamanites that dwindle in unbelief are smitten by the gentiles, restored gentile church will be lifted up in the pride of their eyes.
No, it does not actually say the “restored gentile church”, it simply says gentiles… but if you read the whole thing in context, it is referring to the believing but apostate gentiles not the unbelieving gentiles.
Speaking of the restored gentile church, it says-
They will “stumble”.
They will build up many churches (congregations)
They will put down the power of miracles from God
They will preach up to themselves from their own wisdom to get gain
They will be infested with secret combinations (this is an incredible link between Masonry and Mormonism)
19 And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles.
20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.
21 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice.
22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.
Is it a coincidence that the restored church embraced the flaxen cord of Masonry?
Is it a coincidence that in Nauvoo many of the saints were involved in secret works of darkness?
Is it a coincidence that the saints were involved in secret councils and secret doctrines and secret covenants and secret ordinances when in fact God does not do his work in darkness?
Okay… now that we have a little context for what was happening leading up the murder of Joseph and Hyrum, we are ready to address the trial of Sidney Rigdon when we get to part five..
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If He Abide in Me
In part two of this series we discussed the prophetic role of Hyrum Smith.
We addressed his calling by revelation in section 124 to act in concert with Joseph Smith as a prophet seer and revelator.
Shortly thereafter his calling to be a prophet of the church in section 124, Joseph made a public declaration in a church conference that Hyrum held the office of prophet to the church and that Joseph was not going to prophesy any more.
By the time Joseph had made that announcement the heavens had already begun to close over his head. It had been nearly two years since he had received section 124 and he had not received canonized revelation concerning the church since that time, although some of his epistles have since been entered into the D&C.
The calling of Hyrum Smith to be a prophet seer and revelator to the church in concert with Joseph Smith and the declaration at the church conference that Joseph would no longer prophesy to the church represented a literal fulfillment of the succession prophecy in section 43.
The Lord was replacing Joseph with Hyrum as the prophet of the church.
Why?
Because according to section 43, if Joseph ever revealed his own successor by revelation, it would be because Joseph was no longer going to be “abiding in the Lord“.
“And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead.”
Clearly, the unconditional prophecy in section 43 states that no one else was to be appointed to receive commandments and revelations for the church until Joseph Smith was taken by the Lord, UNLESS Joseph fails to ABIDE in the Lord!
And yet, if Joseph fails to abide in the Lord, necessitating a successor, it would be Joseph himself that would still be given power to appoint another to succeed him, by revelation.
So strange was the wording and apparent chronology of events pertaining to that prophecy that it hardly made sense how Joseph could reveal his successor if indeed he was no longer abiding in the Lord!
It is only in hindsight that it all makes sense how this strange phenomena took place.
Remarkably, before the Lord gave the succession prophecy in section 43, containing the key word “abide”, he had already informed the church in a canonized revelation pertaining to the calling of Sidney Rigdon in section 35, that if Joseph fails to abide in the Lord, he will plant another in his stead-
“And I have sent forth the fulness of my gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him;
And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, if he abide in me, and if not, another will I plant in his stead.
Wherefore, watch over him that his faith fail not, and it shall be given by the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, that knoweth all things.”
Incredible.
The Lord was making it pretty obvious that Joseph was eventually going to stop abiding in the Lord.
Once the saints received the fulness of the gospel back in Kirtland, they had to either progress, receive the spiritual rebirth and become a Zion people OR the Lords Spirit was to withdraw and not abide with them.
There are multiple examples in the scriptures of times when the spirit of the Lord has been withdrawn from God’s people.
Notice the words of the prophet Mormon as he describes how the spirit of the Lord had ceased to abide with his people-
“And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.
27 And my heart did sorrow because of this the great calamity of my people, because of their wickedness and their abominations…”
Less than three months after the Melchizedek priesthood was restored and the 23 newly ordained High Priests went on missions, preaching the fulness of the gospel on their way to the land of Zion, the Lord made the following ominous declaration
“I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked; I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth…“
That is how quickly the Lord can determine if the world is going to respond to the fulness of the gospel. God was withdrawing his spirit from the world because of their cumulative rejection of the fulness of the gospel!
“Inhabitants of the earth” is all encompassing. The Spirit of the Lord was being somewhat withheld even from the saints who are part of the inhabitants of the world. This explains why even during the 3 to 3 ½ years that the saints were trying to comprehend the greater light that very few miracles and spiritual endowments were actually being enjoyed.
The Intercessory Atonement Offering
Why was Joseph no longer going to be abiding in the Lord?
It would be easy and logical to write Joseph Smith off as a fallen prophet because of his own personal sins, like many people were doing during the last years of his life, however if we dig a little deeper there is another reason why Joseph was not able to abide in the Lord.
This topic has been addressed in detail in another article which can be read here
To summarize, it was because the saints had rejected the fulness of the gospel/priesthood and that resulted in their sins being placed upon the heads of Joseph and several of his brethren.
Joseph and some of his brethren, like Moses and Aaron of old, provided an intercessory atonement offering for the latter day saints so that the Lord would not destroy them from off of the face of the earth!
You will recall that after the children of Israel rejected the higher law, God was going to destroy them from off of the face of the earth, but Moses interceded for them and made an intercessory atonement offering for them in their behalf.
Because of the atonement that Moses offered in their behalf, the Lord prolonged their days upon the earth.
As an atonement offering, Moses and Aaron took upon themselves the sins of Israel and as a result, Moses sinned the same sin against the Lord. He got involved in idolatry just like the children of Israel did. He took credit for a miracle instead of giving credit to the Lord as the Lord had commanded him to do. This action encouraged the sin of Idolatry among the children of Israel.
His punishment for acting out the sins that were artificially placed upon his head, was death and he was prohibited from crossing over into the promised land with Israel.
His atonement offering prevented him from abiding in the Lord for a season.
Nevertheless, the Lord continued to love his servant Moses as one of the greatest prophets.
The atonement offering that Moses made was a type and shadow of the offering that would be made by the latter day prophet that would be “like Moses”. Joseph Smith made a similar intercessory offering in behalf of latter day Israel.
You can read about the atonement statute that provides a prophetic enactment of the latter day atonement in Leviticus 16.
Sometime after the rejection of the fulness of the gospel by the gentile church, Joseph offered himself as an offering and the Lord acknowledged and accepted it in the first verse of section 124.
“VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth.”
Hyrum Attempts to Reform the Church
In the last installment of this series we also briefly discussed the reformation that was offered to the saints in Nauvoo.
You simply cannot make sense of the succession crisis in Nauvoo until you understand the reformation prophecy.
In 1829 the Lord prophesied that the saints would need to have a reformation at a future time.
“And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a REFORMATION among them… ,
And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan..”
Again, one December 5th 1834, the Lord acknowledges that the leaders and the saints were under condemnations and needed to reform in all things.
‘Verily, condemnation resteth upon you, who are appointed to lead my Church, and to be saviors of men; and also upon the Church; and there must needs be a repentance and a REFORMATION among you, in all things..” (Unpublished revelations Pg 73)
Finally, On July 16th 1843, nearly 10 years later, The prophet Joseph Smith “stated that Hyrum held the office of prophet to the church … &he was going to have a REFORMATION and the saints must regard Hyrum for he has authority“
The 1828 Websters Dictionary tells us that reformation is “The act of reforming; correction or amendment of life, manners, or of anything vicious or corrupt…
It further informs us that to Reform is to “restore to a former good state” and to “abandon that which is evil or corrupt, and return to a good state”
The purpose of the Nauvoo era under the direction of the Prophet Hyrum Smith, was not to introduce contradictory esoteric doctrines, covenants and rituals that contradicted earlier revelations but rather to return the church back to the pure and simple doctrines of salvation that were originally taught in the early years of the restoration movement.
Probably the primary single most profound thing Hyrum began doing to reform the church and restore the church to it’s former state was to try and stamp out the practice of polygamy and the spiritual wife doctrine that had taken root in the church.
He began doing this before he was the sole president of the church.
There are many documented historical journal entries and public admissions from the Nauvoo era that document Hyrum’s campaign against polygamy and the spiritual wife doctrine.
Even the Brighamites admit that Hyrum stubbornly rejected the spiritual wife doctrine at first.
They claim however that Hyrum finally embraced it.
Others like Richard and Pamela Price make a compelling case for the fact that the spurious information about Hyrum eventually entering into polygamy was a fabrication and that he held true to the foundational doctrines of gospel law.
It is not the purpose of this series to try to prove of disprove whether Hyrum finally embraced polygamy or the spiritual wife doctrine. One can make a compelling case either way. (It appears to me that he begrudgingly did)
What we do know is that publicly, both Joseph and Hyrum were preaching against the doctrines of polygamy and spiritual wifery.
“By February 1, 1844, they had cut off Elder Hiram Brown from the Church for, among other things, “preaching Polygamy.” They published the following announcement to the Saints:
NOTICE.
As we have lately been credibly informed, that an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, by the name of Hiram Brown, has been preaching Polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan. This is to notify him and the Church in general, that he has been cut off from the church, for his iniquity; and he is further notified to appear at the Special Conference, on the 6th of April next, to make answer to these charges.
JOSEPH SMITH,
HYRUM SMITH,
Presidents of said Church.
(Times and Seasons 5 [February 1, 1844]: 423)”
Following that event, Hyrum heard rumors from Richard Hewitt that elders had been preaching about polygamy in outlying branches and claiming that it was being lived in Nauvoo. Hyrum immediately wrote the following letter to the brethren in China Creek
Nauvoo, March 15,1844.
To the brethren of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, living on China Creek, in Hancock County, Greeting:—Whereas brother Richard Hewitt has called on me today, to know my views concerning some doctrines that are preached in your place, and states to me that some of your elders say, that a man having a certain priesthood, may have as many wives as he pleases, and that doctrine is taught here [at Nauvoo]: I say unto you that that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practised here. And any man that is found teaching privately or publicly any such doctrine, is culpable, and will stand a chance to be brought before the High Council, and lose his license and membership also: therefore he had better beware what he is about…. ”
“Hyrum Smith addresses conference “on Spiritual wife system. The first one we heard reporting such stories we will report him in the Time[s] and Seasons to come and give up his licence. He was decided against it in every form and spoke at length.” (April 8 1844)
There are several dairies that make mention of the April 1844 conference wherein Hyrum spoke against polygamy and spiritual wifery.
“Elder Levi Graybill, who joined the Church in 1833, and was with the Saints at Kirtland, Ohio; Independence and Far West, Missouri; and at Nauvoo testified that he heard President Hyrum Smith speak against polygamy at the April 1844 Church Conference. Elder Graybill wrote:
I was present at the April conference in Nauvoo in 1844….
I was well acquainted with Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and most all of the early leaders of the church…. At the conference of April, 1844, Hyrum Smith said from the stand that some had been teaching spiritual wifery, which meant polygamy, and addressing the sisters he said: “If any man makes such a proposition to you, if you will put a dagger to his heart I will plead your cause in the day of judgment.” (Journal of History 4 [January 1911]: 108) ”
Again, the Brighamite faction that went to Utah concede that Hyrum was “stubbornly” against polygamy when he was made a prophet of the church but they claim he was eventually persuaded by Joseph and that he was living a dual life, publicly speaking against it and even excommunicating people for practicing it while secretly living it.
It is difficult to believe that this man with “integrity of heart ” according to the Lord, was such a hypocrite as to publicly testify against the practice of polygamy and excommunicating people for preaching about it, while privately engaging in it. But again, if that did happen, it fits with the atonement prophecy in Leviticus 16.
Whether Hyrum did or did not finally fall into a darkened state or not before he was killed with Joseph, really is not of huge consequence in understanding the truth and in understanding the controversy in Nauvoo because we have indisputable proof that section 132 is contrary to sections 42, 49 and 101 (the Article on Marriage).
If Hyrum did transgress and eventually begin practicing the spiritual wifery, it would be consistent with his part in the prophetic atonement statute that Joseph, Oliver, Sidney and Hyrum all play a part in.
(Later in this series we will show that the campaign to reform the church was taken up by another member of the first presidency. That story is a facinating one that may surprise you)
The Prophet Oliver Cowdery
There is a very interesting statement in the section 124 regarding the relationship between the calling of Hyrum Smith during the Nauvoo era, and the previous calling of Oliver Cowdery during the Kirtland era-
And from this time forth I appoint unto him [Hyrum] that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph;
95 That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery;
From that passage we are informed that Oliver Cowdery was not just the co-presiding elder of the church back in Kirtland, he was also a prophet, seer and revelator.
In section 124, Hyrum Smith was being given the same blessing, glory, honor, priesthood and gifts of the priesthood that had been put upon Oliver Cowdery!
Hyrum was actually being acknowledged in section 124 in two separate and distinct callings.
The first calling the Lord gave to Hyrum was the “office of priesthood and patriarch“. It was given according to blessing and right. Apparently he had right to by lineage as the eldest living son of joseph Smith Sr but he was also being ordained.
That made him the patriarch over the entire church. Obviously, the priesthood being referenced was the patriarchal Abrahamic priesthood. This was the priesthood which applies to the restoration brought about by Peter James and John.
That was the priesthood that was governing the church now that the fulness of the Melchizedek priesthood had been lost from the earth.
Because of this, Hyrum held the keys of the patriarchal blessing upon the church-
“And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed, as counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right;
That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people,
That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (see 124:92-93)
Most Mormons probably interpret the above passages to refer to patriarchal blessings which tell people about their tribal lineage, etc. however it really refers to holding all the keys of the kingdom, ie, keys of the saving ordinances of the church. (see Matthew 16:19 and Abraham 2:6-11)
The second calling that Hyrum was being called to function in was the calling of prophet seer and revelator in the church. He appears to be filling the vacancy left by Oliver Cowdery.
From section 124 we are informed that Oliver had previously been called to be a prophet seer and revelator just like Joseph.
Although the sanitized history of the Church greatly downplays the role and position of Oliver Cowdery in the early days of the LDS restoration, we know that Oliver saw the face of Christ.
We also know that Oliver was given the spiritual gift of being able to translate and use a seer stone and/or urim and thummim.
Although his faith failed him when he tried to translate part of the Book of Mormon, nevertheless, the Lord told him he had the gift and that he would translate at a future time in the 3rd watch.
As a prophet and co-presiding elder of the church, Oliver brought forth some of the revelations in the D&C.
Although Oliver was a prophet seer and revelator just like Joseph Smith, there were restrictions on how he could use his spiritual gifts as a prophet, seer and revelator regarding the church.
He was not commissioned to receive new doctrine and commandments for the church, rather, it was his calling to expound on existing doctrine that had previously been revealed in the ancient scriptures and modern revelation.
“BEHOLD, I say unto thee, Oliver, that it shall be given unto thee that thou shalt be heard by the church in all things whatsoever thou shalt teach them by the Comforter, concerning the revelations and commandments which I have given.
But, behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses.
And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him, even as Aaron, to declare faithfully the commandments and the revelations, with power and authority unto the church.
And if thou art led at any time by the Comforter to speak or teach, or at all times by the way of commandment unto the church, thou mayest do it.
But thou shalt not write by way of commandment, but by wisdom;”
The spiritual gift of wisdom listed in section 46 verse 17 was one of the gifts that Oliver had been given-
“And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of wisdom.”
Using the spiritual gift of wisdom, Oliver was to teach and expound on previous revelations and commandments by the power of the Comforter.
There are two amazing sections in the D&C that were written by Oliver Cowdery under the spiritual gift of wisdom, by the power of the comforter.
The first was known as the “Articles and Covenants of the Church” (section 20 )
That section, received by the Prophet Oliver Cowdery, along with the “Law of the church” in section 42, received through the prophet Joseph Smith, were the two most important revelations in laying the foundation of the LDS restoration, the restoration of the church and the establishing of missionary work.
The word of wisdom received by Oliver Cowdery in section 20 does not reveal any new doctrine, rather it expounds on the covenants of the church using existing scriptures.
Interestingly, in section 20 we are informed that there are three ways that true revelation can be received-
1- By the Voice of God
2- The ministering of Angels
3- The Holy Ghost
(see 20:35)
THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL WAS ON THE EARTH IN 1831
EVERY SINGLE COVENANT AND ORDINANCE OF THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL REQUIRED FOR SALVATION WAS REVEALED BY FEBRUARY OF 1831
THESE COVENANTS AND ORDINANCES CAN BE FOUND IN SECTION 20 WHICH IS CALLED THE “ARTICLES AND COVENANTS OF THE CHURCH” AND SECTION 42 WHICH WAS CALLED “THE LAW”
Once a person gains an understanding and testimony that all of the saving ordinances and covenants of the fulness of the gospel are identified in sections 20 and 42, they can easily identify the false covenants, commandments and rituals that were being secretly introduced into the church during the apostate Nauvoo era and they can understand why the Lord commissioned the prophet Hyrum Smith to lead a reformation.
There is another “word of wisdom” revelation that Oliver had produced. One that was canonized 1835 and remained in the D&C until 1876, one year before Brigham young died.
This revelation was accepted by the church through the law of common consent and Joseph Smith never challenged it.
This revelation by Oliver Cowdery that was also canonized in the D&C was the “Article on Marriage“.
This amazing section simply expounded on the existing doctrine of marriage that had been revealed in the Bible, Book of Mormon and modern revelation
Although LDS fundamentalists are quick to point out that Joseph was not at the meeting when this section was voted on and they try to imply that Joseph did not endorse it, the fact remains that during the next nine years, Joseph never publicly challenged it or attempted to take it out of the D&C.
More importantly, the Lord endorsed all of the sections in the D&C, including the Article on Marriage, that had been publicly published and canonized by 1841-
“And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God” ( 124:119)
The above passage demonstrates that God was pleased with all of the canonized revelations in the D&C, including the Article on Marriage at the time when section 124 was given.
The Article on Marriage
Oliver was given the privilege of expounding on existing doctrine to the church.
That is what he was doing when he received both the Articles and Covenants of the Church (section 20) and also the Article on Marriage (section 101 before it was taken out of the D&C)
Compare the two following passages of scripture that had been given in sections 42 and 49 with the third passage from the Article on Marriage-
Section 42
“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.
And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out.
Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out.” (42:22)
Section 49
“And again, verily I say unto you, that whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man.
Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation;
And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made.” (49:15-17)
The Article on Marriage (101)
“Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband,
except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.” (Section 101:4 1835 edition)
Again, Oliver Cowdery wasn’t revealing new scripture or new doctrine, he was simply using his spiritual gift of wisdom in expounding on existing scripture and doctrine.
From the mouth of three witnesses, provided in canonized revelations that were accepted by the law of common consent, it was revealed during the early Kirtland years that the fulness of the gospel requires a man to have only one wife.
Amazingly, the article on marriage by Oliver Cowdery remained in all versions of the D&C from 1835 until about 1877 when Brigham Young finally had it expelled from the D&C and replaced by the heretical abomination now known as section 132.
Despite the fact that sections 42, 49 and 101 all testified of the requirement of the gospel law of monogamy during the Nauvoo years, the darkened minds of many of the saints in Nauvoo began participating in the secret practice of spiritual wifery.
In hindsight it is interesting to go back to section 38 when the Lord promised the saints that the law of the gospel that would be given in Kirtland to enable them to escape the power of the enemy-
“And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—
Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high”
Also contained in that revelation the Lord gave a veiled prophecy that the gentile church would become prideful and would take on the same sin of polygamy which was instrumental in bringing the prideful Nephite nation to ruin-
“And if ye seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity; and it must needs be that the riches of the earth are mine to give; but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.”
It was the sin of pride that led the Nephites into the practice of polygamy.
It was the practice of polygamy that led to the destruction of the Nephite nation after they rejected the fulness of the gospel.
The reformation that Hyrum attempted to conduct began with his attempt to get back to the pure and simple law of the gospel which included the celestial law of monogamy.
Amazing!
How is it possible that many of the largest factions of the latter day restoration, including the one led by the majority of the quorum of the twelve apostles who held the mandate to publish the Book of Mormon and the modern words of Christ to the world, would be seduced into believing a different gospel?
How could they embrace a different new and everlasting covenant which was out of harmony with the true new and everlasting covenant. (see isa 24:5-6)
How could they reject the celestial law of monogamy after it had been so well documented in ancient and modern revelation?
Unfortunately, the Prophet Hyrum Smith was unable to reform the church during the 2nd watch.
In the next installment we shall review Joseph Smith’s frantic attempt to repent just before his death and we shall dissect the amazing information revealed in the excommunication trial of the Prophet Sidney Rigdon.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The Law Pertaining to Succession
“…him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations”
It occurred to me while writing the post about Frederick G. Williams that I have never done a specific post on the LDS succession crisis in detail although I have touched on it in bits and pieces in lots of posts that focused on other topics.
When I started blogging nearly three years ago I never intended to write anything this controversial however, over time, I have actually written about many things that are probably even more controversial than this series is going to be..
I have therefore decided to do a series focusing on this most important topic.
In this series I am going to be a little repetitive at times, on purpose.
As I have said previously, the succession crisis is far from over.
It is a continuing issue.
We still need to try to understand it and face it head on.
In fact, one way to view the Marvelous Work and a Wonder is to characterize it as a continuation and ultimately the conclusion to the succession debate that took place after the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. In some ways, the succession issue was a microcosm of the war in heaven, having to do with a great debate and war over the control over the souls of men. Free agency is the principle that allows us to become free by submitting to Christ or to submit ourselves into bondage by being deceived and choosing Satan and his minions.
In this first part of this series I am going to give a summary and associated commentary on the law of succession that is contained in section 43. in so doing, I will highlight seven major principals contained therein.
The following parts of this series will then eventually fall into place as this series evolves and will include highlights of the trial of Sidney Rigdon. The amazing information contained in the notes of that trial has been largely neglected and suppressed by the corporate church.
In that trial, President William Marks gave one of the most eloquent and succinct summaries of the law of succession and he explained from a scriptural point of view why Sidney Rigdon was the only living person who met the qualifications laid out in section 43. (not be confused with William Law, William Marks was the Stake President in Far West and eventually also of Nauvoo)
One of the great myths believed by some students of modern day Mormonism is that the LDS succession crisis took place because the Lord had not given a clear explanation of how succession in church leadership was to take place.
This view is erroneously ascribed by D. Michael Quinn who stated that-
“by the summer of 1844 there was no explicit outline of presidential succession in print..”
Quinn continues-
“Not only did most Mormons have only the haziest concept of what should transpire in the leadership of the LDS Church if the founding prophet were to die, but between 1834 and 1844 Joseph Smith had by word or action established precedents or authority for eight possible methods of succession
Four Very Important Foundational Succession Issues
Before we dissect the law of succession in section 43, we need to address four issues that can create confusion if they are not understood-
1…The Lord gives the church the free agency to reject being presided over by a Prophet Seer and Revelator via the Law of Common Consent:
There is a huge difference between the collective church or even a branch of the church, randomly appointing someone to preside over them as their presiding officer as opposed to the church membership requiring the chosen candidate to first be called and ordained by God to be a prophet seer and revelator expressly chosen by God to receive revelations and commandments for the church.
In other words, the church actually does have the option, through the law of common consent to refuse to appoint the Lord’s prophet seer and revelator as their presiding officer. They may choose someone else that they would rather have preside over them.
Although it appears from historical accounts that Joseph Smith may have suggested some or all of the above eight methods of succession mentioned by Quinn, they would only be reasons for choosing someone according to the law of common consent to simply preside over the church in a leadership capacity.
It is interesting and informative to note that the Lord called Joseph Smith by revelation to be a prophet seer and revelator to receive commandments and revelations for the church in section 28, and then, at a later time, in section 43 the Lord admonishes the saints to appoint Joseph Smith to preside over them by common consent if they want the glories of the kingdom-
“But, behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church [the Church of Christ] excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses. And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him, even as Aaron, to declare faithfully the commandments and the revelations, with power and authority unto the church.” (Section 28)
“And if ye desire the glories of the kingdom, appoint ye my servant Joseph Smith, Jun , and uphold him before me by the prayer of faith.13 And again, I say unto you, that if ye desire the mysteries of the kingdom, provide for him food and raiment, and whatsoever thing he needeth to accomplish the work wherewith I have commanded him;14 And if ye do it not he shall remain unto them that have received him, that I may reserve unto myself a pure people before me..” (section 43)
This demonstrates that the calling to be a prophet seer and revelator comes from God but the appointment to preside comes from the church membership via common consent ( or at least the ratification of God’s appointment).
The only way the church can appoint someone to act as a prophet seer and revelator while presiding over the church is if they appoint someone who has already been called and ordained to that SPIRITUAL GIFT by God.
Appointment to preside by the church does not mystically confer the spiritual gift of prophecy and seership upon the person being appointed.
Although Joseph Smith may very possibly have suggested some or all of the eight methods for identifying someone to preside over the church, those prerequisites do not give the person the spiritual gift of being a prophet seer and revelator, nor do they bestow the right to receive revelations and commandments for the church.
In my opinion, the real succession issue has to do with the protocol that the Lord had given by revelation, not the many conflicting alleged protocols that were supposedly suggested by Joseph Smith
2…President of the High Priesthood vs. President of the Church
Another very important distinction that must be understood, is that there is a difference between the office of President of the Church in a specific geographical area, vs, the office of President of the High Priesthood, who is the presiding officer over all of the congregations of the church worldwide.
As the President of the Church in Kirtland, Joseph Smith was not the president of the church in Zion, David Whitmer was. Similarly, the president of the church in Nauvoo was President William Marks, not Joseph Smith. However, Joseph Smith, while serving as the local president of the Kirtland stake of Zion, was also sustained in a separate and distinct calling, as the President of the High Priesthood which made him the presiding officer over all church congregations and over all presidents of the various churches in all geographical locations.
Section 107:91-92 is not speaking about the office of “President of the Church” as many suppose, rather it is referring to the president of the high priesthood, which also presides over all church presidents and their respective congregations-
“And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to preside over the whole church, and to be like unto Moses— Behold, here is wisdom; yea, to be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.”
Many assume that the president of the church, ie, the president of the church in Kirtland or Zion or Nauvoo, and the president of the high priesthood are synonymous but this is not true. They are two different and distinct callings, although one person can be functioning in both callings at the same time like Joseph Smith did during the Kirtland era of the church.
3.. Joseph Smith was called to be the Presiding “Elder”, not the President of the High Priesthood when he established the church in Nauvoo:
If you compare section 107 91-92 with section 124:125 you might be surprised to find out that Joseph Smith was no longer acting as the President of the High Priesthood when the saints settled in Nauvoo, rather, he was the “Presiding Elder” who also was appointed to be a prophet seer and revelator for the church. The reason for this, as noted in section 124 is that the fullness of the priesthood had been lost from the earth and therefore there was no longer anyone acting in the office of President of the High Priesthood who held all of the spiritual gifts of the church. (see also 127:12)
In previous posts we have discussed how Joseph established three churches, ie, the Church of Christ (presided over by an elder) in the early Kirtland years, the Church of God which describes the saints who were in the process of gathering and consecrating, (presided over by a High Priest- beginning with the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood at the Morley Farm). Finally, after the gentile church rejected the fulness of the priesthood and the fulness of the Gospel sometime around 1834, Joseph was instrumental in renaming/establishing the Church of the Latter day Saints, (later changed, due to a misinterpretation of section 115, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints which refers to the saints who are in a scattered and unconsecrated and apostate condition which is presided over by an elder or elders)
4… Joseph Smith was not “the” or “a” prophet Seer and Revelator of the church when he died, Hyrum was the sole prophet seer and revelator for the church. As documented in several other posts, after the Lord called Hyrum to be the co-president and prophet seer and revelator of the church with Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Joseph stated publicly in a general conference that he would no longer be acting as a prophet of the church. This left Hyrum as the sole presiding elder and prophet seer and revelator of the church. Hence, the true succession issue had nothing to do with finding a successor for joseph Smith, a successor had already been chosen and ordained. It had to do with finding a successor for Hyrum Smith!
The Doctrine of Succession was Very Clearly Defined
Although it is true that most Mormons were unclear about the true succession protocol, it is not because it did not exist, it is because of their doctrinal ignorance or refusal to accept the revealed protocol.
So, while some people like D. Michael Quinn postulate that there was no clear protocol for succession based on historicity showing confusion on the issue, actually, the opposite is true.There was a very clear protocol which is contained in section 43.
The real reason the succession crisis took place is because he Quorum of the Twelve and others who had been initiated into the secret measures wanted to dissolve the first Presidency and have the Twelve preside over the church.
Tthe Lord had given a very clear protocol about how he would call and ordain future successors to the Prophet Joseph Smith but the saints either were unaware of it or they refused to accept it as they were distracted by the dog and pony show that Brigham and his brethren were putting on.
The succession protocol in section 43 is so specific and exacting that nobody familiar with modern revelation could possibly refute the protocol. Indeed, section 43 even contains a succession prophecy revealing how succession would indeed take place BEFORE Joseph dies!
It also provides a continuing protocol for those who succeed Joseph’s successor.
Nevertheless, the majority of the saints either knowingly or unknowingly rejected the protocol either because they were doctrinally ignorant of the law-
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Isaiah 4:6
OR they didn’t want to be led by true prophets that spoke the harsh truth… they wanted to be told smooth things-
“.. this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Isaiah 30:9-11
As we shall see as we continue in this series, there was only one living person who had been properly called and chosen by the Lord as a Prophet Seer and Revelator who had been ordained and publicly presented to the saints as such by those who had the authority to perform such an ordination.
Many if not most of saints living in Nauvoo in 1844 probably did not own a copy of the 1833 Book of Commandments or the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
A large portion of the early latter day gentiles from the Kirtland era had since rejected the fullness of the gospel and left the church by the time Joseph and the church migrated to Nauvoo and now, because of the secret visitation which is now documented in section 110, the children of Abraham were now converting to Mormonism, crossing the ocean and coming into Nauvoo from foreign lands. Most of them were very poor and did not have their own set of scriptures.
Many of the new converts were virtually illiterate.
These children of Abraham would include many of the children of Judah.
This very possibly included those who were literal descendents of the original apostles of Jesus Christ as well as literal descendents of the rebellious Jews who cried out to Pilot-
“Let him be crucified…. His blood be on us, and on our children.”
The Law of Succession- Section 43
Once again, section 43 was extremely explicit on how succession was to take place. In fact, the Lord provided at least seven main points on how succession was to take place. This law of succession even contained a conditional prophecy explaining how succession would take place in the future and the prophecy came to pass in Nauvoo.
The main purpose of part one of this paper is to simply summarize and analyze the LAW OF SUCCESSION that is provided in section 43.
1… Verse 2) “..Him whom I have appointed unto you to receive revelations and commandments..”:
The law begins by informing us that in the latter day restored church, Joseph Smith was the initial one who is appointed to receive commandments and revelations . It mandates that only those appointed as prophets, seers and revelators for the church, and given those spiritual gift, by God, are allowed to receive commandments and revelations for the church. It is not the church or leaders of the church who decide who God bestows this gift upon… it is God.
2… (Verse 3) “..IF he abides in Me..”:
The second point I want to address in the law of succession is also a conditional prophesy. It informs us that there will be no other person appointed to receive commandments and revelations for the church until Joseph is taken IF Joseph continues to abide in the Lord.
In this conditional promise, we are informed that If Joseph Smith abides in the Lord, no one else will be appointed to receive revelations and commandments for the church. It appears that Zion would have been redeemed IF Joseph would have continued to ABIDE in the Lord.
This part of the law of succession makes it clear that there is a possibility that Joseph may not continue to abide in the Lord, in which event, another would be called and appointed to that gift and that office. (Please don’t assume that Joseph did not continue to abide in the Lord because of his own unrighteousness… for more information on this topic see the post on the atonement statute-scapegoat doctrine)
3,,, (Verse 4) “..If it (the gift) be taken from him..”:
This is the second part of the conditional promise previously given. Building upon the previous acknowledgement that Joseph may not continue to abide in the Lord, the law of succession provides a solution for the appointing of another. If another is appointed God will do it by revelation through Joseph.
The ONLY way another will be appointed by God to the spiritual gift of receiving commandments and revelations for the church will be through Joseph Smith. This amazing prophecy came true in 1841 when section 124 was given. In that revelation the Lord appointed Hyrum through the Prophet Joseph Smith to receive the gift of receiving commandments and revelations for the church, in concert with Joseph.
Shortly after Hyrum’s ordination, Joseph announced in a conference that he, (Joseph) would no longer be acting in the capacity of a prophet to the church. In essence, he was announcing the fulfillment of the succession prophecy in section 43.(whether he knew it or not)
Some of the members of the Church approached Joseph after the conference and told him that they did not feel Hyrum could lead the church. It is not clear whether they were a small minority or if they represented the majority of the church membership. (the history of the Church does not reveal who these brethren were, however I believe there is a good possibility that they were the same brethren that would also eventually reject Sidney)
Whether or not Hyrum was ultimately rejected by the church as the sole prophet seer and revelator is not clear, however it is a clear historical fact that he was called and ordained as such by the Lord through the “prophet Joseph Smith according to the protocol given in section 43. Unfortunately many Mormons falsely assume that Joseph Smith was the prophet Seer and Revelator for the church at the time of his death but this is not the case. Brigham Young made the following declaration, ““Did Joseph Smith ordain any man to take his place. He did. Who was it? It was Hyrum..,”.Times and Seasons, 5 [Oct. 15, 1844]: 683…..”
4… (Verse 7) “.. He that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained..”:
Section 43 informs us that the only way a person can be called to the gift of receiving commandments and revelations for the church is by first, entering in at the gate, which is to receive the spiritual rebirth, and second, being called by God and ordained by the existing anointed servant of the Lord who has already been appointed to the gift.
Apparently it is not possible for someone to bestow a spiritual gift upon another that they themselves don’t possess. As we shall see in a future part of this series, this is one of the points made by William Marks at the trial of Sidney Rigdon.
It is really quite amazing that the Lord is telling the church that one must have entered into the “GATE” before they can even be called and chosen by God to be a prophet seer and revelator of the church. Is it possible that this portion of the law of succession requires the church members to be able to discern if the candidate has previously received the spiritual rebirth!
I would submit to you that only those who have themselves been spiritually been born again can spiritually discern if someone else has been spiritually born again. This is why we are told in section 45 that those who are wise and have taken the Holy Spirit as their guide will not be deceived!
To summarize: anyone who receives the gift of being able to receive revelations and commandments for the church after Joseph fails to abide in the lord, must first receive the spiritual rebirth by entering in at the gate and secondly, they must be appointed by the Lord by the spirit of revelation through Joseph.
It is truly amazing that the law of succession requires the saints to be able to discern if someone has been spiritually reborn! A key word search on the word “gate” will bring up a multitude of passages about the strait gate that one must enter into in order to be spiritually born of the Lord. Also, in section 5 we are informed that becoming born of God through the manifestation of the spirit is initiated by believing in the word of God as contained in the Book of Mormon- “And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, [contained in the Book of Mormon] them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit—
5… Verse 6) “..And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived..”:
The Lord gave the law of succession in section 43 to enable the saints to avoid being DECEIVED by false prophets.
If you do a key word search using the words “prophets” and “deceived”, the first reference that comes up in the New Testament has to do with the mandate Christ gives to his disciples to not be deceived be false prophets. He informs the saints that false prophets will arise in the latter days. That warning is also found in JST Matthew. We see from this that the succession doctrine given in section 43 is a continuation of Christ’s warning about false prophets in the New Testament!
This is incredible!
We see from this that the false prophets of the latter days that Christ warns about in the New Testament are not coming from Catholicism or Protestantism but rather, from the latter day restoration movement!
The prophecies warning about false prophets in the latter days are clearly spawned from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That warning contained in section 43 is accompanied by the commandment to “receive not the teachings of any that come before you as revelations or commandments” who had not entered in at the gate and been properly appointed and ordained by God through Joseph Smith, or a legal successor of Joseph Smith.
It is truly remarkable that the largest faction of the restoration movement did in fact accept the teachings of the person that did not meet the requirements of the succession protocol provided in section 43. Instead they chose to follow someone else and they chose to eventually accept his teachings as revelations and commandments…
..indeed, the saints allowed the person they chose by the law of common consent to alter doctrines and alter the scriptures. Despite the fact that the saints rejected the Lord’s appointed prophet in favor of someone else, the Lord gave them the option to do so via the law of common consent.
This scenario is reminiscent of when God’s people chose to follow a king rather than a prophet… choosing King Saul instead of the prophet Samuel-
“But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.”
Obviously, there have been times when righteous kings were also inspired prophets. Another passage from Alma 10 documents how a people governed by a righteous king can eventually become ruled by the “voice of the people”.
“Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices—yea, well did he say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction. And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.“
6… (Verse 2) “..ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church..”;
The law of succession in section 43 began by acknowledging that the church had just previously received section 42 which was the LAW given to the church by the Lord through his anointed prophet, seer and revelator.
The LAW unto the CHURCH given in section 42 was an integral part of the LAW of SUCCESSION because it identifies many of the fruits and doctrines of the true church and what will be taught by the true Prophet Seer and Revelator.It also requires the church to accept the established four standard works as the law of the church.
The leading elders of the church were commanded to assemble together and instruct and edify each other that they may know how to act and direct the true church upon the points of the LAW and COMMANDMENTS given in section 42.
They were promised that they could be sanctified by the law given in section 42 if they lived it. The law given in section 42 bound the saints to live the fullness of the gospel contained in the inspired version of the Bible (when it was completed), the Book of Mormon and the revelations that had been and would be given through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Section 42 clearly laid out the law of consecration and the celestial law of monogamy.
The law of consecration and the law of monogamy would ultimately be key issues when the succession crisis took place after the death of Hyrum Smith, the Lords appointed prophet seer and revelator of the church.
Again, it is truly amazing that the presiding quorum and ultimately the presiding person sustained by the largest faction of the saints would personally refuse to live the law of monogamy and the law of consecration for the remainder of his very long life.
7… (Verse 11) “..Purge ye out the iniquity that is among you..”:
The saints were commanded to purge out the wicked and the wickedness that was among them.
That was a necessity before they could become sanctified. They were also commanded to uphold the prophet Joseph Smith through the prayer of faith. In a later revelation the Lord explains that he would allow the wheat and tares to remain together until the great day of purging. From this we learn that the restored church was not successful in purging out the iniquity which was among them and in becoming sanctified.
Those who study the so-called succession issue closely, will find that the real issues at the root of the succession controversy were not being based on the succession protocol that the Lord had given. The saints were not focusing on trying to discern who had entered into the gate and been appointed by the Lord through Joseph Smith, rather, they were deciding who they wanted to follow.
As we continue in this series, we shall see that the real controversy between Sidney Rigdon and the Twelve Apostles had to do with another gospel that had been secretly introduced into the church. It involved secret endowments and ordinations and a secret practice that had entered into the church which was contrary to the celestial law of monogamy. This secret practice had to do with the spiritual wife doctrine and the ancient practice of polygamy.
To be continued.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
20 Transfigured Doctrines
I have been working on a paper that breaks the 15 year public ministry of the prophet Joseph Smith into five very specific, definable and revealing time periods.
It contains historical and scriptural documentation to demonstrate exactly what took place during those periods of time and ultimately, why the current state of the corporate latter day church is in the condition it is in.
Although much of this information has been covered in bits and pieces in previous blog posts, this paper will provide additional documentation and also provide live links to all articles that covered each topic covered in the paper.
In conjunction with this religious-historical timeline of the LDS restoration movement, I have identified 20 major, foundational doctrines that were taught between 1829 and the latter part of 1836.
The paper addresses how every single one those foundational doctrines have since been transfigured at some point in time between the end of 1836 and our present time in 2011.
There are several reasons I am using 1836/1837 as the dividing line for when the true doctrines began being transfigured.
One is that even though the Lord told the Saints in 1834 that they had already been given sufficient time to redeem Zion by that date and would need to wait a little season before they could live the laws of Zion and redeem Zion, he had previously promised them that they would have priesthood blessings and protection and the opportunity to repent in Kirtland until the appointed time of September 11th 1836
Another reason for choosing 1836/1837 as the tipping point for when the original truths began to be corrupted has to do with the ominous pronouncement from the Lord in section 112 that-
“all flesh has become corrupt before my face“.
That pronouncement was essentially the same one made in JST Genesis 8 when the Lord observed that all flesh had become corrupt.
Beginning with that pronouncement in the Old Testament, He gave the world a set time of 120 years in which to listen to the preaching of Noah and repent or be destroyed by water-
“The earth was corrupt before God; and it was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence, and behold, I will destroy all flesh from off the earth. Make thee therefore, an ark..”
The scriptures then inform us that the existing flesh on the earth that had become corrupted would have 120 years to repent before the rain began falling and the floods destroyed all living things.
Interestingly, the ark seems to be a type of the chambers or holy places that the righteous will be commanded to gather into when the servants return to give the final warning in the last days.. and the floods that covered the earth in the days of Noah are a type of the fire that will consume the earth in the latter days.
Additionally, the city of Enoch is also a type of what will happen to the elect after they have gathered and consecrated. Once they have repented and received the fulness of the gospel that was previously rejected, they will be caught up to meet the Lord and the city of Enoch in the cloud while the inhabitants of the earth are destroyed by fire, just as the wicked were destroyed by water in the days of Noah.
I don’t know if I will ever get the paper completed, and I’m not anxious about it since this research is mainly for my own edification and ability to easily reference my other posts by topic, however if any of you would like to see it when and if it gets finished, feel free to respond with you email address and I will send the document to you when it is done. My blog has the moderation feature and I will not publish you email address.
Since the paper may not be completed anytime soon, I thought I would share a few details of the paper at this time.
The general five part time-line break down is provided in the graphic below-
Again, I am not going to provide the detailed documentation pertaining to each of these time periods at this time, it will be contained in the finished paper. (although anyone who has read my blogs will not have a difficult time understanding the significance of each designated time period.)
The graphic does not mean to imply that the 111 revelations that were received prior to September 11th of 1836 are true revelations and the 14 revelations received after that period of time are false.
I believe that virtually all of the revelations received by Joseph Smith during his life that are consistent with all previous revelations and that were published or canonized during his life are true. (not just the canonized ones, but all of the published ones)
The above time-line is a testimony to the long suffering of God and how he continues to labor with his apostate people for a season even after they have corrupted themselves.
It had previously been prophesied, in the book of Commandments, and in other published but un-canonized revelations, that the saints would have a future opportunity for a reformation. I believe that opportunity came in Nauvoo.
Had they done so, they would have ushered
in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
I simply showed the number of revelations that were received during each period of time, in the graphic, to illustrate the flow of revelation during each segment of the 15 year ministry.
In all fairness, the revelations were probably slowing down, not only because of the darkness that was covering the minds of the people and their unwillingness to accept truth, but also because the light and knowledge necessary in laying the initial foundation of the Marvelous Work had been given, primarily within the first seven years when the initial appointed time frame for redeeming Zion was to take place.
Why have you Transfigured the Holy Word of God
A Book of Mormon prophet gasped when he saw in vision that the saints of the restored church would change the pure truths revealed by God through his prophets pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God.
Although I have known that many of the original doctrines have been changed for a long time, it is only within the last few years that I have actually come to realize just how pervasive this transfiguration of God’s holy word has really been.
After studying this topic in more detail, I now feel as if virtually every single doctrine and ordinance that was originally revealed through the prophet Joseph Smith has been changed… including the most important doctrines pertaining to the nature and character of God that reveal who and what we worship.
From them shall be Taken Away
Even that which they have
The following passages of scripture indicate that once an enlightened people reject the truth, not only does the Lord stop revealing additional truths, he even takes away the previous truths that have already been revealed-
For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.
31 Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts. 2nd Nephi 28
This amazing truth is addressed again in Alma-
“..he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
11
And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.” (Alma 12)
We are reminded in modern revelation that the wrath of God will be poured out upon the wicked without measure because his spirit shall not always strive with man-
“Wherefore, fear and tremble, O ye people, for what I the Lord have decreed in them shall be fulfilled.
8 And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious;
9 Yea, verily, to seal them up unto the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure—
10 Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.
..he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received, for my spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of hosts.”
As you can see, the Lord reiterates in modern revelation that if the saints did not repent, the previous light they had been given would be taken away.
Also, did you catch another parallel pertaining to the time of Noah and our own? In the same passages in Genesis when God observes that all flesh has become corrupt, he warns that his spirit shall not always strive with man-
“the Lord said unto Noah, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he shall know that all flesh shall die, yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years; and if men do not repent, I will send in the floods upon them”
How interesting that in modern revelation God makes the same general observations and pronouncements that he made in the time of Noah-
This is a fascinating concept where the light and truth that has been given must be taken away if it is rejected.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away..
(God uses his seers the revealed the truth to take the truth aways)
If God reveals the truth to his saints through his anointed seers, and the people reject the truth, exactly how does God take the truth away from the people?
Have you ever wondered about that?
The answer to that is found in the Book of Mormon and JST versions of Isaiah 29:
“For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.
For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.”
Speaking of the Seers whose eyes are covered by the Lord because of the transgression of the saints, Isaiah informs us the “priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink..”
They “err in vision and stumble in judgment”
Using similar terminology, section one prophesies that when the Lord’s weak and simple servants “erred”, “it might be made known”.
“And in as much as they sinned, they might be chastened that they might repent”.
We have already covered the prophesies in Zechariah and other Old Testament passages that speak of the return and repentance of God’s latter day servants in the 3rd watch. At that time, they will restore the light and knowledge that they had previously restored and then taken away from the saints when God covered their eyes.
There you have it, Isaiah informs us that at the time when the first portion of the sealed book comes forth, there are seers on the earth that bring a portion of the record forth.
Those seers that bring forth the first portions of the book of Mormon thereafter have their eyes closed by the Lord because of the wickedness of the saints. At that time the Lord pours out a spirit of deep sleep upon the saints and their seers.
I realize that it is almost incomprehensible to consider the possibility that God used such men as Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon (who were both sustained as prophets and seers in the 1836 solemn assembly) to eventually transfigure the original true doctrines that those men had been so instrumental in bringing forth.
I will not provide the detailed documentation for each of the doctrines I am going to list at this time. I will simply give you the listing of doctrines that have been transfigured. I leave it to you to do your own research to determine which doctrines are true and which are false.
You decide if my supposition is correct or false and if in fact the original teaching of the LDS restoration movement are the true teachings.
You can decide for yourself how and when the true and false doctrines were introduced into the church.
Some of these doctrines on the list have been transfigured in relatively recent times by leaders such as Joseph Fielding Smith.
Others were transfigured in the early Utah period of the church by Brigham Young.
Some, however, were transfigured in the later Nauvoo years by Joseph Smith himself.
Again, I have known for decades that the church has been infested with false doctrines. Indeed I have a long list of church leaders from Brigham Young, to Joseph Fielding Smith, to Ezra Taft Benson who have acknowledged this fact. However I did not realize just how pervasive the problem was or how early it began until recent years.
I always realized that the Book of Mormon was including the very first generation of the latter day saints in the rebuke for transfiguring the holy word of God, but I had assumed it was only referring to the lay members, I just couldn’t accept that it was including the first laborers of the last kingdom in that ominous observation.
Just as recently as the last year or two I have come to the painful realization that the Image of God that I have been worshiping all of my life is really just a false image of God that has been created by the imagination of uninspired men .
I inherited this image of God from the false traditions of my fathers.
The image of God that I had, originated from the transfigured doctrines, not from the original pure doctrines.
I grew up loving the King Follett Sermon that Joseph Smith gave in Nauvoo. To me, it was the epitome of what differentiated Mormonism from apostate Christianity.
I am going to be a God someday I thought to myself!
But was it not the desire to exalt himself that got Satan thrown out of heaven?
I loved the concept of the progression of the Gods and the possibility that I might become a Savior of a world and the fact that God the Father was once a mortal man like myself.
I loved knowing that God the Father has a glorified body of flesh and bones and that I will one day be a “God the Father”. (I am not saying we cannot become begotten Sons of God, I am simply saying that their will always be a distinction between the “begotten Sons of God” and “unbegotten” Father.
Conversely, I have also always loved the Lectures on Faith that Joseph and Sidney gave in Kirtland, although I have struggled over the years to wrap my mind around some of the concepts in it.
It is only recently that I realized that many of the doctrines taught in Lectures on Faith and the doctrines taught in the King Follett Sermon are diametrically opposed to each other. (They cannot both be true)
If you will carefully compare Lectures on Faith with the King Follett Sermon, I think you will see what I am talking about.
This realization has helped me to understand and appreciate the true doctrine of salvation and nature of God, taught in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon and distinguish it from the doctrine of exaltation that crept into the church during the Nauvoo period.
It has also sobered me up about my desire to exalt myself in the eternities.
I have come to the conclusion that either Joseph and Sidney were confused and deceived when they taught the Lectures on Faith in the school of the prophets prior to 1835, or, Joseph taught some industrial strength false doctrine during the Nauvoo era.
Of course, the fruits of Lectures on Faith is that several of the elders who believed those teachings during the Kirtland period were actually seeing God the Father and the only begotten Son and testifying that the Father was a glorified personage of spirit that was a consuming fire and that the Son was a personage of fleshly tabernacle.
Conversely, nobody during the Nauvoo era was having the heavens opened to them.
This brings us to the old argument of whether Joseph 1) began the restoration movement making lots of doctrinal errors that needed to be corrected later on in Nauvoo when he gained greater truth and light, or 2) if he started with truth and light and then became darkened in his mind after the saints rejected the truth that he revealed.
We must ask ourselves this question- did the most inspired doctrines come in the first seven years or the second seven years of Joseph’s ministry?
I have made my views on this abundantly clear in previous posts, I now provide a listing of transfigured doctrines for you to study and formulate your own opinions on.
This has created no small degree of indigestion for me, realizing that perhaps, God, in his infinite wisdom, covered the eyes of the seers and used Joseph and others to take away the original truths about the Godhead that they had previously revealed.
Again, in this post I am going to provide a partial listing of 20 of the true doctrines that were originally taught during the first years of the LDS restoration movement. Each one of them will be followed by the transfigured doctrine that is currently believed and taught by many leaders and members of the church today.
I am NOT going to provide all of the documentation that I have to show why one doctrine is true and the other is false. That information will be contained in the finished document.
I simply thought you would enjoy being able to see the difference between what was being taught in the early church up to September 11th 1836 vs the last seven or eight years and beyond, even up today.
Enjoy-
Remember, every doctrine classified below as the “Original Doctrine” was taught sometime prior to September 11th 1836. Every doctrine classified as “Transfigured Doctrine”, was taught sometime after September 11th 1836.
Listing of Original and Transfigured Doctrines
Needless to say, there are many more transfigured doctrines that could be added to the list. I may address more of them in the finished article. Feel free to submit others that you feel should be included or challenge any of the above suppositions that you think are inaccurate.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
In the first part of this series we reviewed the five parts of the early history of the church and how it appears that the offices within the two higher priesthoods (Patriarchal and Melchizedek) were taken from the earth while the lesser priesthood (Aaronic) remained.
Although the latter day saints continued to have the form of the church structure with people claiming to hold all of the offices, the fruits and power associated with those priesthood offices are not longer apparent in the modern church. Indeed, according to section 124 the church became rejected by the Lord with their dead.
In the second post, we discussed how the Aaronic Priesthood keys to the ministering of angels constituted the priesthood keys necessary for ushering in the dispensation of the fullness of times in the 3rd watch.
We reviewed the amazing prophecy that Joseph Smith gave in Nauvoo in 1840 explaining in unquestionable detail how the parable of the redemption of Zion in section 101 was referring to a future event in Nauvoo.
It was not referring to the earlier years in Jackson County nor did it have to do with the failed Zions Camp fiasco.
It was referring to the future commandment to build the Nauvoo Temple and the eventual failure to complete it.
His prophecy foretold that the Nauvoo Temple would be the literal fulfillment of the TOWER in the parable and that it would not be completed during the 2nd watch, and that the Saints would be scattered by the ENEMY.
The parables in section 101 and in Jacob both assure us that the servants will return and be victorious in the 3rd watch.
Notwithstanding this amazing prophecy by the latter day Seer, and the fulfillment of it down to every detail in the parable, many LDS histories and lesson manuals fail to acknowledge this incredible prophecy and its implications and they associate the parable in section 101 with the failure to build the temple in Jackson county back in the 1830’s, even though the foundation of the Jackson County Temple was never even laid.
If these histories and manuals were to acknowledge the prophecy, it would let the cat out of the bag about what really took place in Nauvoo, regarding the failure to complete the temple, the rejection of the church with their dead, the scattering of Gods people by the ENEMY and how these events reduced the church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints into a tribal organization functioning under Levitical priesthood.Lets review the chronology of events in the last days as given in the parable in 101 and in the prophecy by Joseph smith-
Point five brings us to what is about to take place in America, probably within a few years if not months.
Associated with the waking up of the nations will be opening up of the Marvelous Work and a Wonder and the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times which will involve the introduction of additional ancient scripture, the publishing of the inspired version of the Bible and the sending forth of the proclamation to the kings and leaders of the nations of the world as detailed in section 124.
Please notice the interesting wording of Josephs pronouncements below and see if they remind you of a prophesy in the Book of Mormon-
“when the seed of these 12 Olive trees are scattered abroad they will wake up the Nations of the whole Earth Even this Nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the constitution is upon the brink of ruin this people will be the Staff up which the Nation shall lean and they shall bear away the constitution away from the very verge of destruction Then shall the Lord say go tell all my servants who are the strength of mine house my young men and middle aged &c come to the Land of my vineyard and fight the battle of the Lord”
Now compare the above prophetic declarations of Joseph Smith to this following admonition to the gentiles in Ether chapter 8 of the book of Mormon-
22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.
As you can see, Joseph was bringing greater clarity to the prophecy in the Ether.
It had been shown to Joseph during the visions of the night that the admonition in Ether to the latter day gentiles to repent and awake to the sense of their awful situation would take place at the time that the servants of the vineyard return.
It appears as if when they return, they will awake the righteous among the gentiles who in turn will awake the nations of the earth!
I mentioned in the last post that Joseph began his Nauvoo discourse by reading the prophecy in section 101 to provide context for what he was about to reveal about the events that would shortly be taking place in Nauvoo.
What I did not mention is that he also read another prophecy out of the Old Testament along with the prophecy in section 101 BEFORE detailing what was about to happen in Nauvoo regarding the attempt to build the temple.
The other passage of scripture that he read was Ezekiel 33.
This is rather fitting because in that chapter it outlines the law pertaining to the watchman on the tower.
Obviously, the Nauvoo Temple is the tower, and Joseph was the watchman on the tower.
I won’t take time to review the entire chapter in detail, but here are a few nuggets to consider-
1 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman;
3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
Pretty simple and straight forward.
If the watchman warns the people and they don’t take the warning, the blood is upon the head of the rebellious people.
On the other hand, if the watchman is negligent and fails to warn the people, the blood is upon his own head.
Please realize the dual application to this chapter in Ezekiel.
In Joseph Smith’s prophetic discourse, he was warning the Nauvoo Saints that the enemy was going to scatter them before it even happened.
He continued to warn them by giving section 124 to them which warned them of their sins and abominations and warned them of the consequences if they failed to repent be obedient to the commandments
As documented in previous articles, the Prophet continued to exhort the saints to complete both the temple and the Nauvoo House and warned them of the consequences if they failed to do so.
Later in the chapter Ezekiel details a serious problem that took place in Nauvoo-
26 Ye stand upon your sword; ye work abominations, and ye defile everyone his neighbor’s wife; and shall ye possess the land?
Obviously, the Saints would ultimately need to flee from Nauvoo. The Lord could not allow the Saints to inherit the holy land of Nauvoo at that time for they were in the process of being enticed into a false doctrine that involved the defiling of their neighbors wives.
I would submit that the false doctrine and false revelation would continue with the Saints right up until the time of the return of the Servants and indeed would be interrelated with the secret combination that had created the awful situation that the world was in.
Please note that Ether was telling the repentant gentiles about an evil combination that had infiltrated their own organization. The first thing they were to do was to repent of their involvement in this secret combination-
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of YOUR sins-
By doing so, they could prevent the murderous combinations to get ABOVE them.
-and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you;
Ah ha! These combinations were not just in the same nation as the believing gentiles, they had infiltrated the latter day church of the believing gentiles themselves!.
Gods people were actually involved in these secret combinations!
This topic is covered in greater detail in the series dealing with the EVIL GIFT.
Suffice it to say that as a result of the apostasy and the infiltration of secret combinations into the church, many latter day saints who think they have received an endowment from heaven, have received a counterfeit endowment.
But for now, lets continue on with Ezekiel-
29 Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate, because of all their abominations, which they have committed.
Ezekiel observes the same abominations among Gods apostate people that Ether speaks of.
The ending passage of this chapter is so profound-
33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
Joseph Smith made the following prophecy in Nauvoo-
“I prophecy that the day will come when you will say Oh that we had given heed… the people will not hearken nor hear and bondage, death and destruction are close at our heels. The kingdom will not be broken up [because those keys will remain with him even after he is dead!] but we shall be scattered and driven, gathered again and then dispersed , reestablished [The First Presidency was reestablished and everyone that went to Utah was compelled to get rebaptized under the supervision of the new presidency] & driven abroad [missionaries were sent to establish the Saints in the nations abroad] and so on until the Ancient of days shall sit and the kingdom and power thereof shall be given to the Saints and they shall possess it forever and ever…” (words of Joseph pg 67)
Clearly Joseph Smith knew the whole time in Nauvoo that the Saints would fail to complete the temple and would be scattered. They would then be REESTABLISHED and eventually the doctrine of the gathering would by denied and the saints would be told that Zion is in your heart and you can live anywhere in the world you want.
They would not receive the kingdom and the power thereof until the Ancient of Days returns with the other servants.
The Saints have been driven abroad!
We are to remain in this scattered situation until the main SERVANT (the Ancient of Days) returns and commissions the other servants (the Seer and Spokesman and the first laborers of the last kingdom) to finish their work.
Shortly before his death Joseph Smith mentioned that he had seen in vision that the Saints would be moved out of their place in Nauvoo and scattered because of their abominations.
He saw that the majority of the Latter day Saints would initially flee to the Rocky Mountains.
As he lamented to a few of his friends he exclaimed-
“oh the apostasy that will take place BEFORE my brethren reach that land“.
Here is a portion of the journal entry containing that quote-
On the 14th of July, 1843, with quite a number of his (Joseph Smith brethren, he (Joe) crossed the Mississippi River to the town of Montrose… Joseph Smith remained under the bowery. Jose] as he was tasting of the cold water, warned the brethren not to be fret with it. With the tumbler still in his hand he prophesied that the Saint would yet go to the Rocky Mountains; and, said he, ‘this water tastes much like that of the crystal streams that are running from the snow capped mountains…..
…. Mr. Call describe (sic) this prophetic scene: I had before seen him in a vision and now saw while he was talking his countenance changed to white: not the deadly white of a bloodless face, but a living brilliant white.
He seemed absorbed in gazing at something at a great distance and said, ‘I am gazing upon the valleys of those mountains’. This was followed by a vivid description of the scenery of these mountains as I have since become acquainted with it.
Pointing to Shadrach Roundy and others, he said, ‘There are some men here who shall do a great work in that land.’ Pointing to me he said, ‘There is Anson, he shall go and shall assist in building cities from one end of that country to the other, and you’ rather extending the idea to all those he had spoken of, ‘shall perform as great a work as has been done by man, so that the nation of the earth shall be astonished and many of them will be gathered in that land and assist in building cities and temples, and Israel shall he made to rejoiced’.
“It is impossible to represent in words this scene which is still vivid in my mind, of the grandeur of Joseph’s appearance, his beautiful descriptions of this land and his wonderful prophetic utterances as they emanated from the glorious inspirations that over shadowed him.
There was a force and power in his exclamations of which the following is but a faint echo. ‘Oh the beauty of those snow capped mountains. The cool refreshing streams that are running down through theose (sic ?) mountains gorges’
Then gazing in another direction, as if there was a change and locality; ‘oh the scenes that this people will pass through’ The dead that will lay between here and there.’
From the above statement, it is obvious that Joseph Smith knew that thousands of Saints would die in the trek to Utah.
Then turning in another direction as if the scene had again changed: ‘Oh the apostasy that will take place before my brethren reach that land‘.
Joseph understood that the Saints would be in an even deeper apostasy before they fled to the Rocky Mountains!
But he continued, ‘the Priesthood shall prevail over all it’s enemies, triumph over the devil and be established upon the earth never more to be thrown down.”
(Life Sketch of Anson Call 1810-1890, Pioneer in the building of the west.)
So how is it possible for the priesthood to prevail if the Saints were clearly in a state of apostasy when they were scattered from Nauvoo?
According to the above quote, it appears that the priesthood was to be established at a future time, which is consistent with 100 evidences I have provided pertaining to the restoration of the higher priesthood in the 3rd watch!
It informs us that the priesthood would prevail at a future time.
This is consistent with the following promise of the Lord-
5 But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour unto the counsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them.
6 Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour.
7 And by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it forever and ever.
8 But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them. (section 103)
We know from the history of the church and from modern revelation that the Saints did not prevail over the world at that time and that the world prevailed over the Saints.
Furthermore, we know from the above prophecy of Joseph Smith and other prophecies and revelations, that the Saints don’t get the kingdom delivered to them UNTIL the Ancient of Days and the other servants return in the third watch!
I would again suggest, as the theme of this series points out, that the Aaronic priesthood did indeed remain with the apostate Saints and that it will be instrumental in ESTABLHISHING the higher priesthood and prevailing over all enemies.
Despite the fact that the saints were moved out of their place and scattered and gathered and reorganized and scattered abroad in the earth, they still retained the Aaronic priesthood.
This same Aaronic priesthood provides the keys that will enable a righteous remnant of the believing gentiles to entertain ministering angels in the 3rd watch and to receive ALL OF THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM.
Speaking of the gathering of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains, Joseph, while speaking to a few of the humble followers of Christ in Nauvoo prophetically observed-
“You will gather many people into the fastness of the Rocky Mountains, and many of those who will come in under your ministry because of their learning will seek for position and they will gain eminence over you, and you will walk in low places unnoticed”
Praise God almighty for the spirit of prophecy!
Joseph knew that many oppressive personalities seeking power and the glory of the world, some from the kingdom of Judah would respond to the preparatory gospel and gather as the Latter day Saints missionaries took the gospel of Abraham to the nations.
He understood that the tares would rule over the wheat in the latter day church and that the wheat would not be called to the highest positions but rather would walk quietly in low places unnoticed.
Yet he assured them that the wheat would know what was going on.
“Yet you will know all that transpires in your midst.”
Finally, he leaves the following promise-
“Those who are your friends are my friends and I promise you when I come again I will lead you forth, that where I am you shall be with me..”
It is comforting to know that a small remnant of believing and repentant gentiles will come out of the apostate church when it is time to redeem Zion.
Interestingly, most Mormons believe we have been in the times of the gentiles from the restoration of the church up until today and they are waiting for the times of the gentiles to come to an end so that the gospel can be taken to the Jews.
For this reason they assume that verse 28 in section 45 referred to the time of the restoration of the church in 1830.
Although that verse did have a typological application to the 2nd watch, the literal fulfillment will be in the third watch.
In section 112 the Lord reveals what dispensation the quorum of the 12 had been given as they were being sent to the nations of the world-
“For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.” (D&C 112:32)
It was clearly NOT the dispensation of the fullness of times nor the time of the gentiles that the quorum of the twelve were being given.
It was the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham– The dispensation that had been handed down from the patriarchal fathers from Old Testament times and had been conferred by ministering angels from heaven in the Kirtland Temple.
Of course, it is easy for us to see this with 20-20 hindsight and scripture crunching software that links the above verse to the transferring of the keys of the gathering of Israel and the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham that took place in the Kirtland Temple.
But keep in mind, Joseph Smith was keeping a great secret within his bosom.
When section 112 was given, the apostles were unaware of the event described in section 110 wherein the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham was given to the saints!
Why would the Lord downgrade the saints to the gospel of Abraham when the goal was the dispensation of the fullness of times without clearly telling them what was happening?
Why did he require Joseph and Oliver to keep section 110 a secret from the saints for decades?
Isaiah 66 informs us that when God’s apostate people have chosen to go their own way and they delight in abominations, He chooses their delusions-
“Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions..”
Clearly the latter day church is delusional. They are declaring to the world and themselves that they hold the Melchizedek priesthood and that they are taking the fullness of the gospel to the nations when in fact, they have rejected the fullness of the gospel and the fullness of the priesthood.
Section 45 reveals that at a later time, in the third watch, the times of the gentiles would come in AGAIN.
Section 90 reveals that after the times of the gentiles comes in again and the gospel is taken to the believing gentiles in the 3rd watch, then once again the gospel will be taken to the Jews-
“That thereby they may be perfected in their ministry for the salvation of Zion, and of the nations of Israel, and of the Gentiles, as many as believe; that through your administration they may receive the word, and through their administration the sword may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the gentiles first, and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews” (90:8-9)
The first shall be last and the last shall be first
The Jews that were first to get the gospel in the first watch will be the last to get it in the third watch.
The gentiles that were the last to get it in the first watch will be the first to get it in the third watch.
Then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
I would submit that once the servants return, the repentant Saints will already be aware of or will be made aware of and finally understand the profound prophecies given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo and will realize to a much greater extent that indeed, a prophet had been among the Saints in Nauvoo.
Furthermore, after the Seer and Spokesman return to warn this nation when it is on the brink of destruction, again, many of the believing gentiles will finally realize with much greater clarity that he was and is a true prophet and that he did raise the warning voice in Nauvoo and will once again raise the warning voice in the 3rd watch, just in time, before the calamity hits.
Chapter 34 of Ezekiel addresses the false shepherds that led the Saints into the wilderness of Utah and scattered the sheep globally as well their predecessors that are leading the sheep just before the return of the true servants-
1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore, for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where thy have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
(please notice the same phrase in section 109)
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
I encourage you to read Ezekiel 33 and 34 very carefully.
The Nauvoo temple was the TOWER spoken of in the parable of the redemption of Zion in section 101.
The tower on the Nauvoo temple was symbolically and literally representing the tower that the watchman was to watch from. This would be true with regard to watching for the enemy in war and also regarding watching out for the great deceiver who wants to lead the Saints astray.
Have you ever noticed how unusually high the original steeple on the Nauvoo Temple was?
Joseph Smith published the following statement in the Times and Seasons vol 5 p 759-
“The steeple of our temple will be high enough to answer for a TOWER- between 100 and 200 feet high.”
In closing, let me share an experience I had a long time ago.
Several decades ago, as I was beginning this amazing journey of discovery, I purchased a book at Deseret Book called the Doctrine and Covenants commentary by Hyrum M Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl.
In 1917, Smith and LDS Church Apostle Hyrum M. Smith, who was the president of the church’s European
Mission, together worked on A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants. While Sjödahl wrote most of the text, it was reviewed and approved by Smith. When Doctrine and Covenants Commentary was first published in 1919 in Liverpool, it was a church-approved publication and only Smith was listed as an author. However, subsequent publications of Doctrine and Covenants Commentary have acknowledged Sjödahl as its coauthor. Doctrine and Covenants Commentary is still cited frequently by Latter-day Saint authors and commentators.
I loved the commentary because it provided each of the modern revelations in the D&C in the historical context in which they took place.
I studied it thoroughly.
One day while I was perusing the Church Historical Library looking for pearls of great price, I noticed a very large and very old copy of the D&C Commentary by Smith and Sjodahl,.
Although I had a more recent copy of the publication of my own, I felt compelled to take it off the shelf and take it to my chair to peruse it.
To my shock and horror, I began noticing numerous changes that had been made in it.
After doing a little research and comparing the original version with the modern one, I found that in later years much of the content in it had been deleted or altered!
I want to leave this following definition of what the Great and Abominable Church of the Devil is according to the original authors of the commentary-
Great and Abominable Church of the Devil: “A church which has discarded the principles of Church governments established by our Lord and adopted those of Lucifer” (page 202 original D&C commentary by Smith and Sjodahl.
That definition had a great impact on me.
The fact that the presiding leaders of the modern corporate church were later offended by it and deleted it from the commentary also has had a great impact on me.
Why would that definition be so threatening or offensive to the leaders of the church that they would delete it from the commentary?
I could keep going with this list, but you get the general idea.
Joseph Smith once said-
“The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the Devil takes power” (Words of Joseph Smith Pg 60)
The testimony of the NAME of Christ has gone forth to the nations.
The Book of Mormon and many of the modern revelations have gone forth unto the nations.
The Aaronic Priesthood which holds the keys to the ministering of angels is still on the earth.
Something new has been done for the eventual salvation of the church.
Something was done to preserve the roots.
The stage has been set for the opening up of the 3rd watch.
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Debate between Art Bulla and OneWhoIsWatching on the subject of the Spiritual Wife doctrine
Over a year ago an LDS fundamentalist by the name of Art Bulla agreed to debate me on the subject of the Spiritual Wife Doctrine. (actually, the original agreement may have had to do with debating whether or not Art is the “one mighty and strong” as mentioned in section 85 and Isaiah 28, however the debate has morphed into the spiritual wife doctrine since the falseness of that doctrine automatically proves that he would not be the one mighty and strong if that doctrine that he preaches if false)
He assured me that he had never lost a debate on this topic before and I felt that posting both of our arguments and challenges on my blog would be a good exercise in helping those interested in the topic to see two opposing sides of this historical and doctrinal issue.
Before we could begin the debate I got distracted while writing some posts and doing some searching into parts of LDS history that I was not as familiar with as I wanted to be. Those historical searches led me to the series I wrote regarding the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood at the special conference at the Morley Farm held in June of 1831.
I became obsessed with the doctrine and history relating to that study as it filled in the holes and provided further clarification pertaining to much of the doctrinal and historical study I had previously done.
I began to focus on the events of LDS church history relating to the 3 ½ year period beginning with the special conference held in June of 1831 and also became somewhat obsessed with writing a series of article pertaining thereto.
Sometime during or after that series, I found myself in an informal debate with another blogger who in my opinion, made an outstanding attempt to justify section 132 and the spiritual wife doctrine that surfaced during the Nauvoo period of LDS Church history.
Given the fact that he was not very knowledgeable about church history or the general topic to begin with and was simply attempting to defend his faith as a member of the LDS church, I felt he did a well as could be expected. Nevertheless, I personally felt that his arguments were inadequate in defending section 132 and the spiritual wife doctrine as credible doctrines consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During this period of time I believe the above mentioned blogger attempted to invite someone else, who was more of an expert on the topic (and was probably a practicing fundamentalist) to debate me but for some reason that person apparently declined.
It has since occurred to me that I never gave Art Bulla the opportunity to defend the other side of the argument.
Since Art is a practicing polygamist who claims to receive direct revelation from God and he claims to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and since he has been involved in LDS fundamentalist apologetics for many, many years, I feel that it is only fair to allow someone of his credentials to have the opportunity to defend section 132 and the spiritual wife doctrine.
I want to apologize to Art for leaving him in the lurch for so long, ironically, I feel the research I have done and the series I wrote pertaining to the Morley Farm has better prepared me to be more specific and precise in explaining and documenting why I must reject section 132 as a false revelation and the spiritual wife doctrine as a false doctrine and heresy that originated in Nauvoo, after the full-blown apostasy of the restored church.
Any and all other LDS fundamentalists are also invited to weigh in on this debate… the more the merrier.
This is the brief which lays out my contention that section 132 and the Spiritual Wife Doctrine that originated among the latter day saints in Nauvoo are false doctrines that contradict the fulness of the gospel that is taught in the scriptures.
I will post Arts preliminary response to my opening arguments and all other dialogue that the two of us have on this topic as well as any other intelligence and respectful comments anyone else wants to make.
Below you will find-
Six Point Summary
1…THERE WERE THREE PRIESTHOODS RESTORED TO THE EARTH, NOT JUST TWO: During the 15 year ministry of Joseph Smith three divisions or levels of priesthood were restored to the earth. (Most Latter-day Saints erroneously believe and teach that there are only two priesthoods, the Aaronic and Melchizedek. Some LDS fundamentalists acknowledge three priesthoods but erroneously believe that the patriarchal (evangelical) priesthood is higher than the Melchizedek priesthood.)
John the Baptist restored the lesser priesthood which is sometimes referred to as the priesthood of Aaron. It holds the key of the ministering of angels and the right to administer the preparatory gospel and the law of carnal commandments.
Peter James and John restored the higher priesthood which is sometimes referred to as the priesthood of Abraham or patriarchal priesthood. It is also sometimes referred to as the “evangelical priesthood“. That priesthood holds the keys to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel or in other words it holds the keys to administer the ordinances that contain the fulness of the Gospel. Since the patriarchal priesthood administers the saving ordinances of the gospel including baptism and confirmation, it therefore holds the “keys to the kingdom” because it is through the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost that one enters into the kingdom and receives the fulness of the Melchizedek priesthood. It contains the power to seal on heaven and on earth. Righteous holders of the patriarchal priesthood may see the face of Christ.
The first two priesthoods were restored to the earth by angels and can be conferred from one mortal to another. They were both restored to the earth in 1829. Because of this, modern revelation informs us that the fulness of the gospel and the keys of the kingdom had been restored to the earth by the time the church was legally restored in 1830.
The highest priesthood which governs the first two priesthoods and all other powers beneath the celestial kingdom is sometimes called the priesthood of Melchizedek or the priesthood of Enoch.
The Mechizedek Priesthood was restored to the earth in June of 1831 at the special conference held at the Morley Farm. 23 people were CALLED to this priesthood by the voice of God out of heaven on that occasion.
According to the scriptures, people must be called to this highest priesthood according to the voice of God himself, not by mortals or angels. It is sometimes received by the righteous who are both CALLED and CHOSEN by God as a person is born again spiritually after the water baptism, (however, we are informed in scripture that the Lord sometimes CALLS those who are not CHOSEN to allow them to condemn themselves) This spiritual rebirth wherein the New and Everlasting Covenant is made between God and man is referred to as the baptism of the fire and the Holy Ghost.
Upon being called by the voice of God out of heaven, the candidate is ordained to the OFFICE of a high priest within the Melchizedek priesthood by Gods anointed servant(s). Those holding this priesthood that are worthy may have the heavens opened and see the father and the son or hear the voice of God bearing witness of his Son.
Those that hold the fullness of this highest priesthood can command the elements and have power over unclean spirits as Melchizedek and Enoch did as well as having the power and authority to establish ZION. (Those who seriously want to understand this priesthood and the fruits thereof would do well to read about the life and ministry of Enoch in the Pearl of Great Price and the life and ministry of Melchizedek as contained in the inspired version of the Bible.)
The fact that the spiritual wife doctrine and the practice of polygamy were introduced AFTER the fulness of the gospel and the highest priesthood were rejected and the church was condemned, provides strong evidence that the spiritual wife doctrine is false and the practice of biblical polygamy was not required for the highest salvation and is at best a carnal commandment and a lesser law.
2… SHORTLY AFTER THE RESTORATION OF THE FIRST TWO PRIESTHOODS AND THE LEGAL ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH, THE SAINTS WERE COMMANDED TO GATHER TO OHIO TO RECEIVE THE LAW OF THE GOSPEL: the law of the gospel that they received in section 42 contained the law of consecration and the law of monogamy. The LAW of the GOSEPEL as given in section 43 was not a temporary law, it was to be lived until the Savior returns according to section 43.
The LAW of the GOSPEL in section 42 also required the translation and publishing of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible so that the content thereof could be part of the LAW by which Zion would be established. The Saints were commanded to obey these commandments… not only to say, but to do. This law of the gospel is also referred to as celestial law and the LAW OF ZION. It is the highest law of the gospel. Any other law that contradicts it, such as biblical polygamy or the spiritual wife doctrine would be a false law or a lesser law.
3… DURING A 3 ½ YEAR PERIOD THE SAINTS COLLECTIVELY REJECTED THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL AS PROPHECIED IN THE BOOK OF MORMON: Beginning at the special conference at the Morley Farm in June of 1831 and ending approximately 3 ½ years later in 1834, the Saints had the opportunity to comprehend and embrace the greater light of the fulness of the gospel and the New and Everlasting Covenant. During this highly revelatory time 90% of the revelations were received including the vision of the father and the Son contained in section 76, as well as sections 84, 88, etc. (the testimony given in section 76 is the LAST testimony of all of the great prophets and is the same testimony that is given in the 3rd watch (dispensation of the fulness of times). It appears to be the same testimony spoken of in Rev 11:7)
Unfortunately several of the original 23 high priests fell away during the 3 ½ year period of time while others began denying that the Melchizedek priesthood had been restored… others maintained that it was only the “office” of “High Priest” within the “higher” patriarchal (evangelical) priesthood restored by peter James and John that had been restored at the Morley Farm.
During this 3 1/2 year period of time many of the newly ordained high priests became discouraged, disenchanted and jealous of others when they failed to see the Face of God as is promised to high priests that are worthy.
During this three and half year period the Lord warned the Saints that if they did not consecrate, redeem Zion and live the higher law which mandates monogamy they were not his. By the end of the 3 ½ year period the saints had fled Jackson County, failed to live consecration in Kirtland and had been warned by the lord that they were under condemnation for taking the things they had been given lightly.
At the end of the 3 ½ year period the Lord gave an unpublished revelation telling the leaders and members of the church that they were condemned and that a repentance and reformation in all things would be required at some point in time.
“Verily condemnation resteth upon you, who are appointed to lead my Church, and to be saviors of men; and also upon the church; And there must needs be a repentance and a reformation among you, in all things…” (December 5th 1834 Page 73 Unpublished Revelations)
That unpublished revelation is consistent with the Book of Mormon prophesy that the additional ancient records will not go forth in the third watch until after the gentiles repent: “For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.” Ether 4: 6
The fact that the saints were in a state of apostasy in 1834 and that modern revelation and the Book of Mormon testify that the gentiles will not repent until the additional records come forth in the 3rd watch, testifies against the practice of polygamy and the spiritual wife doctrine that began during the Nauvoo period, during a period of apostasy.
4…BY JULY OF 1837 ALL FLESH UPON THE EARTH HAD BECOME CORRUPT. In Sept of 1831 the Lord informed the Saints that Kirtland would only be a stronghold for five more years however the apostasy that followed the rejection of the fulness of the gospel continued to get worse. Shortly after that, the Lord revealed that SOMETHING NEW MUST BE DONE FOR THE SALVATION OF THE CHURCH which resulted in the restoration of the gospel of Abraham in 1836, just prior to the completion of the five year stronghold in Kirtland.
Shortly thereafter, in July of 1837, the Lord announced that “GROSS DARKNESS” covered the minds of “ALL PEOPLE” and that ‘ALL FLESH HAS BECOME CORRUPT” . Soon after that, the Saints fled Kirtland, then fled Far West and eventually established Nauvoo as the cornerstone of Zion where the Lord made the ominous announcement that the “fullness of the Priesthood” had been “LOST” and would need to be “RESTORED AGAIN“.
The Lord then warned the Saints that if the Nauvoo Temple and Nauvoo House were not built by the appointed time, the Saints would be rejected as a church with their dead. Neither the temple or the Nauvoo House were ever finished.
Sections 110, 112 and 124 testify that the Saints were in apostasy at the time that the spiritual wife doctrine was being introduced. The quorum of the 12 inparticular were under condemnation. In an unpublished revelation in Nov 1835 the Lord declared that the 12 were all under condemnation. (see unpublished rev page 79) It appears that they remained under condemnation until section 112 was given in July of `1837 and remained under this condemnation during their missionary assignments and right up until the martyrdom.
5…THE TERM NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT EXCLUSIVELY HAS TO DO WITH THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL WHICH RESULTS IN THE SPIRITUAL REBIRTH: the scriptures make it very clear that the terms “New and Everlasting Covenant” and “Fulness of the Gospel” are synonymous and that both had been restored to the earth by the time that the LAW OF ZION (which requires monogamy) was given in 1831. Hence, polygamy and the spiritual wife doctrine that were introduced secretly TEN YEARS LATER and publicly several years later in Utah under the direction of Brigham Young, were clearly not part of the LAW of Zion nor is it accurate to refer to polygamy or the spiritual wife doctrine as the new and everlasting covenant.
This provides additional evidence that the spiritual wife doctrine constitutes a false or lesser gospel.
6… SECTION 132 IS A FALSE REVELATION THAT IS NOT CONGRUENT WITH THE RELATED DOCTRINES TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE, BOOK OF MORMON OR THE REMAINING VERIFIABLE, UNALTERED REVELATIONS IN THE D&C. (see my article on that topic as referenced below)
Summary:
The restored church of Christ had rejected the fulness of the gospel by the end of 1834 just as the Book of Mormon foretold. Additionally, the new and everlasting covenant had been entered into and broken by the end of 1834 as prophesied by Isaiah.
The saints had fallen under condemnation instead of collectively receiving the greater light as documented in section 84.
As a result, they failed to redeem Zion on or before the appointed time of September 11 1836 which brought about a literal fulfillment of the bridegroom deciding to tarry as contained in the parable of the ten virgins.
The entire church and the whole world were in gross darkness and had become corrupt again by 1837. From that point on, the restored church was unable to endure sound doctrine
In 1841 The Lord announced that the fulness of the priesthood (which is sometimes named after Melchizedek) had been lost from the earth.
Section 113 clarifies the words of Isaiah to informs us that in the end times latter day Israel would again “put on the priesthood, which, she, Zion has a right to by lineage and to return to that power which she had lost“. That is clearly a future event and it further clarifies that the church is in a state of darkness and apostasy at the present time.
From the evidence contained above and the related documentation provided below, it is clearly demonstrated that section 132 is a false revelation with false doctrines in it.
Furthermore, the teaching and practicing of the spiritual wife doctrine entered into the church long after it had lost the fulness of the priesthood. It was introduced at a time when the church could no longer endure sound doctrine.
Documentation for the above thesis is contained in the articles provided below.
The Spirit of Whoredoms hath caused them to err
Four Steps in Losing Your Innocence Part Six
The following graphic provides a prophetic time line illustrating how the restored church was legally organized in 1830, then had the light of the fulness of the gospel and the everlasting covenant begin to shine forth in June of 1831.
This greater light attempted to shine forth as the Saints attempted to establish Zion and live consecration for a period of 3 ½ years at which time the greater light went out as the fullness of the gospel and the law of consecration had been cumulatively rejected by the church.
God continued to labor with the church and gave them the opportunity to redeem themselves, complete the building of the Nauvoo Temple, restore the fullness of the priesthood and usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times during the Nauvoo period.
After failing to build the temple and usher in the fullness of times, the following generation began when Brigham Young was sustained as the President of the church in Dec 1947 and again in April of 1848. Exactly four generations (160 years) after the sustaining of Brigham Young brings us to the end of the 400 year prophesy contained in Genesis 15. (1607 -2007)
The 3 ½ year period inside the red circle identifies the time we are currently living in which is witnessing the collapse of the financial system and the going forth of the curse that Isaiah, Malachi and Moses prophesied of.
Prior to that, a 3 1/2 year period marked in red shows the period of time from June 1831 to the end of 1834 when the fulness of the gospel was being rejected by the gentiles.
The timeline graphic below testifies against the spiritual wife doctrine because the fulness of the gospel began to shine forth in June of 1831 and had been rejected by the gentile church nearly 10 years before the spiritual wife doctrine was revealed and practiced in Nauvoo. The latter day saints had cumulatively rejected the fulness of the gospel and broken the everlasting covenant by the end of 1834, long before the Spiritual Wife heresy surfaced in Nauvoo .
Lastly, here is a link to an article showing how the introduction of the spiritual wife wife doctrine in the last days was prophesied by ancient prophets and also explains why and how Joseph Smith got involved in it as an intercessor for an apostate people.
https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/four-steps-in-losing-your-innocence-part-6-3/
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A Brief Chronology of Events Pertaining to the Latter-day Apostasy.
Appendix 1
Historical Documents and Modern Revelation
Provide a Pattern
Although much history has been altered and deleted in the official history of the church, nevertheless, it is truly miraculous and amazing how much critical information was left in it which testifies of the latter day apostasy as well as the doctrine of the three watches.
This is in part because those who fled from Nauvoo to Utah were oblivious to the reality of the apostasy and did not understand the doctrine of the three watches and therefore did not comprehend the significance of many of the events and statements documented in the official history of the church!
It is also incredible how modern revelation sheds light on these issues as well.
Using the official history of the church, some additional credible historical sources and modern revelation I have created a chronological listing of events and pronouncements by the Lord and his anointed prophet to document various trigger dates and important events that took place in the apostasy of the restored church between 1828 and 1844.
As you review this chronological profile, please notice that 37 published revelations came in 1831!
1831 was by far and a way the most revelatory year!
1832 had 18 published revelations and 1833 had 12.
1831 contains over 1/3 of all of the revelations that came during the 15 year period of Joseph’s public ministry!
The months leading up to the special conference at the Morley Farm which finally culminated in the breaking of the existing covenant and the new covenant that Joseph and Oliver entered into represent about a four year period in which 90% of the doctrines of the kingdom were revealed by the Lord during the entire 15 years!
This further demonstrates that the 3 ½ year period that the greater light of the fullness of the gospel was being extended to the Saints was by far the most revelatory period.
It is interesting how the Lord was continually chastising Joseph and other leaders of the church from the very beginning, from the time the Book of Mormon was being translated up until the saints fled to Nauvoo, when they were severely chastened for the abominations they were practicing.
Perhaps the point of all of this apostasy is that anytime human beings lose the spirit and take over, the heavens withdraw and failure is the result.
We can’t do it by our own works, it has to be by faith and by obedience to God.
In the third watch, God will show us that He delivered us over to Satan in the 2nd watch, and that He can do his own work in the 3rd watch… he will humble us. We will see very clearly that we tried to do it by works instead of faith.
Finally, after Joseph and Hyrum were taken from our midst, we chose to be ruled over by those who acted more like judges and kings than revelation receiving prophets.
God provided the law of common consent that allows us to deviate from prophets to rulers.
Cursed is he who puts his trust in the arm of flesh.
The following information in the bullet points below will verify that after the restoration of the first two priesthoods and the church, the fullness of the Gospel had still not be actuated on the earth, even though the priesthood keys that can unlock the fulness of the gospel had been restored to the earth.
The light of the fulness of the gospel did not actually begin to shine forth on the earth until the special conference at the Morley Farm when the heavens were opened and God began calling people to the Melchizedek priesthood. Additionally, the Man of Sin was revealed at the same time the greater light of the fulness of the gospel began shining forth.
The following profile of events will also show that after the Saints ultimately collectively rejected the higher light and higher law, they were forced to flee from Kirtland. They had rejected the fulness of the gospel as prophesied in the Book of Mormon.
When read in the context of the ATONEMENT STATUTE that was discussed in part six of this series, the following listing will hopefully enhance your understanding and appreciation about how God deals with his people, the latter day apostasy, the doctrine of the three watches, the prophetic intercession and reconciliation for sins and the history of the church during the Kirtand and Nauvoo eras..
(Of course, this exercise will be much more informative and meaningful to you if you will add to it your own findings and create your own listing of significant events that you have identified in modern revelation and historical accounts.
Hopefully reading this one will get you started documenting your own significant sequence of events if you are interested in such an endeavor, assuming you have not already done it.
While reading it, you may want to get out your D&C to follow along and read the associated verses in context… also, you may want to see if you can locate the 3 ½ year period that Daniel and John prophesied about as you read through the following listing!
As you read, you will notice color coding that highlights three intertwining topics, the important events of the restoration, the references to the 3rd watch and references pertaining to apostasy.
Brief Chronology of Events
Pertaining to the Latter-day Apostasy
red text relates to important parts of restoring priesthoods,
keys spiritual gifts and laying foundation of marvelous work
Blue text usually pertains to third watch
yellow highlight usually pertains to apostasy issues
[this post is not finished and some of the references are not yet included]
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
Hopefully you found the above chronology of events helpful in better understanding 1- the KEY EVENTS PERTAINING TO THE RESTORATION OF THE CHURCH AND THE LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE FUTURE MARVELOUS WORK, 2- THE INTERRELATED REFERENCES TO THE 3RD WATCH and 3- the APOSTASY REFERENCES.
Appendix 2
The Testimony and Example
of the Smith Family
It is interesting to note that as beloved as Joseph and Hyrum were by Mother Smith, Samuel, Don Carlos, William and Joseph’s three sisters, all seven of them along with Emma initially and ultimately rejected the spiritual wife doctrine and chose not to follow Brigham Young and his associates of the twelve into the wilderness, to Utah.
With that in mind, her is a very important visionary experience that Mother Smith had at the general time of the succession issue is presented below-
MOTHER SMITH’S FIRST VISION.
Brothers and children, I was much troubled and felt as if I had the sins of the whole world to bear, and the burden of the Church; and I felt that there was something wrong. I called on the Lord to show me what was wrong, and if it was I. I called upon him until I slept. I then heard a voice calling on me saying, awake, awake, awake, for the only son that thou hast living, they for his life have laid a snare. My aged servant Joseph who was the first Patriarch of this Church, and my servant Hyrum who was the second Patriarch, my servant Joseph who was Prophet and Seer, and my servants Samuel, William and Don Carlos—they were the first founders, fathers and heads of this Church, raised up in these last days, and thou art the mother, and thy daughters have helped, and they are the daughters in Israel, and have helped raise up this Church. Arise, arise, arise, and take thy place, you know not what has been in the hearts of some; hut he said thou shalt know. He told me what it was; but I shall not tell. (I saw William in a room full of armed men and he having no weapons. They would have crushed him down, if it had not been for the power of God; and many of the family would have been cut off— [the] Lord having softened their hearts. Two of them had blacker hearts than the rest, and I know who they are, and I will tell them if they will come to me. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball know it is so, and dare not deny it.) Call upon the Twelve, let all things be set in order, and keep their hearts pure from this time hence forth; the voice saith be merciful, and then Zion shall arise and flourish as a rose. What I was told I cannot tell.
Thou art the mother in Israel, and tell thy children all to walk uprightly. Thy son William, he shall have power over the churches, he is father in Israel over the patriarchs and the whole of the Church; he is the last of the lineage that is raised up in these last days. He is Patriarch to regulate the affairs of the Church. He is President over all the Church, they can’t take his apostleship away from him. The Presidency of the Church belongs to William, he being the last of the heads of the Church, according to the lineage, he having inherited it from the family from before the foundation of the world. Thou art a mother in Israel. Thy spirit arose and said in eternity that it would take a body to be a mother to prophet [s] who should be raised up to save the last dispensation. And the spirit said unto me to be faithful, (and that I was faithful,) and tell the Church to be faithful. And the spirit said I should live until I was satisfied with life.
Brothers and children, I want you to take notice that the burden of the Church rests [on William].
SECOND VISION.
Joseph came to me and said: “That day is coming when I shall wave the scepter of power over my enemies. Be patient my brothers and sisters, the day is coming when you shall have eternal life and be rewarded for all your troubles (Succession in the Presidency BH Roberts)
Appendix 3
The Utah Mormon culture that looks down upon those
who desire the promised spiritual gifts
Once the saints got to Utah it occurred to some that the church was not experiencing the spiritual experiences that it had enjoyed during the early days in Kirtland.
Furthermore, the vast majority of the early saints who had experienced the supernatural gifts of the spirit, ie, healings, prophesying, speaking in tongues, visions, visitation of angels, having the heaven open to see the Father and or the son, etc. had either left the church in Kirtland or decided not to follow Brigham Young and his followers when the left Nauvoo to flee to Utah.
Brigham Young addressed this dilemma in a general conf talk after they got to Utah. In the talk he characterizes those early saints that witnessed “powerful manifestations” as the questionable ones who were sign seekers that ultmately denied the faith and quoted Elder Cannon who used an old adage to describe them “soon ripe, soon rotten“.
He infers that the ones with “powerful manifestations” are the gentiles who have a much greater reaction to the spirit because their blood is being purged.
He infers that those who came to the Rocky Mtns are the pure blood of Israel and therefore the affects of the spirit upon them is more subtle.
He went on to suggest that those who came to the rocky mountains who appeared to be devoid of the powerful spiritual manifestations were in actuality the more spiritually stable ones of the kingdom who were holding up the banner of Zion. He assures us that God wants to develop his saints GRADUALLY!
This is perhaps at least partly why the LDS culture teaches that the baptism of fire is a subtle, gradual experience and discourages powerful outward spiritual manifestations and looks down upon those who seek to have them or claim to have them.
“The question has often Arisen among us, why it is that we do not see more angels, have more visions, that we do not see greater and more manifestations of power. Any of the brethren that were there [early days in Kirtland] could have heard testimonies of manifestations in abundance.
On the first day of the dedication [of the Kirtland Temple] , President Frederick G. Williams, one of the Council of the Prophet, and who occupied the upper pulpit, bore testimony that the Savior, dressed in his vesture without seam, came into the stand and accepted of the dedication of the house, that he saw him, and gave a description of his clothing and all things pertaining to it.
That evening there was a collection of Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, etc., amounting to four hundred and sixteen, gathered in the house; there were great manifestations of power, such as speaking in tongues, seeing visions, administration of angels.
Many individuals bore testimony that they saw angels, and David Whitmer bore testimony that he saw three angels passing up the south aisle, and there came a shock on the house like the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and almost every man in the house arose, and hundreds of them were speaking in tongues, prophesying or declaring visions, almost with one voice.
The question arises, where are those men?
A number of them who manifested the greatest gifts, and had the greatest manifestations have fallen out by the way side, you look around among us and they are not here.
Many who received the knowledge of the things of God by the power of his spirit, and sought not after signs and wonders, and when the spirit rested upon them seemed to produce no visible demonstration, you look around among the Saints in the valleys of the mountains, and you find they are here with us bearing on high the standard of Zion, or have descended into honorable graves.
But where you find men who have turned away, and have got terribly afflicted with self conceit, you will find those, who, on that occasion and similar occasions, received great and powerful manifestations, and when the spirit came on them it seemed to distort the countenance, and caused them to make tremendous efforts in some instances. Sylvester Smith bore testimony of seeing the hosts of heaven and the horsemen. In his ‘ exertion and excitement it seemed as though he would jump through the ceiling.
Brother Cannon in speaking on the subject this morning referred to the old adage, soon ripe, soon rotten. God has laid the foundation of his kingdom never to be destroyed, and it appears wisdom in him to develop gradually power and glory and strength.
I have always heard it suggested that as the spirit of “Mormonism” gathered together the seed of Abraham—mostly the sons of Abraham that are mixed among the nations; that the Holy Spirit falling upon men, who are not of the pure blood, who had the predominance of other blood in their veins, that the manifestation is greater, and when great manifestations fall on men, great trials immediately follow.” (JD)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Summarizing the Five Major
Eras of the LDS Apostasy
To summarize what we have discussed in the previous six parts of this series, I have categorized the latter day apostasy into five phases or eras, each having their own unique flavor and distinct issues-
The 1 st Kirtland Apostasy– 1831-1834
The Gentile “Church of Christ” Rejects the fullness of the Gospel and Breaks the Everlasting Covenant. The Melchizedek Priesthood is lost from the earth and the Saints failed to live the law of consecration that they had covenanted to live.
At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel… I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws,
changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
The 2nd Kirtland Apostasy 1835-1838
The Dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham is secretly ushered in and the Atonement Statute prophecy and intercession is initiated. Something New must be done for the salvation of the church requiring the establishment of foreign missions. The condemned “Church of the Latter day Saints” defiles the Kirtland Temple and is forced to flee the land of Kirtland.
The Nauvoo Apostasy 1839-1844
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Fails to Repent, have a Reformation, Complete the Temple, Restore that which was lost, and usher in the Fulness of times. They are rejected as a church with their dead.
and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead
The First Utah Period of Apostasy-1845-1989
The Rejected Church, calling themselves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints rejects the leadership of Sidney Rigdon who who was the remaining member of the First Presidency in Favor of Brigham Young is forced to flee from Nauvoo. The rejected church migrates to a “salt land not inhabited” LDS “Fundamentalism” containing doctrines and ordinances contrary to the Gospel of Christ is established and practiced under the direction of Brigham Young
but if the salt have lost his savour… it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men
The Second Utah Period of Apostasy 1989-to present
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints begins to reject some of the heresies taught by Brigham Young and re-invent itself. They begin to become Popular with the World. Modern Corporate financial and marketing strategies emphasize and successfully promote missionary work and the building of temples
“For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples”
“For the time speedily shall come that all churches.. who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world.. are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake”
The original apostasy in Kirtland had to do with the restored Church of Christ which briefly brought forth the Church of God after the greater light of the fullness of the gospel shone forth in 1831 at the special conference at the Morley Farm. This general period of apostasy took place between 1831 and 1834. The exact start of the latter day falling away began at the same time the Melchizedek priesthood was restored with the revealing of the Man of Sin at the special conference according to prophetic utterances of the prophet Joseph Smith and the apostle Paul.
It appears from the prophecies of John and Daniel that the greater light of the fullness of the gospel was on the earth for a period of 3 ½ years although the “grace and supplication” of the Saints was extended as a result of the covenant entered into by Joseph and Oliver which enabled the “continuance of blessings” until the temple was finished.
Shortly after the appointed time of September 11th, 1836, in which the bridegroom tarried, the bank failure took place and the second great falling away took place in Kirtland. From the time the church was restored, the saints were always struggling and stumbling and were virtually always experiencing some degree of apostasy, I have taken the liberty of categorizing these phases into five identifiable periods tied to various events that I have addressed.
If I were to pick a few scriptures to characterize the first apostasy in Kirtland, I would pick the following two-
“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.”
3 Ne. 16: 10
Referring to Joseph Smith’s first ministry in the 2nd watch the Lord says “I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them” indicating that he takes it from them because they rejected it by breaking the covenants they had entered into. We know that when the saints started taking the gospel to the foreign nations it was under the authority of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham not the fullness of the gospel that they had rejected.
Yet in the 3rd watch the book of Mormon prophesies that the fullness of the gospel will come “forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.”
This proves that the gentiles are eventually successful in reestablishing the broken covenant, accepting the fullness of the gospel, and taking it to other remnants of Israel in the 3rd watch. This all takes place four generations later when the light shines forth and the times of the gentiles opens up again. (see also sections 45, 90 and 133 which verify that in the 3rd watch the gentiles will take the gospel to the Jews.)
Another passage pertaining to the Kirtland apostasy is as follows;
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Isa 24:5-6
The above prophecy obviously does not have to do with the apostasy of the Church of Christ in the meridian of time. It is clearly speaking about the end times. One would be justified in assuming it is a future apostasy that takes place when the servants return and in fact, that is the culmination point. But the beginning point was Kirtland. Section one clarifies this point.
The Second era of apostasy that took place roughly between 1835-1838 takes place following the breaking of the covenant and the rejection of the fulness of the Gospel by the Church of Christ. At that time, the name of Christ was taken out of the name of the Church and a new canon of scripture was introduced. We have briefly touched on the fact that the latter day atonement statute is an enactment of an intercessory atonement that the latter day servants make to prolong the latter day saints upon the face of the earth.
When the reset button is hit in the 3ed watch, when the servants return, the curse, spoken of by Malachi and Isaiah will proceed going forth desolating the earth…
Fortunately, the Servants will quickly explain all of this to the elect and gather them out just before they are destroyed by it. more on these later in this article if I remember to address it)
The Third era of apostasy took place roughly between 1839 and 1844 having largely to do with the Saints committing abominations before the Lord while failing once again to repent reform, finance the publishing of the fulness of the scriptures and failing to complete the Nauvoo Temple. They were then forced to flee from the holy place and scatter abroad once again, contrary to the Lord’s admonition in section 124..
The Fourth era of apostasy took place at the time of the succession issue in Nauvoo and led to the saints fleeing to Utah. The time period was roughly 1845 to 1889. It had to do with the introduction of various false doctrines, ordinances and rituals and also included the sustaining of the spiritual wife form of polygamy and section 132 by the law of common consent.
The last and most ambiguous period of apostasy was during the “modernization of the church . A major tipping point took place during the administration of Wilford Woodruff when pressure on the church by the government to discontinue the practice of plural marriage finally brought about the change. Another great turning point in the worldly popularity of the church took place during the administration of President McKay. During this final era of apostasy pressure from the government would arise again during the administration of President Kimball when the doctrine of the priesthood regarding blacks would be forced to change.
It should be noted that it is during this last period of apostasy that the church was motivated by internal and external forces to self correct regarding numerous practices, such as the practice of the spiritual wife doctrine and the withholding of the priesthood from the blacks.
This modern apostasy is very hard for me to categorize succinctly because it was so multi-dimensional and it covers such a long period of time and the forces involved kept swinging the pendulum different ways.
In short, however I would suggest that one way of characterizing it is to say that the modern church left many of its conservative, dogmatic religious and political views and became much more liberal, enabling it to become more popular with the world.
An Intercessory Offering Is Made
In Behalf of Israel
After briefly touching on those five phases of the apostasy during the first five parts of this series, part six addressed the ATONEMENT STATUTE contained in Lev 16 and how ancient prophecy foretold that several servants in the latter days including the Seer and the Spokesman would offer up an intercessory atonement in behalf of latter day Israel.
It appears that the intercession of these good brethren prevented the first generation of saints in this dispensation from being wiped of the face of the earth, just as the atonement of Moses and Aaron prevented the judgments of God from falling upon the ancient children of Israel.
It delayed the curse from going forth that is prophesied of by Malachi and Isaiah. But that curse is about to be unleashed on the unsuspecting inhabitants of the earth!
Although this incredible intercession was kept secret from the church at the time, the cryptic scriptural evidence is now surfacing as people begin to understand this information that has been hidden in previous generations.
We have the advantage of hindsight and the fact that God is slowly beginning to take the blindness off of latter day Israel in preparation for the opening up of the dispensation of the fulness of times and the Marvelous Work and a Wonder in the 3rd watch.
In part six I limited the documentation of the profile of the latter day intercessory prophet and his fellows to the Old and New Testament because I wanted to make a point that the divine calling and mission of the prophet Joseph Smith could easily be proven exclusively through the Bible without the need of using the Book of Mormon or the modern revelations in the Doctrine and covenants.
I could easily provide just as much additional documentation using the scriptures of the restoration if I needed to.
One thing I would like to address in this final part, relating to the atonement statute however is this,
One might ask,
“is there anything in modern revelation that makes reference to an intercessory OFFERING that was made by the prophet Joseph Smith.”
I would suggest that there is!
But first, a little context-
As demonstrated in previous posts, after the secret appearance of the Savior in 1836 documented in section 110, the heavens continued to close up significantly.
Aside from a wild goose chase that the brethren went on as documented in section 111, It was over a year later in 1837, before the next published revelation is given. In it, this devastating declaration was made,
“darkness covereth he earth and gross darkness the minds of the people, and ALL FLESH HAS BECOME CORRUPT BEFORE MY FACE” ( See section 112)
The Lord was putting the church on notice that since they had rejected the fulness of the gospel, failed to redeem Zion by the appointed time, and gone into apostasy, they along with the whole world had become corrupt. Their baptismal covenants were not cleansing them. The fulness of the gospel had been taken from the earth!
The next major revelation came yet another year later in section 115, in 1838 in which the Lord explains that the Saints not yet gathered and consecrated when Zion if being established, are to be called the “church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints“.
He explains that the very name of that church has specific reference to those Saints that are still scattered and are not yet gathered and consecrated. Conversely, the Saints who are gathered to the appointed places and consecrated are referred to as the Church in Zion.
Interestingly, that revelation is a prophecy about the future when Zion would be redeem in the 3rd watch. Therefore, the Lord does not appear to be re-instituting his name into the name of the condemed church at that time.
Finally, three years later in Nauvoo, after a long period without any published revelations, section 124 is given. That is a long time to go without revelation in contrast to the earlier years of the church!
Section 124 is an amazing revelation given to a fallen people. In it the Lord reveals that the fullness of the priesthood had been lost!
But it is also in this incredible revelation that the Lord makes a cryptic acknowledgement that Joseph Smith had made himself an atonement OFFERING just as Moses of old had done and that the Lord is pleased with the offering that Joseph has offered.
Notice how this most unusual revelation begins,
“Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your OFFERING and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth”
UNBE-FREAKIN-LIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There it is!
I believe God is referencing the OFFERING that Joseph had made back in Kirtland BEFORE the announcements that the church had become corrupted and scattered from Kirtland and Jackson.
Unless you understand about the atonement statute and what happened with the saints in Kirtland, verse one of section 124 makes absolutely no sense, historically or religiously!
It is without context and logic.
It is irrational.
Why would the Lord tell the saints they had become corrupted three years earlier, after they had failed to redeem Zion by the appointed time and then abstain from giving them any significant revelations for three years and then begin a revelation once they flee Far West and begin establishing Nauvoo telling Joseph that the Lord was pleased with his OFFERING!
The last previously documented offering that Joseph had made prior to section 124 began in November of 1834 when he and Oliver had entered into a covenant with the Lord, which culminated in the secret vision and prophecy behind the veil in the Kirtland Temple in 1836. As I have discussed in previous posts, the prophet Daniel appears to identify the time period associated with that sacred covenant as relating to the reconciliation for sins!
The Latter day Apostasy is
Interrupted when the Light
shines forth for 3 ½ Years
Section 124 goes on to give the apostate Saints a chance to redeem themselves and usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times and reestablish the covenant and restore the fullness of the priesthood that had been lost by keeping the commandments and building the Nauvoo temple by the appointed time.
The rest is history as they say, is history, or, if you are reading the official history of the church, the rest is revised history!
We are now able to look back on the events in church history and begin to see the fulfillment of several ancient prophecies pertaining to the last days.
The Old Testament prophet Daniel and the New Testament apostle John both prophesied about a three and a half year period of time that would take place in the latter days-
During the 15 Year ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith, it appears the
Light of the Fulness of the Gospel shown forth for 3 ½ years!
Click on Pic to enlarge
When studying the continuous chastisements that God gives to Joseph and the saints in modern revelation, one begins to wonder if the church ever came out of apostasy during those years that the foundation of the Marvelous Work was being laid!
A careful reading of the following prophecy in Daniel, informs us that after coming out of apostasy, there would only be a 3 ½ year period of “nourishment” until the saints were back in a full blown apostasy again. Interestingly, the Lord allows a short period of grace after the rejection of the fulness in which the completion of the Kirtland Temple and final items necessary for the future work, could be completed!
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand UNTIL a time and times and the dividing of time.” Dan 7:25
According to Daniel, Satan would wear out the new testament saints, having control over them during the dark ages, the reformation and continuing into the latter days UNTIL a three and a half year period when the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL is restored to the earth!
But after that 3 ½ year period that the fullness of the gospel is on the earth, the saints would lose the higher- Melchizedek level of gospel light and would descend to a lesser degree of light.
While some had seen the Father and the Son at the higher- Melchizedek level during the 3 ½ year period, others would see only Christ at the patriarchal level during the period of grace that followed the 3 ½ year period when the fullness was being offered.
In the 12 chapter of Daniel he would acknowledge that some of the time lines talked about in his prophesies would key off of the “time, times, and a half” (3 1/2 years) period of time during which events and the result of which events would SCATTER THE POWER OF THE HOLY PEOPLE!
“…How long shall it be until the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people , all these things shall be finished” (Da 12:6-7)
From this we learn that the highest power of the holy people was scattered at the time of and as the result of what happened during the 3 1/2 year period. (virtually all prophecies have a dual fulfillment. Some actually appear to take on a reverse meaning in the second fulfillment.)
Old Scratch according to ancient prophecy would overcome them and they would reject the greater light! ! (However,the Lord put the spirit of grace upon the saints until the appointed time for the establishment of Zion came and went)
Time of Nourishing
There is a similar prophecy in the 12th chapter of John that appears to be speaking of the same event wherein the woman (the Church) flees into “HER PLACE” and is nourished from the face of the serpent for 3 ½ years AFTER the apostasy of the New Testament saints yet BEFORE the return of father Adam.
The 3 1/2 year time of nourishing that took place apparently had to do with the confirming of the covenant, the pentecostal experiences, and other foundational events that took place when the heavens were opened and the Father and the Son were seen by at least three people at the Morley Farm.
Later, Joseph and Sidney saw the father and the son and experienced the vision known as section 76. Following that, several of the elders received the CONFIRMATION of the highest priesthood (84:42). It would be later documented that several of the first laborers of the last kingdom had their names enrolled in the names of the sanctified and received the OTHER COMFORTER which if the promise of ETERNAL LIFE. ( 88:1-4)
It is know coincidence that the endowment from on high at the Special Conference and the events documented in sections 76, 84 and 88 all took place during the 3 1/2 year period between June of 1831 and December of 1834.
For a broader contextual understanding of the significance of the 3 1/2 year time of nourishing, do a key word search in modern revelation on THIS PLACE and also on STRONGHOLD see also the context in which the word NOURISHED is used in the parable in Jacob)
It is amazing to realize that during the 15 year public ministry of Joseph Smith, from 1829 to 1844, the fullness of the gospel only shown forth on the earth for 3 ½ years!
The Commandment to Build Jerusalem
to Messiah the Prince
Another Fascinating prophecy by Daniel has to do with the “commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to Messiah to the Prince”.
We have discussed in a previous post how modern day revelation identifies Kirtland as the modern day Jerusalem.
With this in mind, a commandment was given on August 2nd 1833 in section 94 to
“commence the work of laying out and preparing a beginning and foundation of the city”
click on pic to enlarge
For additional information on the above prophecy and the mystical role of Kirtland in ancient prophecy please see the following article.
Joseph Smith taken out of their Midst
& Holy Melchizedek Priesthood Also
I have mentioned in other posts that in my opinion, the official history of the church has been altered and sanitized to hide, down play, and “spin” certain events, portray certain people in a poor light and exalt others in a better light.
Unfortunately, some people and their involvement have virtually been deleted from church history all together.
Back in 1992 when I published a small 100 page pamphlet titled “The Apostasy and Redemption of Latter Day Israel“, I was basically summarizing some of my investigative research on the status of the Church and identifying when the apostasy took place in the latter days during the 2nd watch and how it would eventually come out of apostasy in the 3rd watch.
My research had taken me backwards in time beginning with our current modern apostasy era.
After losing a portion of my naivete studying the status of the modern church, from there I went back to the Brigham Young apostasy era and spent considerable time losing a little more of my naivete while researching LDS Fundamentalism.
Eventually I got through that maze and found my way to the Nauvoo apostasy era. After losing a little more of my naiveté studying section 124 and the events that took place in Nauvoo, finally I ended up at the Kirtland apostasy era.
During my research I was able to identify Kirtland as the originating place and time period of the foundational apostasy from which the following three eras of apostasy sprang forth.
During my study of the Kirtland and Nauvoo eras, I dug deep into the controversial life of Joseph Smith and became very disconcerted.
He became a bit of a stone of stumbling for me and I realized that there were missing pieces of the puzzle regarding Joseph Smith.
Eventually I was led to the missing pieces of the prophet puzzle and was able to understand how the atonement statute in Leviticus 16 was an enactment of the intercessory offering that Gods latter day servants would make in behalf of the restoration saints… and everyone that followed after them…. Including you and I.
During the amazing journey it occurred to me that the church had been downgraded from the fullness of the gospel to the preparatory gospel as typologically depicted in the history of ancient Israel in section 84.
One could replace a few words in the following passage to get a pretty good idea of what happened during the Kirtland-Nauvoo era-
“And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
Now this [Joseph Smith] plainly taught to the [latter day] children of Israel and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest [during the lds foundation movement] , which rest is the fulness of his glory.
Therefore, he took [Joseph Smith ] out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the [Latter day Saints until the seer and the spokesman] should be raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost [at the time of the Marvelous Work in the third watch]….” (See section 84:- minor changes made in the above passages by OWIW)
The Second Great Work must take Place
Once one begins to understand that the fulness of the gospel was taken from the Saints, it becomes apparent that section 110 alludes to the fact that the “Gospel of Abraham” was restored since the fulness of the gospel had been rejected.
Something new had to be done for the salvation of the saints and it involved an intercessory atonement offering and the restoration of the Gospel of Abraham.
As the above mentioned prophesies begin to make sense and one realizes that the fulness of the gospel and fulness of the priesthood were taken from the earth during the Kirtland years, the need for a final restitution of all things begins to make sense.
The servants need to return and bring forth the rest of the records that contain the fullness of the gospel. They need to build the temples in Far West, Nauvoo and Jackson County. They need to give the final warning.
The following excerpts are taken from an interview with David Whitmer.
It was published in the Deseret News on August 16 1878;
Q- When will the temple be built? (referring to Jackson County Temple)
A- Right after the great tribulation is over.
Q- What do you mean by that?
A- A civil war more bloody and cruel than the rebellion. (first civil
war) It will be a smashing up of this nation, about which time the SECOND GREAT WORK has to be done, a work like Joseph did, and the translation of the sealed plates, and peace all over.”
As you can see, the marvelous work is referred to by Whitmer as the “second great work“. He is distinguishing it from the preparatory “foundation work” that took place in the 1800’s.
The second great work comes forth at a time when the hypocritical nation of America is being broken up and civil war results. At this time a second translation of words from the gold plates takes place.
Ultimately after the great consummation that follows the smashing up of this nation and all of the other kingdoms of the world, the millennium will be ushered in. (many if not all of the signs are currently in place for the marvelous work to begin)
A Second Translation is about to
be Published to the World
As I mentioned in a previous post, the prophecy contained in Isaiah 29 and 2nd Nephi 27 is not even referring to the unsealed portion of the golden plates nor is it referring to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in the 2nd watch. (except as a shadow, typological fulfillment)
It is specifically referring to the coming forth of the sealed plates in the 3rd watch when the fullness of the gospel and the fullness of the priesthood will be restored to the earth.
click on pic to enlarge
Our Generation Inherited
the Latter day Apostasy!
As I began to understand that the fullness of the gospel had been rejected in Kirtland, it also occurred to me that many of the converts coming into the apostate church after that event, during the Nauvoo era, and all the way down to the present time as well as the generations of Saints born into the church during all four eras of the latter day apostasy, did not actually reject the truth and go into apostasy, rather, they inherited the apostasy.
This is a very important distinction.
Are those of us of this generation that inherited the apostasy from the false traditions of our fathers under that same condemnation as those who actually witnessed the light shine forth at the Morley Farm?
Or do we get some slack since we were not actively participating when the original apostasy took place?
I don’t pretend to know…
Nevertheless, it is a distinction worth noting.
I don’t personally think the best of our generation are any better than the best of the generation Joseph Smith grew up in.
If you are an active Latter-day Saint who is just recently in the process of losing your naiveté regarding the current status of God’s church, you have probably been feeling a wide range of emotions.
Perhaps you are still struggling with denial.
Perhaps you feel as if you have lost your personal identity or at least your religious identity.
Perhaps you feel angry.. betrayed.. embarrassed.. shell shocked.. a little shaky?
Perhaps you feel like you need a drink even though you don’t drink.
Perhaps you are ANGRY and want to ask for your membership dues back… perhaps you want to take your marbles and go home.
Perhaps you feel enraged and want to kill somebody. (Figuratively speaking)
Some people who begin studying the latter day apostasy end up losing their faith in God altogether.
While you are going through these emotions and trying to sort things out, it is important to view everyone living in our generation, from your parents and local ward and stake leaders to the general authorities, in the context that we have all inherited the apostasy and false traditions from our forefathers.
There is no individual or group of individuals living in this generation that you can legitimately blame for this current situation.
When the early saints rejected the higher light, God, in his mercy, put blindness over latter day Israel just as he did with ancient Israel after they refused the greater light.
From time to time I see people who are in the process of waking up to a realization of the apostasy who become angry at the church that postulate dark ominous catastrophes that will befall the wicked leadership at any time within the near future.
Such prognostications often reject the necessity for these leaders to be warned by true priesthood messengers and to have the opportunity to repent. They also presuppose that the current leadership and membership of the church has been guilty of rejecting the fulness of the gospel and leading the church into darkness, which is not the case, since the fullness of the gospel has not been on the earth for over 170 years!
This gives us the opportunity to practice charity towards the leaders of the church and others who have not yet awaked to our awful situation.
Once you have lost your naiveté and gotten over the initial shock and other emotions, you will begin to gain a very deep appreciation that the grace of God has opened your eyes and begun preparing you for the amazing events that are about to take place in the 3rd watch.
There is an exquisite feeling of comfort in understanding why this crazy world is going through the distressing times it is going through and in understanding how God is going to gather his elect just in the nick of time.
You will undoubtedly begin to desire sharing this information with those you care about as you begin to spiritually discern the signs of the times.
Be sure to listen to the promptings of the spirit when this happens. Some people may not be ready for this information and will not respond very well. There may be others who are ready for it that you will pass over if you are not listening to the spirit.
Reading about the Keys
does not Confer the Keys
The Book of Mormon provides an explanation of what the fulness of the gospel is as it presents the history of an ancient people, but that does not mean that the priesthood keys to administer the fullness of the gospel are here just because we can read about them in a book.
Just because one owns and reads and even understands the Book of Mormon which contains an account of what the fulness of the Gospel is, doesn’t mean that they actually have the fulness of the gospel and have been born of the water and of the fire and of the spirit!
As mentioned in a previous post, one can even hold the keys of the kingdom without actually entering into the kingdom!
Further, the church can lose the fulness of the priesthood and only have the records explaining what the fulness of the priesthood is.
Just as the Protestants don’t have the keys to administer the saving ordinances and don’t enjoy the full gifts of the fullness of the gospel just because they can read about them in the Bible, Mormons have the same dilemma.
The Doctrine and Covenants also provides a record of what the fulness of the Gospel is as revealed to the early saints of this dispensation but that does not mean that the fullness of the gospel is here on the earth today. If it was, you would be seeing the fruits of the fulness of the gospel in the lives of worthy members (See this article for more information about the seven signs that accompany the true and LIVING church)
If the current leadership was guilty of recently rejecting the fullness of the gospel, it is understandable to feel that God might choose to destroy them at any time, HOWEVER you cannot reject something that is not being offered.. something you don’t have access to, therefore, blaming current leaders for our situation may not be an accurate viewpoint in my opinion.
One could surmise that the fulness of the Gospel is plainly before us in the scriptures and therefore everyone living in all four eras of apostasy should have been able to see the deception and will be responsible for living in darkness without knowing it. But I would contend that the higher light has not been on the earth since it was rejected during the Kirtland Era and, according to scripture, God put the blindness over us for our own good, just as he did with ancient Israel.
I would further suggest that just as the fullness of the Gospel and many of the covenants were taken from the Bible and obscured in the eyes of those of the reformation and the churches that sprang from that movement, the fullness of the Gospel has also been obscured from the view of Latter day Saints.
After all, we never brought forth and published the complete inspired version according to Gods commandment and the law contained in section 42 requires us to have that record in order to have the complete law of the Gospel.
Most saints use the same corrupted versions of the Bible that the Protestants use. In fact the official bible of the LDS church is the King James Version. That is a disgrace and an abomination after having had the opportunity to publish the inspired version.
God enabled Joseph to translate the bible and yet it was never published and made available to the saints of that generation because they would not provide the funds to do so after a decade of being admonished to!
Please understand I am not judging the Kirtland Saints more harshly than those of the world wide apostasy of our current generation.
The point is that God has allowed the wheat to be mingled among the tares in the latter days which prevented the righteous portion of the church from bringing forth the inspired version, establishing Zion at the appointed time in the 2nd watch or completing the Nauvoo temple when the saints were given the opportunity to redeem themselves.
Those who would have valiantly established Zion in the 2nd watch had they not be hampered and hindered by the tares, will come forth triumphantly in the 3rd watch. This is true of the righteous of all generations. (see section 86)
Conversely, I believe the small remnant of the truly believing gentiles among us today will be gathered in and will help to establish Zion once the tares have been separated out.
Until the light shines forth again, all members of the church and everyone else are all in the same boat, at the mercy of God to send forth divine deliverance….. leaders, members and non members alike.
The scriptures indicate that all of us living at this time will have the opportunity to be warned by the first elders of the last kingdom and/or their fellow servants when they return BEFORE the consummation hits.
Some people are currently having the blindness that God has put upon latter day Israel slowly begin to be removed regarding the current state of the church. I believe this is because we are getting very very close to the opening up of the Marvelous Work.
Some of us are starting to lose our worldly naiveté and blindness that we inherited from the false traditions of our fathers with regard to the general state of things in the church and world. We are beginning to see that the whole world is indeed in apostasy just as Daniel, John and Paul and others prophesied it would be just prior to the start of the last work.
The restoration of priesthood keys and divine deliverance is going to be the solution for those who will repent.
The fact that the grace of God is upon us in beginning to wake us up in this one small area of our spiritual growth is no cause to think that we are actually more enlightened than others in the general scheme of things or that we will have a higher place in the kingdom. Indeed this little awakening may end up being our downfall if we become proud of our knowledge and judgmental of others who are at a different place on the learning curve.
Perhaps the parable of the workers in the field is applicable.
The fact of the matter is that there may still be a great separation among those that believe the Lords servants when they return. A similar event is very possibly going to be taking place that took place in Kirtland. Many of those that embraced the light when it began to shine forth ultimately rejected it and fell.
Will that happen again?
That is one of the serious problems with this awakening that we are experiencing. It may give us a sense of false security thinking we will not stumble and fall when the light shines forth. We may be thinking our newly acquired understanding represents the finish line in the great test when in fact it actually represents the start of the race.
Perhaps we should not assume that because we initially accept the servants that we will remain faithful as they unfold the greater portion of light, when the test really begins. There are many things that will be revealed that will undoubtedly try the souls of men.
Joseph once said,
“We shall by and by learn that we were with God in another world, and had our agency: that we came into this world and have our agency, in order that we may prepare ourselves for a kingdom of glory; become archangels, even the sons of God where the man is neither without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord“.
(The Mormon Hierarchy Pg 623)
Joseph knew of some very deep truths having to do with our eternal progression. He noted that after this probation we will become archangels and be in an eternal state where the man is not without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.
He knew something about the eternal relationship between the two genders.
He understood how the female gender could become archangels even though the scriptures are silent about female angels and nobody has legitimately ever seen one. (that actually looked like a female)
He understood some deep eternal principles about the composite make up of archangels and Gods and the literal commandment for a man and woman to eventually become one flesh again. This eternal relationship of the male and female genders is something that he could not speak freely about at that time…. He understood it was something the saints would need to learn by and by…
That and other mysteries will no doubt try the souls of men. (for more on that topic see this article )
Keys to enter into the New and Everlasting Covenant VS. the actual Endowment
As you study the latter day apostasy, remember that there is a difference between having the fulness of the gospel in written form as contained in the scriptures, vs having the priesthood authority to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel that allow us to enter into the new and everlasting covenant.
Realize also that there is a difference between having the patriarchal priesthood authority to administer the saving ordinances and enter into the everlasting covenant vs the actual breaking forth of the endowment that is shed forth by the will of the father!
In other words, the keys to enter into the new and everlasting covenant were restored to the earth in 1829 when the patriarchal priesthood was restored by Peter james and John. However, the first documented instance of the actual endowment of the new and everlasting covenant upon the church as a group did not take place until 1831 when the melchizedek priesthood was restored and the heavenly endowment was manifested at the special conference at the Morley Farm.
The precedence for this is given in the New Testament when the apostles who had been baptized and confirmed, were told by the resurrected Lord to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the PROMISE OF THE FATHER which resulted in the Pentecostal endowments.
After the day of Pentecost, the apostles finally could go forth in power!
They had entered into the covenant before the ascension but they did not receive the endowment of the covenant until after the ascension. (more on this later)
We are all at the Mercy
of Divine Deliverance
Until the light shines forth to begin the marvelous work, we are all in the same boat… that includes leaders, members, estranged believers who have left or been kicked out of the church, protestants, Catholics, atheists and heathens.
Those who are among that rather broad group (of everyone) who repent when the light shines forth, and pass the test and make it through the refiners fire, will be gathered out and will help establish Zion, those who don’t will not be gathered out to Zion, or, if they make it to Zion, they will be weighed in the balance and cast out of it.
God will warn the legal lease holders of the vineyard and invite them to repent along with all of the rest of us BEFORE he will destroy those among them and us that reject the fullness of the gospel. It is not clear whether those that he has “let” the kingdom out to has reference to the mortal leaders at the helm when the work first begins or if it refers to the anti-Christ and his fellows that return to deceive, if possible, the very elect.
The scriptures inform us that the light will shine forth among those who sit in darkness first, then, after the gentiles cumulatively reject the light, bringing the times of the gentiles to their fullness, the stone will fall on them and crush them. (see JST Matt 21)
Nevertheless, a remnant of believing gentiles will be gathered in and saved.
The Whore, The Harlots
and the Adulterous Wife
According to scripture, there are basically three general categories of apostate Christianity on the earth in the last days prior to the return of the Lord in glory.
This includes the great church that claims direct priesthood succession from Peter, the protesting factions that broke away from the whore during the reformation, from which virtually all of evangelical Christianity comes from (Protestantism) and finally those of the latter day restored church.
The Lord characterizes these three groups using the following imagery
Those of us who are latter day saints are categorized as the bride of Christ, albeit, at this period, the unfaithful, adulterous wife!
Keep in mind however, that the unfaithful wife is still the wife!
She may have been put away for a while because of her unfaithfulness, but once she has the filthiness removed from her at the appointed time when the filthy clothes are removed from Gods servants and the “resent button” is pushed at the time of the “restitution of all things”, that part of the church that embraces the fullness of the gospel will put on her beautiful garments and enter into the chamber.
“ For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” Isaiah 54
The Seer, Spokesman
and Seven Others
In the previous part of this series we reviewed the remarkable prophecy in Zechariah where the Seer (Branch Prophet) and the Spokesman (Brand Prophet) and seven others of their fellows would come forth and begin the Marvelous Work and a Wonder.
A passage of scripture that may relate to this event is found in section 82 wherein, nine high priests are bound together by a bond and covenant that cannot be broken by transgression except judgment shall immediately follow.
These two groups of people made up the two organizations that had stewardships over the Bishops storehouses for Kirtland and Zion
Edward Partrige……………………….. Zion
Newel K Whitney………………………. Kirtland
Sidney Gilbert……………………………. Zion
Sidney Rigdon……………………………. Kirtland
Joseph Smith……………………………… Kirtland
John Whitme……………………………… Zion
Oliver Cowdery………………………….. Kirtland
WW Phelps………………………………… Zion
Martin Harris……………………………… Kirtland
I bring up these nine servants and the bond they entered into partly to enhance your appreciation of the possible players described in Zechariah and partly to point out that the covenant that Joseph and Oliver entered into in November of 1833 provides proof that these nine mean and the Kirtland and Jackson Saints had failed in their attempt to consecrate by that time.
Of course we don’t know how many if any of these brethren have lost their office and will need to be replaced.
The covenant these men entered into appears to have been at least temporarily broken which necessitated the new covenant between Joseph, Oliver and the Lord.
Daniel refers to the timeframe that the covenant that Joseph and Oliver entered into prior to the dedication and acceptance of the Kirtland temple as “The reconciliation for sins”
What exactly did the restored church apostatize from?
The Fulness of the Gospel which is the Everlasting Covenant!
In my thesis on the apostasy of latter day Israel back in 1992, I never once attempted to define what exactly it was that the church membership apostatized from in Kirtland!
It never even occurred to me to do it.
Among the many deficiencies in that thesis, I consider that to be one of the most significant.
However it really is important to define exactly what it is that we are speaking about because some people may define the apostasy as leaving the established organization while others may define it as rejecting Gods anointed servants, and others may define it as rejecting the spiritual gifts of the gospel, and others my define it as rejecting the true doctrines in favor of unsound doctrines, etc. There are undoubtedly many definitions and components of what apostasy is and many of them apply.
For the purposes of this article I am defining the apostasy as the time when the fullness of the gospel (which is synonymous with the everlasting covenant) was rejected.
Furthermore, even though I was able to identify and document that the Kirtland apostasy was complete by September 11 1836, during the Kirtland era, I never really documented exactly when it was complete nor when it BEGAN!
The reason for this is not because I did not go backwards in time far enough, it was partly because the potentially single most important event from which the apostasy sprang was hidden from my view in the official history of the church!.
It has been underplayed and obscured and spun incorrectly in the official church history books and lesson manuals.
As much as I would love to leave it at that and just play the part of the victim of those well-meaning historical revisionists, there is another reason. It was because I was still in too much darkness to have it revealed to me. Blindness was upon my head and it was not my time to have it taken off. It is only by the grace of God that any of us have these things revealed to us.
It was not until last year when the events at the special conference at the Morley Farm were brought to my attention during the series I did entitled “Searching for the Holy Order and 23 High Priests” that I began to feel like I could see EXACTLY when the later day apostasy BEGAN and WHAT the Saints apostatized from in the ultimate sense!
Joseph Smith had prophesied that the “man of Sin” would be revealed on a predetermined date. He actually foretold that the latter day apostasy as prophesied by the apostle Paul in 2nd Thes. would begin during the special conference that began on June 3rd 1831 and ended on June 6th and was followed by the revelation given on June 7th contained in section 52..
..And it verily did, although it has taken me months to digest what happened after reading about it.
That was the beginning of the cumulative restoration and rejection of the fulness of the Gospel by the latter day gentiles.
The 3 ½ year period appears to have begun at the time of that special conference at the Morley Farm.
It appears to have ended when the law of consecration was broken by both the Kirtland Saints and the Jackson Saints. Shortly after that the bond was broken that had been entered into by the nine high priests, which resulted in Joseph and Oliver entering into a covenant of tithing to enable them to resolve the debts they were left with.
The above 3 ½ year period was the period of time when the light of the fullness of the gospel broke forth and began dividing the church.
Whenever the wheat and tares are combined instead of being separated, the tares usually win.
The greater light was cumulatively rejected by the gentile church.
Even though it was the time the heavens were opened and the greater light descended upon some, it was also the time Paul spoke of when the Man of Sin was revealed and unleashed! It was the time of a blessing and a cursing.
There must be opposing forces in all things.
Yes it is true that the Lord eventually declared the covenant to be broken in sections 104 and 105 linking it to the breaking of the law and covenant of consecration, but their failure to keep that covenant began with their rejection of THE covenant beginning at the special conference.
Section 1 which is given on November 1 1831 acknowledges that the Latter day Saints would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah and break the everlasting covenant. (See 1:10-15 this reveals that the prophecy of Isaiah was a future event having to do with the latter day saints)
The failure of the Saints to redeem Zion at the appointed time on September 11 1836 clearly identifies that the completion of the apostasy from the fulness of the gospel took place sometime on or before that date and the beginning of the apostasy was at the special conference in 1831.
In early 1834 Joseph Smith encouraged the Saints to prepare to retake the lands in Jackson County that they had been scattered from, however, curiously, it does not appear that he continued with the admonition in 1835 and 1836. He seemed to understand by that time it would not be redeemed in that generation and that something new must be done to nourish and preserve the saints and their posterity until the light would shine forth again in the 3rd watch.
After the Saints failed to redeem Zion by the appointed time and were forced to flee from Kirtland, the prophet Joseph Smith made the following observation several years later when the Saints migrated to Nauvoo.
Please read it very closely several times over… it pretty much says it all,
“We have been chastened by the hand of God heretofore for not obeying His commands… we have treated lightly His commands, AND DEPARTED FROM HIS ORDINANCES, and the Lord has chastened us sore, and we have felt His arm and kissed the rod…“ (History of the Church, 5:65; from “The Government of God,” an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, p. 857; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical.)
Given the huge denial the Saints have been in for four generations, it is hard to believe the above quote from Joseph Smith made it into the official history of the church. I have no doubt that many other similar ominous declarations from him and others were omitted.
Joseph Smith was acknowledging that the transgressions of the Saints and the persecutions and afflictions that forced the Saints to flee from Jackson and eventually Kirtland were caused or at least allowed to happen by the chastening hand of God because the Saints were disobedient in keeping the commandments and the ordinances.
In the above declaration the Prophet was acknowledging that the Saints DEPARTED FROM THE ORDINANCES during the Kirtland apostasy!
What ordinances?
The ordinances of salvation!
The ordinances of the fulness of the Gospel! The everlasting covenant.
But we still have the ordinance of baptism and the associated ordinance of the sacrament, right?
Sure we have changed those ordinances around a little, but we still have them… right?
In this last and final portion of this series I am suggesting that the Saints apostatized from and ultimately REJECTED THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL and BROKE THE EVERLASTING COVENANT by departing from the ORDINANCES OF SALVATION during the Kirtland era and I am going to attempt to allude to a much more specific and deeper explanation and definition of what the fullness of the Gospel and its ordinances really are.
It is critical that we understand exactly when the fullness of the gospel light began to shine forth and when it was officially extinguished 3 ½ years later. It is also important to understand that the following time of grace appears to have ended at or shortly after September 11th, 1836, the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.
It is also critical that we understand the status of the inspired version of the bible at the time of the LDS restoration and the part it will play in the reformation and the restoration.
The Bible was Passed through
the Hands of the Whore
One of the ongoing debates between Protestants and Mormons has to do with the status of the Bible. A foundational theme of the LDS restoration movement was that the Bible had come through the hands of the Great Whore and had been corrupted before the reformation ever began.
Conversely, Protestants maintain that the Bible is complete, perfect and infallible.
The Infinity Bible Code
The Perfection of Imperfection
I want to share a fascinating video about the Infinity Bible Code that will either bolster your testimony of the LDS restoration and apostasy or perhaps destroy it all together. (this may be a good time to check out if you feel you are still weak in the faith)
In this video Al Neal presents what he refers to as the “INFINITY BIBLE CODE” to members of the prophesy club and shows an amazing numeric testimony embedded within the bible that would appear to provide mathematical evidence that the bible is complete and perfect.
Ironically, he is going to admit within his and other lectures that witches and satanists and those involved in the occult have a much better knowledge of the Bible than most Christians. It is an important part of their religion.
He admits that they use the bible in their own religions and their own religious time-lines!
I would suggest that perhaps his acknowledgment very possibly condemns his own assumptions of what the infinity code is really providing evidence of.
One needs to ask the question, has Satan been involved in the current translations of the Bible and is Satan a master mathematician?
Now, after reviewing the amazing evidence that Al has brought to light, and in the context of his own admission that the forces of darkness and the occult rely heavily upon the Bible for their own religious guidance, let us review what the Book of Mormon teaches us about the history and current status of the Bible-
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them.
And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book?
And I said unto him: I know not.
And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble,
yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.”
From the above passages we find that the holy, perfect and infallible word of God was taken and modified and distorted by Satan’s church for the purpose of taking many of the plain precious things out of the book so that the Gentiles would stumble!
Let me ask you a question. If Satan has been smart enough to rule this world during the 6,000 year probation and to bring the whole world into apostasy, was he smart enough to change the Bible so that many of the covenants are taken out of the Book?
And if so, is it possible that he was smart enough to make those changes in such a way as to make it appear that the Bible is mathematically perfect and complete using special numeric codes and principles of gematria?
Could he have massaged the book in such a way as to provide an embedded numeric testimony in it that appears to testify that the current bible translations that came through the hands of the whore is perfect and complete?
We learn from the Book of Mormon that God allowed Satan to take important things out of the Bible. It was to be part of the test in the 2nd and 3rd watches.
Another intriguing possibility regarding the infinity code is that God himself showed forth his majesty in allowing the mathematical gematria to remain in the bible despite the alterations that were made.
This is amazing stuff!
The infinity code is powerful stuff.
The implications of the infinity code are indeed profound.
However with the context that the Book of Mormon provides us concerning the corrupted versions of the bible, there are two completely different messages you can derive from the infinity code presentation depending on how well versed you are in Gods word and in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I don’t doubt that the above presentation may cause some who are weak in the faith to question the restored church. Yet, those of you that feel the power and truthfulness in the above passages in the Book of Mormon will no doubt come away from the infinity code presentation with a much stronger testimony of the gospel and a greater, more sobering appreciation for the craftiness of old scratch and the strong delusion that God has sent upon Israel.
Indeed, the Bible is a mystical document that was originally pure and then came through the hands of the Great and Abominable Church.
The Bible, by itself, is a two edged sword.
Reading the Bible in the context of the Book of Mormon and the D&C brings an astounding dimension to gospel study and the life of Christ and his gospel.
For the humble follower of Christ that is receiving personal revelation and accepts, by personal revelation that the Book of Mormon is true, the bible does in fact provide evidence of the fulness of the Gospel and the LDS restoration movement and that the Book of Mormon is true. It provides many missing pieces of the puzzle.
For those who love darkness rather than light, whether in the occult or any of the flavors of apostate Christianity, it provides a blue print for them as well.
It provides a blueprint for disaster.
(BTW, I sent an email to Al asking him to enter the term “scapegoat” into his infinity code equation to see where it leads him… I was not surprised to NOT get a response back from him… I suspect he did not know how to interpret and react to the results he got! LOL)
Please understand I love the Bible. I am not trying to discredit the incredible information it contains in its current condition as long as the context of the other scriptures is used. I think part six of this series should provide a formidable witness to how much I love the Bible and how much I ponder and study it and how much evidence it provides of the truth.
The Bible still provides amazing truth… God put limitations on the alterations that Satans minions put in it, hence the Catholic Churches attempted to try to prevent the lay membership from having access to it… nevertheless, when it was made available, it effectively not only paved the way for the reformation and eventually the restoration of the gospel, it also opened Pandora’s box among the children of darkness.
And the occult went wild!
One of the purposes of this series is to identify and acknowledge the four phases of the apostasy of the latter day restored church with particular emphasis on the first, original apostasy in Kirtland from which the following three phases grew out of.
By doing so, we can at least begin to lose our worldly naiveté and naiveté that comes from darkened minds caused by the false teachings of our fathers and by personal pride and sin.
From a biblical perspective, God caused blindness to come upon Israel because of their stiff necks and unbelief.
This awakening and loss of worldly naiveté that I am referring to is a painful one.
Those of you who have been active and faithful members of the restored church, who then began to learn about the latter day apostasy, have no doubt experienced this pain, at least to some extent.
Many of those of you who are very active in the church who have been reading this and/or similar other articles and have, by the grace of God begun to have your naiveté lost, have no doubt felt your heart breaking.
That is good.
The acquisition of a broken heart and a contrite spirit is excruciatingly painful but it is necessary and it will enable us to return to a state of true spiritual innocence before God.
If we are going to identify the EXACT time and CIRCUMSTANCES pertaining to when the latter day apostasy really began, we need to identify and define exactly what it was that the restored church apostatized from!
I am going to suggest that according to the scriptures, the latter day church apostatized from and ultimately rejected the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL.
The exact phrase “fullness of the gospel” or “fullness of the everlasting gospel” or a variation thereof shows up at least eleven times in the scriptures that I am aware of, four times in the Book of Mormon, six times in the D&C and once in the account of Moroni’s visit to Joseph smith.
It never shows up in the Bible!
That is a very significant fact. Let me say that again,
It never shows up in the Bible!
Interestingly, of the 11 passages, most of them are only making reference to the fullness of the Gospel. Only two of them actually summarize what it is.
One definition comes from the Book of Mormon, the other comes from the last testimony of the Seer and the Spokesman as contained in section 76.
We will review some of these verses in this part of the series because understanding this phrase is critical if we are going to understand when, how and why the latter day apostasy took place.
According to the book of Mormon, the Bible originally contained the fullness of the Gospel when it went forth in purity but the great church perverted it and took many plain and precious parts of the gospel out of it.
When the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith, he informed him that there was a book deposited in the ground that contained the fulness of the gospel as given to the Nephites by the Savior.
“He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants“; (ref #1…..)
The church often teaches that the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to be a second witness to the Bible.
That is certainly true, however if they are referring the King James Version of the Bible which is currently the official Bible
endorsed and published by the church, it is a misleading statement because it implies that both books of scripture contain the fullness of the gospel.
They don’t.
Only the Book of Mormon does.
Another scripture in modern revelation is also confusing and misleading if not properly understood, it is contained in section 42,
“And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.”
It is easy to assume that the above passage is saying that the corrupted King James and other contemporary versions of the bible contain the fullness of the gospel as well as the Book of Mormon, however, as we will see in a minute, that would contradict what the Book of Mormon teaches.
The book of Mormon teaches that the fullness of the gospel was taken out of the Bible when it passed through the hands of the Great Church which is the Whore.
With that in mind, it becomes apparent that the above verse is either saying that the corrupted bible and the Book of Mormon contain the fullness of the gospel when read jointly
Or, another possible interpretation is that it could be referring to the Bible in its original condition which Joseph Smith was currently working on restoring through the process of translation.
Notice a few verses later in section 20 how it refers to the “fullness of the scriptures” which are forthcoming,
“And all this ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning your teaching, until the fulness of my scriptures is given”
The fullness of the scriptures appears to be speaking about the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible that Joseph Smith was currently working on and possibly the additional words contained in the sealed portion.
Notice also the following passages that show up even later in the same section,
Thou shalt ask, and my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed, and they shall be preserved in safety;
And it is expedient that thou shouldst hold thy peace concerning them, and not teach them until ye have received them in full. And I give unto you a commandment that then ye shall teach them unto all men; for they shall be taught unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.
We know from this that Joseph Smith and the first elders were commanded not to teach from the Joseph Smith Translation, otherwise known as the inspired version of the Bible until they could be taught unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.
Hence, the Saints would need to provide the means for financing the publishing of the inspired version of the Bible before the fullness of the Gospel contained in it could be taught to the church and the whole world.
It is interesting to note that even though the specific, detailed “definition” and “how to” pertaining to the fullness of the gospel was taken out of the Bible, once you have found out what the fullness of the Gospel really is, you can very easily use the Bible to document what it is even though the original plainness and clarity of it has been taken out.
In other words, even though the Bible does not explain the fullness of the gospel in detail, it does provide several accounts that contain the various elements and fruits of the fullness of the Gospel and it documents that it existed back then.
You may be thinking that you already know what the phrase fullness of the Gospel means, but I am going to suggest that there might be a deeper, more detailed definition that is very important to understand.
Notice the following statement about the prophesying of Lehi,
Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer. (2nd ref: 1st Nephi 1:10)
The above passages are somewhat cryptic if you don’t understand the doctrine of the three watches.
I have been harping on the fact in other posts that after the apostasy in Kirtland, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that “something new must be done for the salvation of the Church” and then the apostles were sent to establish foreign missions and to take the gospel to the dispersed of Judah and the outcasts of Israel. Since then many tens of thousands of the house of Israel have gathered to America and to the church.
HOWEVER, it was the priesthood power and gifts of the preparatory gospel, also possibly referred to as the gospel of Abraham that was taken to foreign missions at that time in the second watch, the fullness of the Gosepl of Christ was only spoken about in those missionary efforts!
The above passages in the Book of Mormon are referring to the time when the light of the fulness of the gospel shines forth
again among the gentiles in the 3rd watch. At that time the first laborers of the last kingdom return and the rest of the house of Israel will be grafted in!
We need to ask ourselves, did the gentiles as a group ultimately receive the fullness of the gospel in the 2nd watch or did they as a group ultimately reject the fullness of the gospel in the 2nd watch?
Notice the following passages in 3rd Nephiti-
And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. (3rd ref: 3 Ne. 16: 10)
The above passages seem to be saying that in the second watch the gentiles will reject the fullness of the gospel when it is offered to them and therefore the Father will take the fullness of the gospel from them. It could be referring to the entire day of the gentiles… from the first watch to the 3rd watch, for indeed it appears that the majority of gentiles will reject the fulness of the gospel in the 3rd watch as well! (However we do know that a portion of the righteous gentiles will become established in the fulness of the gospel.)
As painful as it is to admit, the above passages are directed more towards the believing gentiles than the unbelieving gentiles. They are referencing the gentiles that first begin to receive the light and then sin against it.
This is further verified later in 3rd Nephi. Notice the chronology of events contained in the following passages.
First the gentiles receive power from the Holy Ghost that makes them mighty above all nations unto the scattering and scourging of the remnants of this land.
Secondly, the gentiles receive the fullness of the Gospel
Thirdly the gentiles harden their hearts.
Fourth, the Father returns their iniquities upon their own heads. .
And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel.
And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fulness of my gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father.
(4th ref: 3 nephi 20)
Clearly, the gentiles that sin against the gospel are the believing gentiles that initially receive it, not the gentiles that refused to receive it.
This ominous sequence of events is further confirmed in the following passages in 1st Nephi where it clarifies that the final grafting in of the house of Israel into the true fold of God is represented as the gentiles who bring the fullness of the gospel to them. These events obviously did not take place in the 2nd watch, they are to take place in the 3rd watch when the first laborers of the last kingdom return and begin the Marvelous Work.
13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed—
14 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.
15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? (5th ref: 1st Nephi 15:13)
From the above passages and others we learn that during the 2nd watch the gospel taken from the gentiles because they rejected it. However in the 3rd watch a righteous portion of the gentiles will repent and accept the fulness of the gospel. They will then take it to the other remnants of the house of Israel.
The Gentiles- In the 2nd watch it is taken from them… in the 3rd watch it is restored to them and they take it to the rest of the world!
Many assume that all of the gentiles during the 3rd watch will reject the gospel and have it taken from them and that the remnants of the Nephites will then take over and administer the gospel and take it to the world but this is clearly not the case. It is in fact the first elders of the last kingdom who are identified among the gentiles that will successfully return and administer and deliver the fulness of the gospel to the gentiles nations and to all other remnants of Israel.
In a sense it is really a matter of semantics in that the Book of Mormon tells us that the righteous believing gentiles are the covenant people of the Lord, so regardless of whether you choose to refer to the first laborers of the last kingdom that return, as gentiles, Israel, the sons of Jacob or Ephraim, it is still those who were classed among the gentiles that will return, repent, and administer the gospel. They will take it to the gentiles first and then to the other remnants of Israel. (See also D&C 90:6-10)
The ACTUAL Fruits of the Fullness of the Gospel VS. the Description in the Written Word.
So far, every passage we have observed has been speaking about the fullness of the Gospel, yet none of them have provided a detailed definition of what the fullness of the gospel is.
Here is another very important passage that references the fullness of the gospel, yet is simply stating that the Bible, in its original form contained the fullness of the Gospel.
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. (Ref #6 1 Ne. 13: 24)
Again we have a passage that is only speaking about the fullness of the gospel, not defining what it is!
By the way as mentioned previously, the fact that a person or group of people have the uncorrupted bible or the book of Mormon and can read about how the fullness of the Gospel once existed among an ancient people, or even read a detailed description of what the fullness of the Gospel is, does not mean that they themselves actually have it, or that they have the authority to administer the ordinances thereof.
Reading about the fullness of the Gospel is not the same as having actuated the fullness of the gospel endowment.
This is the shaky foundation that Protestantism finds itself on.
The subtle implication is that the Protestants got their authority to preach and administer the Gospel and enjoy the fruits thereof either through the act of protesting against the corrupt gospel and the whore, or by virtue of the fact that they have the bible and can read about the Gospel.
NOT!
Furthermore, they can’t even read about the fullness of the Gospel in their bible because the plain explanation of what it is has been taken out! The key to extracting that veiled information out of the Bible is contained in the Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon.
We understand from the Book of Mormon that the Bible actually no longer contains a clear description of what the fullness of the gospel really is. Let us continue reading from where the last passage left off,
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.” (1st Nephi 13)
We have been conditioned to think that many plain and precious parts of the bible have been taken out in general but according to the above passages, the more poignant point being made is the many plain and precious parts of the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL (verse 24) and OF THE GOSPEL OF THE LAMB (verse 29) have been taken out of the bible.
From this we understand that one cannot even gain an understanding of what the fullness of the gospel is from reading the bible….
but even if the Bible still did contain a complete description of all of the covenants and ordinances of the fullness of the gospel, it would still be incapable of empowering people with the fullness of the gospel without the literal restoration of priesthood by God and/or angels because priesthood authority is not conferred simply through the reading of a Book and by an intellectual understanding of what the necessary covenants and ordinances of the gospel are.
Reading about the ordinances of the gospel and reading about those who were authorized to administer them does not transfer priesthood authority and power to the reader.
Notice how the revelation that Oliver received known as section 20 makes the distinction between the fullness of the gospel in the written word, in the Book of Mormon, vs the priesthood authority which is ordained by God, angels and humans to actually administer the fullness of the Gospel-
1 The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April—
2 Which commandments were given to Joseph Smith, Jun., who was called of God, and ordained an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the first elder of this church;
3 And to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the second elder of this church, and ordained under his hand;
4 And this according to the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory, both now and forever. Amen.
5 After it was truly manifested unto this first elder that he had received a remission of his sins, he was entangled again in the vanities of the world;
6 But after repenting, and humbling himself sincerely, through faith, God ministered unto him by an holy angel, whose countenance was as lightning, and whose garments were pure and white above all other whiteness;
7 And gave unto him commandments which inspired him;
8 And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;
9 Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10 Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—
11 Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;
12 Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen. (Ref 7 section 20)
Ok, there is a difference between the fulness of the Gospel as contained in the written word, vs being ordained to the priesthood authority to administer the fullness of the Gospel.
Now that we understand that the fullness of the gospel is no longer contained in the bible, we are ready to better understand why many of the great biblical scholars at the time of the restoration movement did not comprehend the spiritual baptism that must attend the baptism of water.
The Baptism of Water Fire and the Holy Ghost
Prior to the legal restoration of the church in 1830 while Joseph Smith was meeting yearly with the angel Moroni and eventually translating the Book of Mormon, Sidney Rigdon and his long time associate Alexander Campbell were involved in a ministry of their own.
Both Rigdon and Campbell had become known as formidable biblical scholars and both of them were having a formidable impact on Protestantism in America.
Little did they know that they would eventually have a huge theological parting of the ways and become great adversaries of each other.
Even before Rigdon accepted the restored gospel, he had a theological falling out with Campbell.
Rigdon believed that the gift of prophesy and all of the other spiritual gifts enjoyed by the Saints in the New Testament needed to be restored in the latter days.
Campbell believed that the spiritual and Pentecostal phenomena of New Testament times only had to do with that dispensation and would not return to the earth in the latter days.
While Rigdon’s conversion to Mormonism played an invaluable role in lending credibility to the church since he was a highly esteemed biblical scholar who maintained that there was doctrinal congruency between the bible and Book of Mormon, Alexander Campbell went on to become perhaps the greatest doctrinal adversary of Joseph Smith and the restored Church.
Although there were apostates that left the church and enemies from the outside that fabricated stories and did things to thwart the work of God, arguably, Alexander Campbell did more damage to the growth of the kingdom than any other individual from a antagonistic theological and scholarly point of view.
Many people were able to justify their decisions to reject the gospel message based on the strength of written and verbal diatribes generated by the revered Campbell.
He was relentless in his doctrinal criticisms of the restoration movement.
It appears to me that one of the main issues that he argued was that the ordinance of baptism was limited to what the bible clearly refers to in the following declaration.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned.”
Campbell took issue with the belief that a discernible spiritual baptism (rebirth), brought about by the laying on of hands, was necessary to accompany water baptism. He also challenged the notion that the spiritual gifts mentioned in the bible were a necessary part of the Lords church in the latter days. (to get a better idea of what Campbell taught you can read a fascinating debate on this topic involving one of his disciples and a believer in the LDS restoration here)
It is in this context that in 1843, in the middle of the funeral sermon, Joseph Smith publically lashed out at Alexander Campbell with the following question,
“Alexander Campbell how are you going to save people with water only?”
The doctrinal disconnect between Joseph Smith and Alexander Campbell was caused by virtue of the fact that Campbell considered the Bible to be complete and without error and it did not clearly specify a mandatory secondary spiritual baptism, nor did it clearly establish that such a spiritual baptism must be initiated by the laying on of hands.
Notice how the revelation given to Sidney Rigdon on the first day he met Joseph Smith states,
“Behold, verily, verily, I say unto my servant Sidney, I have looked upon thee and thy works. I have heard thy prayers, and prepared thee for a greater work.
Thou art blessed, for thou shalt do great things. Behold thou wast sent forth, even as John, to prepare the way before me, and before Elijah which should come, and thou knewest it not.
Thou didst baptize by water unto repentance, but they received not the Holy Ghost;
But now I give unto thee a commandment, that thou shalt baptize by water, and they shall receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, even as the apostles of old.”
Notice how the Lord quickly jumps to a prophesy about the third watch in that revelation to Sidney-
“And it shall come to pass that there shall be a great work in the land, even among the Gentiles, for their folly and their abominations shall be made manifest in the eyes of all people.
For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name.
And whoso shall ask it in my name in faith, they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick; they shall cause the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk.
And the time speedily cometh that great things are to be shown forth unto the children of men;”
Now look closely at how curious the following passage in this same revelation to Sidney is,
“And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation.”
Read the above passage several times.
It is curious.
It is telling the existing church membership and the world at large that the fullness of the Gospel has already been sent forth on the one hand, yet it does not indicate that anyone has received the fullness of the Gospel yet. It simply says blessed are those who are READY to receive it.
In other words, many people had been baptized by water and received the ordinance of the laying on of hands, and they had the Book of Mormon which provides a detailed description of the fullness of the gospel, but none of them had received the second part of baptism. None of them had been endowed with power from on high and become born of the spirit.
These passages are setting the stage for the significance of the Special Conference at the Morley Farm that would be taking place about six months AFTER this revelation is given when the fullness of the gospel would be manifest in the eyes of the priesthood body of the church that would gather to the special conference.
Blessed are those who are READY to receive it.
The first two priesthoods that had already been restored to the earth had the power and authority to baptize with water and administer the laying on of hands. HOWEVER, the second spiritual part of baptism which is called the baptism of FIRE, which is also referred to as the PROMISE OF THE FATHER had not yet been given to the church membership since the church had been legally organized nor had the third part of baptism wherein the Father sends the Holy Ghost to dwell in the heart of the recipient and seal them up unto eternal life.
It was Gods intention for this spiritual endowment to take place in a group setting at the special conference similar to the day of Pentecost in New Testament times.
It took David Whitmer and several others of the first elders by surprise when Joseph Smith received a revelation January of 1831 telling the church that all of the members of the church who had been baptized and confirmed were still corrupted and needed to gather to the Ohio to receive the LAW and to be endowed with power from on high! (see section 38)
In section 41 the Lord warns the Saints that he is getting ready to give them the LAW and that it would result in a blessing to those who accept it and a cursing to those who reject it.
After arriving in Ohio, the Lord gave the revelation containing the Law of the Gospel on Feb 9th 1831. It is also referred to as the law of the Church, containing the law of consecration and the marital law of monogamy. (see section 42)
Later that month the Lord gave a commandment for the elders of the church to assemble. The promise was that God would Pour out is Spirit upon those who were faithful and exercise faith in Christ (see section 44)
Do you see a type here?
Remember in Acts chapter one how the apostles who had been baptized, confirmed and ordained spent 40 days with the resurrected Lord and yet just before Christ’s ascension into heaven he commanded them to tarry in Jerusalem until they received power from on high–
THE former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
And, being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
The apostles had been baptized and had received the laying on of hands (or been breathed on by the Lord) but they had not yet received the PROMISE OF THE FATHER which is contained in the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL!
They were commanded to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the day of Pentecost when God would pour out his spirit and baptize them with fire and the Holy Ghost!
This endowment was called the PROMISE OF THE FATHER!
From this we realize that the special conference at the Morley farm was to be the appointed day of Pentecost in the latter days where the promise of the Father would be realized by the faithful while those who rejected it would be cursed!
Lets read further in the book of Acts,
AND when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilæans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: (is there a type her?)
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
We read further how the endowment of power from on high brought about a great conversion by those who witnessed it. We also read how it was associated with the doctrine of having all things in common and how it was accompanied by miraculous signs and wonders.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Truly the apostles and converts did receive power from on high from the promise of the Father and the pouring out of the holy ghost.
This was the endowment that Christ wanted the apostles to receive before they went forth preaching the gospel.
We read in the next chapter of Acts about the amazing priesthood power that the apostles had as a result of the baptism of fire and the holy Ghost,
“NOW Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
That is an example of the power that comes when the second two parts of baptism are received. That is the fullness of the Gospel!
That endowment of power is what was being offered to the elders of the Church at the special conference at the Morley Farm!
But Joseph had also prophesied that the “man of sin would be revealed” as well.
It is evident from historical records (see the following series of articles for additional info) that Joseph Smith was prophesying that the apostasy of the restored church as contained in 2nd Thes. would begin at the latter day, day of Pentecost because of those whose minds were darkened that would deny the experience.
Truly a blessing and a cursing did begin to take place at the special conference at the Morley Farm and it continued for 3 ½ years.
For a duration of 3 ½ years, those who were called to be high priests along with all other saints, were given the opportunity to accept the greater light of the fulness of the gospel or reject it. According the historical and scriptural accounts, some accepted it while the majority rejected it.
Some people like Lyman Wight, Sidney rigdon and Joseph Smith did receive the promise of the Father on that occasion and have the heavens opened and according to sections 84 and 88 they went on to have the covenant of the Father conferred upon them (84:48) and to receive the other comforter of the Holy Ghost which is the PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE. (88:3-5).
Unfortunately, it appears that many began to question the validity of the experience and denied what had happened. David Whitmer became an outspoken critic of what had taken place at the Morley Farm!
Jealousy eventually broke out among many of the newly ordained high priests when they failed to see the face of God. Seeing the face of God is one of the promises contained in the fullness of the gospel to those who are faithful.
Some of these men became darkened in their minds and rejected the light that had shined forth because of the fears in their hearts and jealousies towards their brethren. (see section 67)
The Old Testament prophecy of Moses about the latter days had come to pass. The blessing and the cursing had begun.
An understanding of what took place at the special conference and the typology of the meridian apostles and the day of Pentecost is helpful in understanding what the fullness of the gospel is and how and when it was rejected by the Saints of the latter days.
Within the same month that the blessing and the cursing of the fulness of the gospel was initiated at the Morley Farms some of the newly ordained high priests broke the everlasting covenant they had entered into. Others broke their covenants during the months and years to come.
During that same month that the special conference took place, the Lord revealed that some of the high priests had kept the everlasting covenant that they had entered into while others had broken it,
“BEHOLD, thus saith the Lord, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, even he who was crucified for the sins of the world—
Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, my servant Newel Knight, you shall stand fast in the office whereunto I have appointed you.
And if your brethren desire to escape their enemies, let them repent of all their sins, and become truly humble before me and contrite.
And as the covenant which they made unto me has been broken, even so it has become void and of none effect.
And wo to him by whom this offense cometh, for it had been better for him that he had been drowned in the depth of the sea.
But blessed are they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy.”
(see section 54)
FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL IS SYNONOMOUS WITH EVERLASTING COVENANT
Modern revelation informs us that the everlasting covenant is synonymous with the fullness of the gospel.
“Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old.” ( D&C 66: 2 see also D&C 101: 39)
In October the Lord revealed that the fulness of the gospel is synonymous with the EVERLASTING COVENANT and tells William McLellin he is blessed for receiving it,
“BEHOLD, thus saith the Lord unto my servant William E. McLellin—Blessed are you, inasmuch as you have turned away from your iniquities, and have received my truths, saith the Lord your Redeemer, the Savior of the world, even of as many as believe on my name.
2 Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old.”
This is incredible!
We know from this and other passages that the following passage from Isaiah is speaking about the rejection of the fullness of the gospel and the everlasting covenant that was established in the latter days beginning with the special conference at the Morley Farm,
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isa 24)
This ties the ominous pronouncement above with the prophecies in the Book of Mormon that the gentiles would reject the fulness of the gospel!
The following passages are quoted often in articles about the apostasy of the church and was even quoted by President Benson but unfortunately most people quoting them are clueless to the fact they have specific reference to the rejection of the NEW [AND EVERLASTING] COVENANT of the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL, even the light that began to shine forth at the Morley Farm, which is clearly outlined in the Book of Mormon!
And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received— [He is speaking specifically to the newly ordained high priests who have doubted the significance of the events that took place at the Morley Farm when the endowment associated with their baptismal covenants was being offered by the FATHER to those who were faithful and believing]
Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
Interestingly, even though the church was to remain under the condemnation the servants of God being addressed in this revelation appear to be forgiven at that time-
“For I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment—that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you.”
(The promise of forgiveness based on the associated commandment has a dual fulfillment! The literal, final fulfillment of it comes in the 3rd watch. We know this because those first elders being addressed never went into all of world with the fullness of the gospel at that time as commanded! Those passages actually detail how the Marvelous Work begins with the servant and his fellows being forgiven and sent forth with the fulness of the gospel when they return!)
But getting back to Alexander Campbell, during my mission in the Bible Belt, as I would debate with church of Christ preachers they would continuously quote the following couplet that I believe was originated by Alexander Campbell,
“Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent”
On the other hand, Joseph Smith was teaching that the bible was not complete and that some things were missing from it.
He taught that water baptism was not complete by itself.
As previously mentioned, according to the Book of Mormon, the Bible had originally contained the fulness of the Gospel when it originally went forth in purity however after going through the hands of the great and abominable church, many plain and precious truths and covenants had been taken out of it.
Have you ever wondered what exactly was removed from the Bible?
Lets review a passage from the Book of Mormon,
“…they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
Can you identify what the “many covenants” are that pertain to the Gospel of the Lamb?
Three Baptismal Covenants Constitute the Full baptism
I will now provide three separate quotes from the prophet Joseph smith wherein he taught that the baptismal covenant is composed of three separate covenants-
I am now going to provide you with three separate quotes by Joseph smith when he emphasized that the full baptism consists of three baptismal covenants-
Now lets go back to the King Follett funeral sermon and read a little broader portion of Joseph Smiths declaration again.
“Alexander
Campbell, how are you
going to save them with water alone? For John said his baptism was nothing without the baptism of Jesus Christ. There is one God, one Father, one Jesus, one hope of our calling, one baptism all these three baptisms only make one. I have the truth and am at the defiance of the world to contradict me if they can. I have now preached a little Latin, a little Hebrew, Greek, and German; and I have fulfilled all. I am not so big a fool as many have taken me to be. The Germans know that I read the German correctly.?”
There you have the first quote.
Joseph Smith nailed it down in that funeral sermon. He succinctly identified one of the doctrines that had been taken from the Bible pertaining to the fulness of the gospel. He shows that there are multiple covenants associated with the fullness of the gospel as stated in the Book of Mormon!
The true baptism is composed of a three part covenant made to three separate and distinct Gods that mystically make up one God.
According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Baptismal covenant is more than just the baptism by water.
He went on to clarify that the full baptism is actually three baptismal covenants that make up the complete ordinance.
Baptism of water only represents one of three baptisms that make up the complete baptismal covenant!
Alexander Campbell did not accept this because this doctrine was clearly explained in the corrupted bible.
Here is a second documented quote from Joseph Smith as recalled by Daniel Tyler, demonstrating that Joseph taught the doctrine of the three part baptism
“Here we have baptism with water, baptism with the Holy Ghost, and baptism with fire, three in number…. Joseph Smith… said, there is but one baptism; it takes the baptism of water, of the Holy Ghost, and of fire to constitute one full baptism” (They knew the Prophet” Page 51)
From the above account we can see that Joseph interpreted all of the scriptures that speak of the baptism of water, fire and Holy Ghost as referring to three distinct portions of the baptismal covenant!
Now for the third quote that become apparent now that we know that the “fullness of the gospel” is synonymous with the term “everlasting covenant”-
“An Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth, and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s record, are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the witness or Testator.“ (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.190 Extracts from Wm Clayton’s Private Book, 10-11, Nuttall collection, BYU Library].
That is amazing!
Joseph Smith was using the Book of Abraham to illustrate that the baptismal covenant represented three covenants with the three pre-existent Gods that presided over our creation and this probation!
He even alludes to who the third member of the Godhead is that we are covenanting with!
Three baptisms that make up one baptism
Three covenants that make up one covenant
I always thought it was curious how the Bible and Book of Mormon refer to being baptized unto Christ and being baptized in the name of Christ, yet instead of the actual wording of the ordinance saying “I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ…” it says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father
Son and Holy Ghost“.
In other words, I baptize you in the name of the Father who you make covenant with, and also in the name of the Son who you make a covenant with and I baptize you in the name of the Holy Ghost who make a covenant with.
These three Gods constitute one God!
Don’t you just love how the scriptures continually alternate back and forth in reminding us that the mystery of God incorporates the distinctness and interaction between the three members of the Godhead and yet the oneness and singleness of the Godhead?
According to Joseph Smith and the scriptures he was instrumental in bringing forth a knowledge of the mystical triune of the Godhead which requires a mystical covenant with each member of the trinity!
From this we can see that when the Book of Mormon speaks of the baptism of water and of fire and of the Holy Ghost, it is literally speaking of the three parts of baptism!
Water- Christ the Son
Fire- God the Father
Holy Ghost
Hence, if you have not received the promise of the Father previously described, you have not received the full baptismal endowment!
One of the best descriptions of what the fullness of the Gospel is, is found in section 76
Elaborate on the significance of why the testimony of Joseph and Sidney in 76 becomes THE LAST TESTIMONY.
It is because this was the last witness to the world under the influence of the spirit by which the complete definition of what the fullness of the gospel really is, was given!
The fullness of the gospel is a brief explanation of what is required to come forth in the resurrection of the just.
15 For while we were doing the work of translation, which the Lord had appointed unto us, we came to the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of John, which was given unto us as follows—
16 Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, concerning those who shall hear the voice of the Son of Man:
17 And shall come forth; they who have done good, in the resurrection of the just; and they who have done evil, in the resurrection of the unjust.
50 And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just—
51 They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given—
52 That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
53 And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
That is it right there.
Three baptisms that make one baptism
Once a person has received the full complete three part baptism, they have the POWER FROM ON HIGH.
Have you received power from on high?
How many people in your ward have received power from on high?
How many people in the church have you met that have received power from on high with the appointed signs following them?
Once we know what the commandments and ordinances of the fullness of the Gospel are, we need to identify the fruits of the true church that has the fullness of the gospel.
We have already covered this in the following blog post entitled the Exclusivity of Priesthood and the Seven Signs of the True Church but we need to briefly review the seven fruits that always accompany the Lords Church when they have the fullness of the Gospel
Seven fruits of the True Church
Interestingly, Christ actually gave such a list of how we can recognize the true church.
It focused on fruits and power.
He gives this list three times in the scriptures.
First He gave it to the New Testament Saints so that they could easily identify who the true believers of Christ’s church were. (Mark 16)
Secondly, He gave it to the Nephites so that they could identify who the true believers in Christ really were. (3rd Nephi)
Finally, He gave it to the Saints in modern revelation so that we who are waiting for the messengers to return in the 3rd watch will know how to identify the true servants and the true believers in Christ. (Section 84)
In all three passages referenced above in the Bible, Book of Mormon and D&C he begins by commanding his servants to take and preach the gospel into all the world. (possibly a veiled reference to the fact that all three groups of apostles will be returning in the 3rd watch to literally fulfill the commandment to take the gospel into ALL THE WORLD)
Here are the points contained in his list that identifies how to identify the true followers of Christ that constitute the true and living church,
In giving us the points by which we might identify the true and living church, Christ was focusing not just on the primary belief in Christ and the primary ordinance of the gospel, but also on the associated POWER and FRUITS that always accompany the fulness of the Gospel and those who embrace it.
Notice that 5 of the 7 points had to do with Melchizedek priesthood POWER over devils, poison and, sickness.
Please remember the above seven fruits because we need to understand this to identify when the fullness of the Gospel shines forth in the Marvelous Word that is about to come forth.
This concludes this series on losing ones naiveté during the process of waking up to the various phases of the latter day apostasy although I will be posting an appendix showing a Brief Chronology of Events Pertaining to the Latter-day Apostasy.
The Chronology of Events that I will be posting will show a pattern that testifies of the information contained in this series. The events listed are taken from historical documents and passages from modern revelation .
It is so critical that we understand that we have not received the full gospel endowment until we have received the baptism of fire which is associated with the promise of the Father. The endowment is not complete until we have been sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise which is sent by the Father.
We need to be watching for the signs of the times and also the the signs that follow the true servants that will be returning and the true believers that heed their words and are gathered out.
Are you watching?
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Quick Review
In part one we reviewed a deeper, contextual interpretation of Malachi 3:1 based on the fact that the previous two chapters were identifying ancient and latter day Israel as being in an apostate condition;
“..the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the [false] covenant, whom ye delight in.”
As we can see from a deeper, contextual interpretation of Malachi 3, it hardly makes sense that an apostate people are delighting in the true covenant… obviously, they would be delighting in a false covenant…
In part two we reviewed the hard reality that the accepting of a false covenant by the Saints in the 2nd watch followed the breaking of the everlasting covenant that had been revealed and ultimately rejected by the church collectively during the 2nd watch,
Isaiah reveals that the true Covenant would be broken by latter day Israel. Additional related scriptures reveal that an atonement offering would be made by the Seer, the Spokesman and others that would prolong the days of latter day Israel on the earth until the 3rd watch shines forth, similar to the atonement that Moses and Aaron made anciently for Israel. Nevertheless, because the reestablishment of the everlasting covenant will largely be rejected during the 3rd watch as well, the earth is defiled and during the 3rd watch, the curse goes forth and the inhabitants of the earth are burned;
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.” Isa 24
Of course, as with virtually all prophecies, the one above has a dual fulfillment. The everlasting covenant was rejected in the 2nd watch and many will reject it again in the 3rd watch when the Marvelous Work begins and the fulness of the scriptures are brought forth, nevertheless, a remnant will repent and be pulled out in the 3rd watch BEFORE the final judgments hit.
Isaiah prophesied about the refuge of lies that would need to be swept away and the false covenant that would need to be disannulled as the Lord begins his marvelous work, his strange work, even his strange Act;
“Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act” Isaiah 28
Again, as we reviewed in the first and second parts of this series we find that things are not always as they appear in the scriptures from a surface reading, hence the admonition to “search” the scriptures…. for the hidden treasures.
We know that Satan will possesses the vessels of wicked men in the last days and will work through them to deceive people.
He will do this using a false covenant/endowment involving signs and tokens and, eventually, lying wonders.
He will do this with a false covenant which is after the manner of the covenant that Satan and Cain originally entered into. This covenant will be a sign and token of the secret combinations that rule the governments and economies of the world as well as the religions of the world. The secret handshake of the secret societies is being swapped between bankers, politicians, those wearing the black robes in the judicial system and those wearing the white robes in various religions across the world.
.
.
According to ancient prophecy, apostate Israel will have been seduced into a false covenant before the man of sin returns and makes his final appearance.
One cannot defend themselves from the enemy and his devices if one does not know who the enemy is and what his devices are.
In 1831 section 38 warned the Saints that the enemy was already combined and meeting in the secret chambers to bring about the destruction of the church. Months later Joseph Smith prophesied that the “Man of Sin” (Satan) would be revealed at the special conference at the Morley Farm bringing to pass the fulfillment of the prophesy contained in 2nd Thes verse 3.
This brought to pass the beginning of the “falling away” of the latter day church as foretold in that verse,
“Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition”
At the Morley Farm, at the time that the fulness of the everlasting covenant was shining forth upon some, Satan was possessing others. The special conference at the Morley Farm was the beginning of the prophesied time by Moses when the Saints would realize a great blessing and a great cursing.
The revealing of the man of Sin in verse 3 was to result in the falling away, or apostasy of the latter day saints. According to a prophecy that Joseph uttered to several people, the man of sin prophecy took place at the Morley Farm in 1831!
This is amazing since Verse 4 appears to be applicable during the same general time period as verse 3, in the 2nd watch.
It informs us that the events at the Morley Farm and the beginning of the falling away and rejection of the fulness of the gospel would ultimately result in the events mentioned in verse 4.
This would indicate that the common, protestant interpretation of a man of sin/son of perdition standing in a temple and commanding people to worship him is not an accurate interpretation. (no surprise there!)
Another way to interpret verse 4 in the context of what grew out of the rejection of the fulness of the gospel and the true spiritual endowment that was offered at the Morley Farm, and what eventually took place during the laying of the foundation in the 1830-40’s is that a strange temple ritual enactment would take place wherein an actor is sitting in the temple, acting as if he is God! Telling the Saints how to worship God.
Actors are recruited to play each member of the Godhead.
Additionally an actor is playing the role of Satan and acting in behalf of Satan, the great man of sin.
History indicates that indeed, within a little over a decade of when the falling away began, the apostate Saints did formulate an enactment within their temples where actors would take on the roles of the three members of the Godhead. Additionally, another actor would imitate Satan for the purpose of putting the Latter Day Saints under a curse… under the power of Satan, by covenant.
In the temple ritual enactment the participating initiates knowingly and willingly agree to have themselves placed under the power of the man of sin if they fail in any way to live up to the covenants they agree to. (this appears to put them under the preparatory gospel and the law of works instead of the law of grace)
Amazingly, the ceremony requires people, after willingly entering into covenant to be bound under the power of Satan if they violate any of the other covenants they make in any way, to enter through a veil by taking the hand of an unseen entity who is not revealed to the initiate until after they enter into their presence and it is to late to turn back.
With these bazaar historical events in mind, notice Verse 4
“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God”
While verse 3 and 4 are speaking about an event in the 2nd watch, later in the chapter, in verse 8 we are informed that at a later time, in the 3rd watch, God will ultimately destroy the wicked anti-Christ who is possessed by Satan as a result of this false covenant.
“AND then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and sign and lying wonders.”
This is pretty sobering because it reveals that the mystery of iniquity is Satan possessing mortals to do his evil deeds and to deceive people.
Verses 9 through 12 explain that God uses people to try and deceive the Saints. He allows the man of sin to inhabit the souls of men via the principle of possession. It appears there is one person in particular, who comes forth during the 3rd watch, showing the works of Satan and showing signs and wonders.
God allows Satan to work through people via the principle of possession to test the Saints to see if they will honor and obey the established laws of God or if they will follow false brethren, false gods and false doctrines. God does this to prove those who are righteous and those who are wicked by seeing who will honor God’s law despite the seductive miracles used to lead people to leave the truth and worship false Gods. (See Deuteronomy 12:32 and also part six of four steps in losing your innocence article)
When the Saints reject the truth, God sends them strong delusion that gets them to believe a lie
continuing on in 2nd Thess.-
“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Understanding the Vital Elements of Satans Covenant
To better understand what this false covenant is that people will be seduced into at the time of the end, we must go to the time of the beginning to study the originating covenant.
We have done this to some extent already in this series and other posts however, we need to refresh our memories in laying the foundation for the rest of this post.
Who was the first human to be identified as the Son of Perdition?
It was Cain, the first murderer.
“For from this time forth thou shalt be the father of his lies; thou shalt be called Perdition; for thou wast also before the world.”
Cain was a Son of Perdition BEFORE he was ever born into this earth life.
“And it came to pass that Cain took one of his brothers’ daughters to wife, and they loved Satan more than God.
And Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die; and this that thy father may not know it; and this day I will deliver thy brother Abel into thine hands.
And Satan sware unto Cain that he would do according to his commands. And all these things were done in secret.
And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness.” Moses 5
The above account is so incredibly important in understanding Satan and how he interrelates with his minions.
It describes in vivid detail how he commits his disciples to obey him.
The elements described in that original covenant can be tailored for different purposes but at the deepest levels of the secret societies, it virtually ALWAYS involves a blood oath whereby one swears by their neck/head upon the penalty of death… and the greatest underlying secret is that one can get gain through secret murders or assassinations.
Once the other dark manipulations and conspiring efforts fail, then the secret act of murder is unleashed.
Those who have studied about the the secret society behind all secret societies understand that our government and the governments of the world along with the central banks that control the monetary systems of the world are currently controlled by secret combinations that use variations of this covenant.
The secret covenants of secret societies usually incorporate
-secret signs and tokens
-special handshakes
-oaths pertaining to the taking lives, etc.
the taking of other peoples lives through assassination for the purpose of getting gain is the foundation upon which the CIA is built.
Our own government sponsors secret organizations that specialize in the art of assassination… all for the purpose of gaining and retaining power and getting gain.
Many people have been “suicided” by various secret organizations as well as the secret cabal that does Satans bidding for him.
Virtually every organization and institution of any size is heavily influenced by the great combination that originates in the bowels of the Great and Abominable Church of the Devil or one of its subsidiaries.
False Brethren
Secret Combinations infiltrate Gods New Testament Church
The fact that God warned the Saints in section 38 that Satan’s minions were planning their destruction should not surprise us. It happened during New Testament times.
In the 2nd chapter of Galations the apostle Paul exclaims,
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel; which is not another ; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed”
Paul’s dismay at the fact that the Saints he had worked with had been led away from the truth is followed by the following observation,
“..and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they night bring us to bondage..”
May I suggest that Paul is not attributing the cause of apostasy to naivete or well intentioned, but misinformed converts. He is making an incredible accusation here.
He is identifying a covert operation of the enemy.
He believes that a clandestine operation had successfully planted spies and agents of destruction within the church membership among the new converts!
These amazing passages almost read like a spy novel based in ancient times.
Paul attributes supernatural powers to those who have infiltrated the church.. suggesting that they have seductive powers of persuasion given them by Satan,
“O foolish Galations, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth...”
False Brethren
Secret Combinations infiltrate Gods Restoration Church
The book of Mormon prophesies that in the latter days, the gentiles will stumble because of conspiring men who have altered the word of God in the Bible. Eventually, because much of the truth has been taken from the Bible when it goes forth among the Gentiles, remnants of the Satanic endowment that began with Satan and Cain will infest the latter day Gentile church,
20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.
21 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice.
22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.
24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.”
The above passages are clearly prophesying that the secret acts of darkness that started with Satan and Cain will be found among the Gentiles of the LDS foundation movement.
Notice that in the same passages describing how the Gentiles deny the power of God, that the infiltration of secret combinations also are found among them.
Is it any wonder that within about few short years after the Saints deny the priesthood of God that was restored at the Morley Farm, that the Danite secret combination is established in the church after it is forced to flee from Kirtland… as a way for the church to protect itself from enemies and take spoils from them… to get gain?
Is it any wonder that shortly after that, the church embraces the ancient esoteric order of masonry that had originated with the endowment that Satan initiated Cain with?
The Book of Mormon had warned that this sinister false covenant would be introduced into the Lords true Church.
Note how the parable described in section 86 reiterates what Paul had observed and explains how the New Testament Church would eventually be driven into the wilderness of apostasy after the apostles died off because Satan plants the tares among the wheat to choke the wheat.
The tares obviously began choking the wheat even before the apostles had all died off. It then confirms that in the latter day church the same thing would happen during the foundation movement.
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants, concerning the parable of the wheat and of the tares:
2 Behold, verily I say, the field was the world, and the apostles were the sowers of the seed;
3 And after they have fallen asleep the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that maketh all nations to drink of her cup, in whose hearts the enemy, even Satan, sitteth to reign—behold he soweth the tares; wherefore, the tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness.
4 But behold, in the last days, even now while the Lord is beginning to bring forth the word, and the blade is springing up and is yet tender—
5 Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;
6 But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.
7 Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned.”
Now is a good time to review a passage in the Book of Commandments that warned that if the Saints hardened their hearts against Gods word, .. he would turn them over to Satan..
And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old.
And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, for he reigneth and hath power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them. Behold I tell you these things even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem, and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.. ” (originally contained in section 5)
What better way to deliver Gods people over to Satan than for the secret combination to infiltrate the Church and help in the initiation of the Saints into a secret oath patterned after the original one made between Satan and Cain?
Remember how Paul used the term “false brethren” to describe evil men who had been intentionally planted within the church in a clandestine operation for the express purpose of destroying it? Latter day revelation reveals that Joseph Smith would also rub shoulders with false brethren,
“If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea..”
This brings us back to the incredible warning in section 38.
Although we have read it so many times over the years, hopefully the reality of just how literal it is may sink in a little more with the foundation that has just been laid.
God reveals an incredible mystery about a secret combination that is already organized and making plans to infiltrate the church and destroy it,
“Verily I say unto you, ye are clean, but not all; and there is none else with whom I am well pleased;
11 For all flesh is corrupted before me; and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth, among the children of men, in the presence of all the hosts of heaven—
12 Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined.
13 And now I show unto you a mystery, a thing which is had in secret chambers, to bring to pass even your destruction in process of time, and ye knew it not;”
God is telling the Saints that the Enemy is combined!
The enemies of the church are well organized!
They are aware of the restoration of the church of Christ and they have been in the secret chambers plotting the destruction of it!
Unbe-freakin-lievable!
The Lord continues revealing this incredible mystery,
And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.
29 Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land.
30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.
31 And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—
32 Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;
33 And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand.”
As we have documented in other posts, although the Saints did assemble in Ohio to receive the Law and although some of them did receive true spiritual endowments from on high at the Morley Farm, at various times during the school of the prophets and at the dedication of the temple, the Saints collectively failed to ultimately receive the final group endowment that is promised to take place in the last days. (which the New Testament refers to as the “Promise of the Father“)
They also ultimately failed to gather and consecrate and were therefore overcome by the enemy in the secret chambers. The establishment of Zion was to be the refuge that would ultimately purge the tares from among them and protect the righteous Saints from having their power scattered by the enemy.
Now, let me ask a few uncomfortable questions.
Were there some early converts to the church who had previously been involved in secret organizations that swore secret oaths?
Is it possible that some of them were planted by the enemy in secret chambers that the Lord had warned about? Is that not exactly what happened during the 1st watch, as documented by Paul?
It is interesting to note that some of the early converts had deep ties into the dark practice of masonry before joining the church.
It appears that many of these early converts either suspended or hid their involvement in secret societies during the first six years of Joseph Smith ministry when he was preaching about the evils of such fraternities.
During that time the book of Mormon was referred to by some as an anti-masonic book because of the warnings it contained about secret oaths and secret combinations… yet when the Saints finally fled to Nauvoo, a great doctrinal reversal took place within the leading brethren of the church and masonry was embraced and encouraged within the church.
Once Masonry was publicly embraced by the leadership, these early masonic converts jumped back into the dark practices without skipping a beat. There is reason to believe that some of these Saints were in fact false brethren and that they may have had direct or indirect ties to Albert Pike, the Father of Jesuit Masonry in America who was, according to some accounts, a Satanist. According to several accounts, he was one of the most evil, insidious characters that ever came forth from the bowels of hell.
Gods ordinances are not done in secret, they are done openly.
With these precepts in mind, it is interesting to note the warning given by Apostle William Smith, the only surviving brother of Joseph Smith and his associates, regarding his belief that secret oaths and covenants among the leading brethren resulted in their overthrow leading up to the time of the martyrdom and succession crisis;
“We do most solemnly protest against the doctrine of secret oaths and covenants and we also view this as among the principal causes that have overthrown our brethren…” (Zions STandard March 24, 1848 “A Voice from the Smith Family”)
Emma Smith astutely warned that “it was secret things which had cost Joseph and Hyrum their lives” (William Clayton Journal)
The ominous warning from William Smith came just a few years after the following prophecy in section 124
“And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord. For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practise before me, saith the Lord.”
Secret Societies and the False Covenant become a Stumbling Block
Please understand that the practice of swearing by ones neck upon the penalty of death and the associated blood oaths, originated with Satan, not with the true God of Israel.
The passages we reviewed from the Book of Moses reveals that Satan is the originator of blood oaths upon the swearing by ones neck/throat upon the penalty of death.
Yes, there are well meaning LDS apologists, who are defenders of the “church” and the “institution” rather than defenders of the “gospel” that would have you believe that God originally created blood oaths and the swearing by ones neck as part of the fulness of the Gospel. They would have you believe that Satan copied the main elements contained within the Masonic rituals from God’s true covenant, but this is one of the most insidious lies ever perpetuated.
Ask them to prove this in the scriptures.
They cannot.
You can search in vain throughout the inspired version of the Bible, the Book of Mormon and Modern Revelation but you will never find a covenant/endowment that involves these insidious practices that was authored or authorized by the one true God of Israel.
The fulness of the Gospel is simple and strait forward. It is practiced in the light, not in darkness. It has never involved blood oaths, swearing by ones neck, secret handshakes, different ways of taking life or assassinating people, etc.
One might ask, why then did God not make it more clear in the Bible that oaths, penalties, secret hand shakes, flowing robes and swearing by ones neck are not part of the fulness of the Gospel?
I suspect the answer is that he originally did. But the more detailed and graphic warnings about avoiding the secret covenants crafted by Satan had been removed from the bible when it passed through the hands of the Whore.
That is one of the reasons it became a stumbling block to the Gentiles.
Please note the following statement from the passage in Ether,
“And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block..”
Do you remember what the stumbling block was?
Among other things, it was that much of the plain and precious truths had been taken out of the Bible! That is why the Gentiles stumble!
This is why the book of Mormon teaches about and warns against the secret oaths administered by Satan but the Bible doesn’t!
The Book of Mormon provides additional warnings about secret combinations, documenting their existence in ancient America and providing a sobering warning to those of modern America,
15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish. And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning.
16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.
17 And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired.
18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;
19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man.
20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.
21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.
22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.” (ether 8)
The Secret Brotherhood of the Founding Fathers of this Nation
One of the main purposes for this part of this series is to focus on the role that the false covenant plays in prophecy and specifically, in America.
We are going to address the implications of this secret combination at the time of the founding of this nation, at the time of the LDS foundation movement and at the time of the ushering in of the Marvelous Work in the third watch.
As we get deeper into our searching of the scriptures it becomes even more apparent that God, and sometimes God’s servants frequently utter cryptic statements that have a surface meaning that hides the deeper interpretation… just as we noticed with regard to Mal 3.
Here is another example of a cryptic statement that perhaps has two meanings,
“And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of WISE men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.” (101:80)
Our Sanitized version of the gospel and church history along with the sanitized version of the history of this nation would indicate that many of the founders of our nation including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and others were wise in the sense that they were Godly men of high morals and receiving inspiration from the only true God.
However, I would suggest that there is another definition of “wise” that might be a little more appropriate for those looking beneath the surface… for those looking for hidden treasures of knowledge regarding the origins of our great nation.
Another definition of wise, according to the 1828 Strongs, is
“Skilled in arts, science, philosophy, or in magic and divination. 2 Samuel 14.”
The Hebrew lexicon provides addition clarity to this particular definition
“shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle“.
Could it possibly be that God involved shrewd, crafty, cunning men to found this nation? Is it possible that he used men that were skilled in arts, science, philosophy and divination?
Is it possible that God allow a combination of both Godly men and ungodly men to create a constitutional foundation that could either become a blessing or a cursing depending upon the cumulative righteousness of the people of this nation and how vigilant they would be in participating in the process and watching out for their God given rights?
You are no doubt aware that George Washington was participating in and highly influenced by masonry and that he and his brethren in the esoteric arts were in fact backed by a secret society that had a secret agenda for America.
The picture below shows him in his masonic apron,
The pic below is a Statue of Washington in his masonic apron,
What many people don’t realize is that it appears that there were secret societies that were backing many of the founding fathers in their quest to break away from England. This backing very possibly came in the form of both funding and philosophy. The philosophy had to do with the secret worship of Lucifer and the belief that America was a nation destined to bring forth the luciferian anti-Christ embodied in human form at a predetermined time and place.
Benjamin Franklin is known within our sanitized version of American history, among other things, for his great wisdom and morality.
Here is a sample of the cunning wisdom that Franklin displayed in a private communication to a close friend as he opined on the art of fornication,
This transcript is courtesy of the American Philosophical Society and the Yale University Library
 June 25. 1745“My dear Friend,” “I know of no Medicine fit to diminish the violent natural Inclinations you mention; and if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you. “…in all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones. You call this a Paradox, and demand my Reasons. They are these: |
 1. Because as they have more Knowledge of the World and their Minds are better stor’d with Observations, their Conversation is more improving and more lastingly agreable.” 2. Because when Women cease to be handsome, they study to be good…. They learn to do a thousand Services small and great, and are the most tender and useful of all Friends when you are sick. 3. Because there is no hazard of Children, which irregularly produc’d may be attended with much Inconvenience. 4. Because thro’ more Experience, they are more prudent and discreet in conducting an Intrigue to prevent Suspicion. The Commerce with them is therefore safer with regard to your Reputation. And with regard to theirs, if the Affair should happen to be known, considerate People might be rather inclin’d to excuse an old Woman who would kindly take care of a young Man, form his Manners by her good Counsels, and prevent his ruining his Health and Fortune among mercenary Prostitutes.” 5… And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice capable of Improvement.
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6. Because the Sin is less. The debauching a Virgin may be her Ruin, and make her for Life unhappy.
7. Because the Compunction is less. The having made a young Girl miserable may give you frequent bitter Reflections; none of which can attend the making an old Woman happy.
8. [thly and Lastly] They are so grateful!!
Thus much for my Paradox. But still I advise you to marry directly;
being sincerely
Your affectionate Friend.
B. Franklin
This letter is just one example of how wise and pious Old Ben really was.
It should be a sobering reminder to us of what God meant when he said he raised up “wise” men.
Let us review a little more about this very wise man. The following brief is taken from the same site as the above letter,
“Franklin was appointed the agent of Colonies of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Jersey in 1757, to the court of England. While in this position, he began his friendship with Sir Francis Dashwood (Lord Le Despencer), who was the founder of the Medmenham Monks. This later became known as the Hell Fire Club. Dashwood was at one point the Postmaster of England, at a time when Franklin was Postmaster of the Colonies. They first got to know each other on Franklin’s trip to England in 1752.
In 1765, Franklin was again asked to return to England as the representative of the Colonies to Great Britain. Franklin’s exposure to the Hell Fire Club is described as follows by Cecil B. Currey, in Road to Revolution, Benjamin Franklin in England, 1765-1775:
“… Franklin knew Le Despencer very well. He was fully aware of an enterprise which the Englishman had been conducting for some years more or less surreptitiously, known as the Hell Fire Club. Its activities were familiar to Franklin and he occasionally joined in them… In his youth, Le Despencer had been a member of … rakes’ groups. In later years, … he determined to form a secret society that would express his interest in architecture, literature, and religion. Only the cleverest and most humorous of his friends would be asked to join. … The perfect location for such a society was soon found. Only six miles from the baron’s estate, on the bank of the Thames River near Marlow in Buckinhamshire, lay the ruins of Medmenham Abbey. It had been founded by Cistercian monks in 1145. The abbey was well located in a grove of trees, which nearly concealed it from view. The nearest road was some distance away, but members would be able to approach it easily in private boats… and … could return to their homes in complete privacy. … Workmen were sent in and the abbey was rebuilt and the grounds landscaped … to make them into a `garden of lust.’
Marble pillars were erected on which were carved pornographic inscriptions in bastard, or `macaroni’ Latin. Small Grecian-styled temples were put up here and there. The groves were filled with statuary in indecent poses. … Hollowed from a hill was the Cave of Trophonius. A fresco within it pictured sexually robust animals, a crowing cock, and a laughing nun… The buildings were designed also to carry out the theme of sexuality. … To one side of the main door sat a statue of Harpocrates, the god of silence… Opposite was … Volupian Angerone, goddess of secret passion. Rooms adjacent to the chapel were designed to heighten the sexual utility of the place. There was a Roman Room, its wall hung with paintings copied from ancient and indecent Roman frescoes. Also on the walls were paintings of famous English prostitutes… Small statues of Egyptian gods and goddesses sat in niches in the walls. The abbey’s library was situated near the Roman Room. It supposedly contained one of the most complete collections of pornography in England…
Somewhere between 1752 and 1755, Dashwood … opened his society, known as the Medmenham Monks, and later referred to as the Hell Fire Club. For his monks there was to be a goodly number of nuns… – the main reason many belonged to the club. Most were prostitutes… some were local girls wanting excitement, but many were ladies of society. Of the last group, one of the best known was Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. Many nuns were wives, mothers, sisters, or the betrothed of members… The members, or monks, were `dabblers in art and literature’, and many were among the most prominent men in the kingdom. There were two orders of monks; the superior and the inferior – twelve superiors and perhaps as many as forty to fifty inferior members. …
… superior members included … Lord Sandwich…John Wilkes…Charles Churchill A group with a membership of this scope … could wield tremendous power should they wish to act in unison for political ends. It was for this reason that Benjamin Franklin became a monk … sometime after his arrival in England in 1765. … Sir Francis had a huge and elaborate cave dug in the side of a hill on his grounds. It was in this underground headquarters that the monks met after 1762. …
… Franklin wrote…: ‘The exquisite sense of classical design, charmingly reproduced… whimsical and puzzling as it may be in its imagery, is as evident below the earth as above it.’ … Others known to be present at the time were Lady Mary Wortley Montague, and the household of Frederick, Prince of Wales. …” (Currey)
I am not qualified to pass judgment on any individuals as far as what their current standing is before God nor what their final reward will be nor do I desire to do so, however, we all have a responsibility to avoid setting ANY mortals as our idols and we have a responsibility to scrutinize the works and the teachings and the fruit that they bring forth lest we and our posterity be deceived.
There in now evidence coming forth that suggests that many of the founding fathers were part of an elite group who intended the constitution and bill of rights to exclusively protect their rights and the rights of their posterity and not to the equal rights of all people. This would explain the apparent contradiction in the fact that many of them continued having slaves despite the curious wording in some of the inspired documents they wrote.
Perhaps this is why the Lord admonished the Saints to BEFRIEND the law which is the constitutional law of the land,
“Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land”
The need to befriend the constitutional law implies that there was not currently a friendship between the Saints and the constitutional law of the land at that time.
In section 38 the Lord proclaims “Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you SHALL be a free people, a ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come for I am your lawgiver, ad what can stay my hand?”
If the laws of the land were current friendly towards the saints and if they were currently a free people because of them, why was the Lord telling them that they would be made FREE at a future time by following after him?
Could it be that sinister powers were already controlling the nation back at that time?
The fact that people like Washington, Jefferson and Franklin and most of the Presidents of the United States were involved in secret societies should be a red flag in light of what the book of Mormon and the Book of Moses reveals.
I am not suggesting that all of the founding fathers of this nation were evil. I am not even suggesting that all of the ones involved in masonry were knowingly conspiring in behalf of the dark forces..
Many may have been deceived into their involvement into the secret societies simply believing their involvement would provide them with the connections they needed to promote their agenda.
One of the very few Presidents of the United States that at least sounded the warning voice and gave lip service to the importance of not allowing secret societies and secretiveness to infiltrate government was John F. Kennedy.
Despite the fact that he had loose personal morals, he seemed to understand and appreciate the principles of liberty and he refused to take orders from the Jesuit/Masonic powers that were controlling the currency of the United States.
The following speech he gave, was given just days before that secret organization assassinated him.
The words he spoke were deeply profound.
Kennedy was so hated by the Whore because of his love for freedom and his desire to break free from the various tentacles of the Whore, and Bush Jr. was so loved by the Whore (even though he was not a baptized catholic at the time) that at a Catholic sponsored breakfast, Bush was facetiously referred to as the first Catholic president of the US, blatantly neglecting the fact that Kennedy had served as a US president many years before Bush.
The Whore rejected Kennedy as one of their own and embraced Bush. (Bush has since converted to Catholicism)
I encourage you to listen to this brief talk. It is one of the the greatest speeches ever given by a US president.
The following video might be of interest as well.
The word “wise” is used in two different ways in the scriptures. One must discern by the context and by the spirit which definition is being used.
For instance, notice how it is used in the following passages in section 52,
Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited.
“First, the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble;
And after that cometh the day of my power; then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come.” (See section 58 and also Isa 25, 34, 39 Ezek 21, Zeph 1)
Two completely different groups of people are being described in the passages above.
The first group comes to the great supper first.
You must do some key word searches to see what really happens when the rich, learned, wise and noble come. Once you realize who they are, you realize that the term “wise” is referring to people who are “Skilled in arts, science, philosophy, or in magic and divination. These are people who are “shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle“.
After God deals with them and feeds their carcasses to the birds, he then gathers the second group of people unto the marriage of the Lamb.
In recent times several authors such as Dan Brown, Tom Horn and others have begun revealing bits and pieces of truth about the fact that a secret organization was very much involved in the founding of this nation. They had very specific plans for it. those plans have to do with the bringing forth of a kingdom… and it is not the kingdom of the only true God! It is the kingdom of the Devil.
This is why section 38 informed Joseph that the secret combination wanted to destroy the Church of Christ. They wanted to prevent the kingdom of God from rolling forth.
One of the greatest masons produced by America was Albert Pike.
According to internet sources, Albert Pike was a Harvard graduate and was said to be a genius. He was able to read and write in 16 different languages. During his life he was a poet, philosopher, frontiersman, soldier, humanitarian and a philanthropist. In short, he was “Skilled in arts, science, philosophy, or in magic and divination. He was “shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle“.
He was also a 32 degree Mason and was a top leader in the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.
Among other things, Albert Pike was said to be a Satanist, who indulged in the occult. It was said that he possessed a bracelet which he used to summon Lucifer and had communication with him. Due to his communicating with the devil, Pike received a vision which he described in a letter that he wrote to Mazzini dated August 15, 1871.
Many people dispute the credibility of the supposed vision that he had, however, if it has been fabricated, it seems to have been a pretty lucky guess by someone.
In this letter, Pike describes three world wars that will occur in the future. World War Three pits the christian world against the Muslim World.
Much more could be said in this article to fill in the blanks about what the founding fathers had in mind and how the kingdom of the God of this world is to be ushered in… additionally much more could be said to connect the dots between the relationships between the secret fraternities in England and other foreign countries and those in America during the war with England.
Other dots could be connected between the secret organization in the bowels of the Vatican and the various secret organizations that it controls. More could be said about the secret organizations and witchcraft that have guided the white house and other governing bodies of this nation, as well as the role played by Pike and other Americans, including LDS masons.
But it is really not necessary…. you get the idea.
The thing you need to realize is that in the very near future two separate kingdoms are going to emerge on this earth as they become complete.
One is currently waiting for the missing cornerstone.
The other is currently waiting for the missing capstone.
In closing out this topic, let me suggest that many prophesies and warning have a dual application.
I have said in a previous post that many of the revelations that Joseph Smith received have a dual fulfillment. They are just as applicable when the first laborers of the last kingdom return as they were back when they were given during the 2nd watch.
Gods revelations give us a pattern in all things.
The following words of admonition and everything else contained in section 38 may be just as applicable when Joseph returns as it was when it was given.
Please read them very carefully in the context of what is happening in today’s world,
“Verily I say unto you, ye are clean, but not all; and there is none else with whom I am well pleased;
11 For all flesh is corrupted before me; and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth, among the children of men, in the presence of all the hosts of heaven—
12 Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined.
13 And now I show unto you a mystery, a thing which is had in secret chambers, to bring to pass even your destruction in process of time, and ye knew it not;”
And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.
29 Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land.
30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but ifye are prepared ye shall not fear.
31 And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—
32 Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;
33 And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand.”
Don’t think for one minute that the enemy is not watching closely for the return of the Servants and ready to try to prevent the ushering in of the Kingdom of God.
Beware of secret combinations in high places.
Be watching waiting and willing to repent and be baptized and be gathered out when the appointed time arrives.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
I will bring forth the BRANCH
Is this not a brand pulled out of the fire?
Identifying the Missing Pieces
of the Prophet Puzzle
[Editorial Note: This was going to be the final part of this series with the major focus on what the fulness of the gospel is, and reviewing how the shining forth of the fulness of the Gospel in the 3rd watch will bring the repentant out of apostasy.
However it has occurred to me that some viewers may not have read all my other articles and/or may not be familiar with or understand the “atonement statute” and the roles Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon play as the two “sin offering” goats as depicted in the atonement statute in Lev 16..
Understanding about the initial apostasy in Kirtland and the three following phases of the apostasy as well as the general doctrine of the third watch pertaining to the redemption of latter day Israel is of little use if you don’t understand the intercessory atonement offering.
If you have read my fourth and final tribute to Sidney Rigdon, you have read concepts that pertain to the Seer, Joseph Smith (Rod of Jesse) and the Spokesman, Sidney Rigdon (Root of Jesse) that provide a good foundation for what you are about to read, regarding the mind-blowing prophecy embedded in the atonement statute found in Numbers 16.
As you ponder how the atonement statute was fulfilled in the lives of Joseph, Sidney and others of the founding fathers of Mormonism, prepare yourself for the further loss of naiveté and the shedding of the false doctrine pertaining to the role of prophets you have been indoctrinated into believing.
God actually uses prophets to test his people. Sometimes he uses prophets to give an idolatrous people what they want and to turn them over to animate and inanimate idols (such as prophet-worship). Sometimes he uses them to see if they can seduce those claiming to be Gods people into accepting another gospel. He also uses his prophets as intercessors and atonement offerings for the sins of his people.]
A Stone of Stumbling
During my experience moving back-ass-wards in time losing a little more of my naiveté each time I identified an earlier phase of the modern day apostasy of the restored church, I was able to identify the following four general time periods pertaining to the history of the restored church which we have briefly touched on in this series-
Phase one- The Kirtland/Jackson County Apostasy- 1831-1838
Phase two- The Far West/Nauvoo Apostasy 1839-1844
Phase three- The First Utah Period of Apostasy-1845-1889
Phase four- The Second Utah Period of Apostasy 1889-to present
Initially, I viewed the apostasy of the latter day church in the context of the church as a collective body of believers, the revelations they received, the commandments and covenants they broke, the spiritual gifts they did and did not have and the fruits they brought forth in general.
Eventually however, I felt a need to view things through a different or at least a broader lens.
I finally gained a desire to view the events through the context of one of the biggest stumbling block of the LDS restoration movement….
JOSEPH SMITH.
Yes, I am suggesting that just as Christ became a stone of stumbling to the Jews during the 1st watch, because of his righteousness and Godhood, Joseph Smith became a stone of stumbling to the Latter-day Saint gentiles in the 2nd watch because of his human fallibility and the fact that he lost his awareness began acting out the sins of the people because of the atonement statute.
The prophet Joseph Smith is perhaps one of the most controversial religious personalities in the history of the world.
His life provides a polarizing effect on those that seriously study it.
Most people that take the time to study his life and ministry in depth end up at one of two ends of the spectrum, they either come to hate and despise him as a liar and deceiver or they come to love him and revere him as Gods anointed prophet refusing to believe that he was ever guilty of any malignant sins.
As prophesied by the angel Moroni, his name has become known for both good and evil.
The deeper I got into the history of the church during my journey, the more of a stumbling block he became to me.
Prior to my journey and subsequent loss of naiveté, few people loved and revered the prophet Joseph Smith more than I did. I suspect I was guilty of participating in prophet worship.
Nevertheless, the deeper I delved into the history of the church the more perplexed I became with his life and ministry.
His involvement in masonry, polygamy and other things were very troubling to me and they seemed so inconsistent with the scriptures he brought forth. The Book of Mormon is not even subtle about its warnings against both polygamy and secret societies that swear by their necks.
Since the third watch and the marvelous work revolves around the return of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, who hold the keys of the kingdom in this dispensation, and since there is so much troubling information about their lives and ministry particularly during the second half of Joseph’s public ministry, it is very hard for some people to have faith in the doctrine of the three watches…
I was no exception.
It is hard to believe that God would call forth a servant with such a disturbing history from the dead to complete the marvelous work even if there is so much scriptural documentation that it is going to occur.
Even Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young two of Joseph’s closest associates and admirers made strong comments expressing their beliefs about Joseph loosing the spirit sometime prior to the martyrdom.
Rigdon felt the spiritual wife doctrine and the practice of polygamy was a sign he had lost the spirit.
It appears that Young possibly felt that Joseph’s decision to return to Nauvoo and go to Carthage along with his decision to repent of polygamy and several other things just prior to his death were signs that he had lost the spirit.
If one has doubts about the character and eternal welfare of the prophet Joseph Smith, and wonders if perhaps he was a fallen prophet, it is very difficult to not have anything but doubts about the final ministry that he will preside over in the 3rd watch.
I am therefore going to address the status of Joseph Smith by sharing with you a little more about another segment of my own journey backwards in time in what felt like a crazy, twilight zone, alternate reality, that I was experiencing, as I was trying to understand the status of the church and the true status of the prophet Joseph Smith.
Joseph Smith saw himself as having a very unique calling. One that was mentioned in prophecy and one that is almost impossible to comprehend.
He did not consider himself just a prophet, he considered himself THE LAST AND GREATEST PROPHET spoken of in the scriptures.
He seemed to have some knowledge about himself which he needed to keep hidden within his breast, yet at times he seemed to want to blurt it out to his followers.
Here are a few remarkable statements that he made during a time of incredible controversy in his life as the time of his death was quickly approaching.
“You don’t know me; you never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it: I shall never undertake it. I don’t blame anyone for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I could not have believed it myself. . . . When I am called by the trump of the archangel and weighed in the balance, you will all know me then.” (king Follet Discourse)
“If I revealed all that has been made known to me, scarcely a man on this stand would stay with me.”
“Brethren, if I were to tell you all I know of the kingdom of God, I do know that you would rise up and kill me.”
“Would to God I could tell you what I know! But you would call it blasphemy, and there are me upon this stand who would want to take my life.” (Joseph Smith, Jr., as quoted by Heber C. Kimball, Life of Heber C. Kimball, by Orson F. Whitney, pg. 322-323.)(capitals added for emphasis)
It was only a matter of time before several leaders of the church, probably some that were indeed sitting on the stand that day, did in fact play a part in taking his life!
The Prophet Puzzle
In her provocative 1974 essay, “The Prophet Puzzle, religious historian Jan Shipps states that:
“The mystery of Mormonism cannot be solved until we solve the mystery of Joseph Smith”.
In that essay,
Shipps is one of a number of scholars, researchers, and even some members of the LDS and other various restoration churches who appear to be troubled by much of the historical evidence pertaining to Smith and the restoration movement yet they can’t bring themselves to completely write him off either because of the incredible light and fruits he brought forth.
As I have already indicated, I had become aware of the third watch doctrine and written about it way back in 1992. This doctrine explained many of my concerns about the latter day apostasy and brought great peace and assurance to my soul, nevertheless, I knew that there were missing pieces to the prophet puzzle that Shipps so eloquently opined.
Despite the reassurance I had that the gospel was true and that the marvelous work would yet take place, I was nevertheless plagued with the dilemma of the inconsistencies in Joseph Smiths life and ministry. I did not know how to reconcile these things with his prophesied return during the 3rd watch to usher in the Marvelous Work.
The thought that he might be the lead servant when the first laborers of the last dispensation return was a little unsettling to me given the fact that many of his actions during the Far West and Nauvoo years did not appear to be congruent with the gospel and the scriptures he brought forth.
Some time ago, after months of reading many books about Joseph Smith and the history of the church and many of the very disturbing and controversial things that took place after the appointed time for the redemption of Zion expired, particularly in Nauvoo, I became even more perplexed about the life and ministry of Joseph Smith than I had previously been.
I was concerned about the apparent discrepancies, particularly having to do with the Kirtland Safety Society, the Danites, his involvement in Masonry, the doctrine of “exaltation” and progression of the Gods contained in the King Follett discourse the completely contradicted what he and Rigdon had taught in the Lectures on Faith, the possibilities of some failed prophecies and perhaps most disconcerting to me, the spiritual wife doctrine and the blatant inconsistencies and contradictions that section 132 is plagued with.
One day while reading a book documenting Joseph Smiths involvement in polygamy and the devastating effect it appeared to have on the lives of those plural wives and, in some cases, their offspring, I became overwhelmed with grief and anxiety and I threw the book across the room in a fit of anger and despair.
I was angry with Joseph Smith
I was angry with God.
I knew the gospel was true as contained in the book of Mormon and modern revelation because the spirit had born witness to me of the truthfulness of the gospel while doing thousands of key word searches and other types of prayerful gospel study..
..but I also knew that there was a serious problem with the current church and the originating apostasy that appeared to take place in Kirtland resulting in the defiling of the Kirtland Temple, the loss the fullness of the priesthood, the restoration of the lesser gospel of Abraham and the expulsion of the Saints.
Again, although I had a pretty good idea of how the eventual redemption of Zion would take place, I was having a difficult time understanding how God was still going to be able to use the prophet Joseph Smith. For me, he was an industrial strength stone of stumbling.
After all, God has his laws that we all have to go by, and Joseph Smith is no exception I reasoned to myself. If he violates those laws he must be held accountable just like the rest of us… right?
At that time I could not reconcile in my own mind how JS could avoid being cast into hell for eternity, let alone how he could possibly be restored to his prior position as the last and greatest prophet of the dispensation of the fullness of times.
During that point in my gospel study, having spent over ten years doing intense key word searches on countless topics, I was arrogant enough to think that I was quite familiar with all four standard works and I felt like I had a fairly good understanding of them. For that reason I didn’t think the answer to my dilemma about Joseph Smith would be found in the scriptures.
But I was quite mistaken.
I was about to have my eyes opened to a whole new level of scriptural understanding and gospel study.
I think I had to hit rock bottom regarding Joseph Smith before I was sufficiently humble enough to actually identify and believe what some of the amazing prophecies about him were saying.
I don’t remember exactly how I came across the following passages of scripture that I am about to share with you, or the exact chronology in which I found them. My memory has never been very good, and has gotten progressively worse in recent years. .
So I will simply try to logically recreate the chronology of learning that I experienced the best I can.
The scriptures and associated interpretations I am about to share with you may seem quite strange, illogical and perhaps even mystical and metaphysical.
I admit that I have never seen these passages and interpretations I am about to share with you in any book or spoken by any LDS scholars or general authorities and for that reason alone I understand why you may approach the information in this article with great skepticism.
Please understand that the only credibility to what I am about to disclose can only be gained via a spiritual witness from the Holy Ghost.
There actually may be a reason why this information can only be spiritually discerned and why it has been kept hidden up until recent times.
These passages, and the associated interpretations I am about to share with you will probably violate the sanitized perception you may have of how God should function and how he uses his prophets.
Again, if you have previously read my final tribute to Sidney Rigdon then you are already familiar with some of what I am about to share, although I am going to get into greater detail… and, I am going to drill down a little deeper and show that ancient prophets prophesied that the teaching of a false doctrine would be the reason that the “one like Moses” would need to die. It would appear as if the false spiritual wife doctrine and/or the false doctrine pertaining to the progression of the Gods contained in the King Follett Discourse would be the reason that Joseph Smith died.
As you read what I am about to share with you, please remember the following passages in Isaiah,
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa 55:8-9
The other thing you need to realize is that it was the rejection of the fulness of the Gospel by the saints and their apostasy from the truth that caused Joseph and the leading elders of the church to do what they did!
Isaiah tells us that the prophets, rulers and seers of the restoration movement would have their eyes covered.
Notice verse 10 of Chapter 29 in the King James version-
“For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered“
Although that is really revealing, the Book of Mormon gives us greater clarity-
For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity“
In the second part of Joseph’s ministry, he began doing some very strange things that contradicted many of the scriptures and doctrines he had revealed in the earlier part of his ministry, but it was because of the wickedness of the saints who rejected the fulness of the gospel which he delivered to them.
We are going to now review what I prefer to call, the FIVE major missing pieces of the prophet puzzle. They make up what I refer to as the FOUR prophetic CORNERSTONES and the CAPSTONE that unlocks the biblical profile of Joseph Smith that has been sealed.
Once these five prophesies are understood, the rest of the pieces of the prophet puzzle will fall into place.
I hope you will have a prayer in your heart as you read what I am about to convey because it is only by the power of the spirit that you will ever comprehend and/or believe the following passages that otherwise remain sealed to the understanding of most people.
I would submit that those of us that have this understanding revealed to us through the grace of God may have a remarkable opportunity and responsibility to bear witness of it once the Marvelous Work begins, for it appears that when the Lords anointed servants return, kings shall shut their mouths when these concepts are revealed to them and it will be uttered, “Who hath believed our report and to whom is the ARM OF THE LORD revealed?
We are now going to review some ancient scriptures primarily in the Old Testament that will help us connect the dots pertaining to whom Joseph Smith really was and is and they will explain his very strange behavior and the transgressions he committed during the 2nd half of his ministry during the 2nd watch. Ultimately, they are going to reveal much about the mystical calling of the Lords Servant who Isaiah refers to the ARM OF THE LORD.
Brace yourself for an amazing experience.
“wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”
One day I was reading in Acts 1 where the apostles asked Christ when he would restore the kingdom to Israel.
“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
Realizing that the Jewish apostles who had descended from the kingdom of Judah knew that the keys of the kingdom would need to be restored to a Davidic Servant whose has descended from the kingdom of Israel, I was marveling how Peter, James and John eventually gave the keys of the kingdom to Joseph Smith in fulfillment of that very prophecy.
“..Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things”
I marveled also at the following prophecy given by Peter to the Jews in the temple on the day he healed the crippled man-
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Clearly, there was yet a time AFTER the meridian dispensation (1st watch) and after the latter day restoration and falling away, (2nd watch) when ALL THINGS including the keys of the kingdom and the fullness of the Gospel would need to be restored to the earth. (3rd watch). This would require a REFRESHING and a RESTITUTION.
Peter James and John were obviously very familiar with the Old Testament prophecies and thereby probably knew about the necessity of transferring the keys of the priesthood to someone in the last days who would be a descendent of king David from the second kingdom of Israel, when the kingdom of Judah became divided from the kingdom of Israel.
Obviously the prophecies of Daniel about the kingdom rolling forth in the last days must have been on the mind of Peter James and John however I wondered if they were also aware of additional scriptures pertaining to kingdom theology that I had missed.
I therefore started doing some key word searches to see if I could find some prophecies relating to this event.
“I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever”
By punching in the terms “establish” AND “kingdom” I was led to one of the most remarkable and astonishing prophesies I had ever read.
It is contained in 2nd Samuel 7.
It is a prophecy given to King David from the Lord God of Israel as delivered though the prophet Nathan.
In the following passages I found a seven point profile of the latter day Davidic Servant that blew my mind.
Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 ¶ And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David 2nd Samuel 10-17
As I read this amazing prophecy contained in those eight short verses I understood full well that many scholars interpret this to be referring to Christ, however I knew it could not be speaking about Christ as the literal fulfillment of the prophecy because he did not build a temple nor did he commit iniquity.
I also knew that some scholars interpret these passages to be referring to Solomon, one of Davids Sons who DID build a temple and DID commit iniquity.
HOWEVER, Solomon could not represent a literal fulfillment of the above passages because he did not plant the children of Israel in the appointed land nor did he establish the kingdom FOREVER, as evidenced by the fact that he sinned worse than David and had the kingdom divided in half and the Lord only left him the kingdom of Judah which left a lineage by which the prophecy in 2nd Samuel 7 could be fulfilled at a latter time in the last days.
The prophecy of Peter and the prophecies of Daniel reveal that the kingdom was not established forever at the time of Solomon and that there would need to be a restitution of ALL THINGS in the latter days that would reestablish the ancient kingdom that Nathan prophesied about.
Clearly the descendant of King David that would appoint the place of the latter day gathering of Israel, build the temple, establish the kingdom forever in the latter days, become a Son of God and then commit iniquity, could not possibly be referring to Solomon or Christ as the literal fulfillment although either of them might be considered typological or shadow fulfillments.
As I began identifying the seven points contained in the profile of this latter day prophet I was shocked because it was identifying a latter day prophet that would do a great work and then commit iniquity. This violated my sanitized definition of what a true prophet should be and how I felt God should interact with his people… and it made me feel a little uncomfortable about the prophet worship I had been guilty of most of my life.
Notice the seven point profile below.
It became obvious to me that Joseph Smith is the only religious figure in the latter days that even comes close to fitting the profile contained above… and he fits it perfectly.
I realize you may not interpret the above passages the way I am interpreting them at this point.
I understand that.
I only ask you to read this entire thesis before making a judgment on the interpretations and conclusions provided herein for they do not rest solely on the passage above.
I would not have accepted the above interpretation back when I was blissfully unaware of the apostasy of the church.
I had to lose mynaiveté, learn about the apostasy of latter day Israel and have my heart broken reading about certain historical events before I could be humbled enough to be open to the implications of the passages in that remarkable prophecy.
As initially stated, I am going to show you four other remarkable prophecies, and other supporting scriptures that will provide greater clarification and testimony to the mind-blowing prophecy in 2nd Samuel.
Once you have viewed each of these five prophecies, and understood them in the context of the other four, all of the pieces of the prophet puzzle will begin to fall into place.
I am asking you to review ALL of the evidence for this amazing prophetic scenario that is emerging.
One of the things that you may be thinking is that the transgression mentioned in the above passages is predicated as an IF rather than a WHEN.
However, if you accept Gods own testimony of his own attributes you must surely agree that God knows all things including the future and the past and that all time, past present and future is continually before his eyes, which is what makes the spiritual gift of prophecy possible.
That being the case, God obviously knew whether this last days descendent of David would transgress or not.
Therefore, one needs to ask, If God knew the above servant would be valiant, why would he put doubt in the minds of people about that valiancy by throwing that contingency clause into the prophecy?
More importantly, why would he continue a second level down in the story line by revealing that the Davidic Servant would be chastened by the rod of men because of his transgression and furthermore why would he provide a third level to the storyline by acknowledging that after transgressing, he would retain the mercy of God?
I would submit to you that when read in the light of prophetic understanding, as well as in the context of the additional prophecies we will review, it is not just IF the servant transgresses, it is WHEN he transgresses.
Although it was difficult and painful at first for me to change my paradigm of Joseph Smith and the role of prophets in general, I was also ecstatic because this prophecy was providing an incredible testimony that Joseph Smith was who he claimed to be. It even proves that the transgressions that he committed were foretold by the Lord via the prophet Nathan!
This obviously changes the complexion of the Joseph Smith dilemma significantly.
In light of the above passages, any iniquities committed by Joseph Smith provide additional testimony that he was exactly who he claimed to be… the last and greatest prophet. One who according the prophecy appointed the place of gathering for latter day Israel, built the temple and became a Son of God and then committed iniquity.
He is clearly the one that laid the foundation for the Marvelous Work and obtained his calling and election before transgressing.
It was very hard for me, being raised as a Mormon, to believe that prophets were “fallible” since I worshiped them much as the Catholic Church places their popes on a pedestal as being infallible
I was perplexed because the modern church teaches that God never allows a prophet to lead people astray. That false doctrine contradicts the word of God, but I never really understood that because I had not search it out.
Nevertheless, in my blissful years I did not believe that the Lord would ever allow a righteous prophet to commit iniquity.
I had been taught the sanitized version of what a prophet should be instead of the scriptural version
I continued searching for additional scriptural witnesses to verify the accuracy of the passages and my interpretation of them.
I found the same prophecy with less detail in 1 Chronicles 17.
What really perplexed me is how the seven point profile claimed that AFTER committing transgression, the Lord would allow the prophet to be chastened by the rod of men and yet, the sinful prophet would still remain in the MERCY of God.
That really seemed totally inconsistent with the Old Testament.
The sinful prophet should fall under the law of JUSTICE and JUDGEMENT not MERCY. Saul transgressed and did not retain the mercy of God, right?
I looked to see if there was an example of a righteous Old Testament prophet that sinned and yet remained in the mercy of God.
I was led to the account of Moses who sinned before God and was chastened severely. The consequences of his sin resulted in his death and even prevented him from crossing the Jordan to enter the promised land. Yet after the death of Moses the scriptures and the Lord continue to refer to Moses as a righteous prophet! He retained the mercy of God!
I realized that the ministry of Moses very possibly provided a great key to unlocking this mystery particularly since modern revelation identifies Joseph Smith as one like Moses.
Digging a little deeper I discovered that Moses sinned because he took the sins of Israel upon himself by offering himself as atonement in their behalf.
I then was reminded of the prophesy by Peter in Acts 3 about a latter day servant that would be like Moses,
“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you..”
The above prophecy is paraphrasing a prophecy in Deuteronomy 18.
Yes, I realize everyone accepts that prophecy as referring to Christ, even Mormons, however, we shall find as we study it that it is actually speaking about two separate servants that are like Moses. Verse 15 is referring to Christ and verse 18 is referring to Joseph Smith.
Now let us go to the Old Testament version of the prophecy that Peter was paraphrasing,
15 ¶ The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like
unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Clearly, verse 15 is speaking of Christ. We are commanded to categorically hearken to Christ because he is infallible.
Those prophetic passages in verses 18-20 however, speak about another servant like Moses.
They mirror the prophecy in 2nd Samuel in that they speak of a prophet of God that does speak as he is commanded of God, but eventually, he presumptuously speaks falsely in the name of God and, as a result, is put to death.
Verse 18-20 are obviously not referring to Christ as he always spoke the truth.
One of the reasons Latter day Saints don’t relate the above prophecy to Joseph Smith is because the Book of Mormon tells us that Moses was speaking of Christ!-
20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.
21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness.
1 Ne. 22: 20-21
The Book of Mormon is correct of course, verse 15 IS speaking of Christ.
A careful review of the above prophecies reveals however, that Moses was prophesying of two separate and distinct individuals that would be typological of Moses and would come forth at future times.
The prophet spoken of in verse 15 is clearly speaking about Christ as clarified in the Book of Mormon. Hence the admonition to categorically obey everything he says,
“unto him ye shall hearken”
Since Christ was perfect and never taught a false doctrine, the admonition from Moses was to hearken to his words… period.
Please notice that verse 18 on the other hand is speaking about another one who is like Moses, but that particular prophet, after speaking all the words that God puts in his mouth, shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak”
Holy Moly! The second prophet teaches a false doctrine that God did not command him to teach!!!!!!!!!!!
What is the consequence?
“even that prophet shall die.”
Unbe-freakin-lievable!
If you are familiar with how President William Law and others printed an expose of Joseph Smith secret polygamy doctrine and how it led to the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, you may be falling off your chair about now!
Just as 2nd Samuel prophesies that the Davidic Servant will transgress and therefore be chastised by the rod of man, Deuteronomy 18 confirms that as a result of speaking presumptuously, he must die.
Another thing we learn from these passages is that the prophet is held accountable when the people reject his words! “whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him [referring to the prophet!]
Lastly,
The prophecy in Deuteronomy 18 provides a second witness to the prophecy in 2nd Samuel!
However it provides four additional points to the prophetic profile that we derived from 2nd Samuel. They are as follows
The irony of verses 20 through 22 is that they are frequently used by critics of Joseph Smith to prove that Joseph Smith could not have been a true prophet because he spoke falsely and some of his prophesies did not come true.
However they fail to see those verses in the context of the prophecy from the previous verses and therefore misinterpret what those verses are saying.
Those three verses are not providing a generic law stating that false prophets were required to be put to death when they prophesy falsely. A careful study of those passages reveals that they actually represent a continuation of the prophecy contained in the previous five verses! They are simply acknowledging that the presumptuous teaching of a false doctrine will result in the death of the latter day prophet that is like Moses.
Ironically, those passages actually provide a compelling witness that Joseph Smith was who he claimed to be!
They are referring to a specific latter day prophet that would first speak what the Lord commanded him to speak and then be put to death because he presumptuously speaks falsely in the name of the Lord!
Those passages are speaking of the same latter day prophet that 2nd Samuel prophesies of… they speak of a prophet that does a great work, but eventually sins by speaking presumptuously and, as a result, is put to death!
Not only do they provide a second witness of the prophecy in 2nd Samuel, they also provide more clarification and more details for the prophetic profile provided in 2nd Samuel!
They inform us that the latter day prophet is LIKE Moses in that he will provide an intercessory atonement for a rebellious people.
They clarify that the chastisement by the rod of men spoken of in 2nd Samuel, results in the prophets death.
They inform us that when the congregation rejects the words of the prophet, God requires it of the intercessory prophet!
In other words, the latter day prophet acts as an intercessory sin offering for an apostate people that reject the word of the Lord!
This alludes to why the mercy of God does not depart from this prophet despite the fact that he commits sin. It is because the transgression committed by the prophet was caused by the atonement he offered in behalf of the people, as we shall scripturally prove as we proceed in this last part of this series.
Let us refresh our memories regarding some key points in the ministry of Moses that many overlook-
The Atonement of Moses
After reading the prophecy in Deuteronomy about the latter day prophet that would be like Moses I was reminded of the modern revelations that stated that Joseph Smith would be like Moses however, I was not that familiar with the atonement that Moses provided for the rebellious children of Israel so I decided to review those passages.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made. Ex. 32: 30
It is interesting that Moses offered to have his name blotted out of the book! The Lord did not accept that offer but did accept the atonement.
Very sobering is the fact that the atonement offering was only a temporary temporal one. Notice that the wrath of God was only delayed. It would be visited upon the rebellious Israel when the LORD visits then at a future time!
Stood Before Him in the Breach
It is recorded in Psalms 106:23 how God would have destroyed Israel if Moses had not stood in the breach:
“Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.”
The Sin of Moses
After realizing that Moses had to provide an atonement for rebellious Israel, I wanted to further understand exactly what the sin was that Moses committed.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
12 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify ME in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Num. 20: 10-11
Moses Prevented from Entering the Promised Land and Must Die
From the above passages we learn that Moses disobeyed the commandment of the Lord and spoke directly to the people instead of looking at the rock. Additionally, he sinned by taking credit unto himself and his brother Aaron for the miracle instead of sanctifying the Lord (giving credit to the Lord). That is the act of encouraging the children of Israel to put their trust in the arm of flesh which is IDOLOTRY.
Interestingly, it is the same sin they had been guilty of when they were worshipping the golden calf!
The Consequences of the Sin of Moses
By providing an atonement for the people, Moses and Aaron had taken the sins of the people upon themselves and therefore began acting out their sins. The consequence of those sins was “ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”
The Intercession of Moses
In Deuteronomy 4 Moses clarifies that the anger of the Lord was for the sake of the people because of the atonement offering and also that Moses as a consequence of his sin he must die and not enter into Jordan.
21 Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:
22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. Deut. 4: 21
In the book of Numbers we find that after Moses was allowed to climb a mountain and view the promised land, he was required to die and be gathered unto his people, just as Aaron had died, because of their rebellion against the Lords commandment,
And the Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Num. 27: 13
The God of Modern Mormonism does not Exist
If you are somewhat mortified by the storyline presented in the prophesies we have reviewed in 2nd Samuel 7 and Deuteronomy 18 it is probably because you have been indoctrinated falsely about how God interrelates with his people and you have been taught to put your trust in the arm of flesh.
The thought that the Lord might allow a true prophet to teach a false doctrine or teach something presumptuously that God did not reveal to him is a terrifying thought because it puts the responsibility of discerning truth and error back on to YOU When in fact you have been given a false sense of security that you can just blindly follow the brethren to keep on the straight and narrow.
This brings us to one of the most solemn commandments that God has given to his people. It is contained in the closing passage in the 12th chapter of Deuteronomy.
It is as follows-
“What thing soever I command you,
observe to do it:
thou shalt not add thereto,
nor diminish from it.”
From the following chapter which we are about to review, we find that God sometimes actually uses true prophets to reveal his true commandments and then he allows them to speak presumptuously and contradict his previous commandment.
He does this to test whether his people will stay true and faithful to the true commandments the Lord has already revealed or whether they can be seduced into adding to or diminishing from established commandments!
For instance, the law of the gospel which was revealed in 1831 in section 42 clearly states that men are to have ONE WIFE.
That is part of celestial law and the law of consecration.
It was reiterated in section 49 and eventually reiterated again in a section prepared by Oliver Cowdery, but later replace with section 132.
In Nauvoo, Joseph Smith began teaching a different, law that requires multiple wives. It contradicted the celestial law of monogamy contained in the LAW laid out in section 42. It was presented as a higher law.
When the contradictory doctrine began to be introduced, some people held firm and stayed true to the covenants they entered into in Kirtland when section 42 was revealed while others chose to “add thereto or diminish from” that which had previously been taught by the Lord God of Israel.
The above commandment at the end of chapter 12 was the preliminary commandment leading up to another missing piece of the prophet puzzle. I refer to it as the 3rd cornerstone prophecy.
It is as follows-
The Lord Your God Proveth You
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God,
which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
The above prophecy and warning teaches that God sometimes uses his prophets to try and deceive us to see if we will be true to God and his commandments or to the messenger.
It also provides a third forewarning about the death of the last servant!
It adds yet another point to the biblical profile of the Davidic Servant we have been creating.
It informs us that God uses this last great servant to TEST the Saints, to see if his servant can turn them away from the Lord God.
He uses his servant to see if the saints will remain true and faithful to the true commandments and covenants contained in the word of God or if they will depart from them by putting their faith in the prophet.
The lesson we need to learn is that we are responsible to discern the MESSAGES that come from God through his messenger, we are NOT supposed to categorically and blindly worship and obey the MESSANGER!
“What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.”
The fulness of the Gospel, the New and Everlasting Covenant and the LAW of the Gospel had all been given long before the defilement of the Kirtland Temple in 1836, yet in 1842 Joseph Smith began teaching a secret doctrine about the need to have multiple wives, a doctrine that stated that instead of having only one wife, priesthood holders needed to be sealed to multiple wives in order to gain the highest salvation.
This strange new doctrine contradicted the previous revelations and doctrines contained in the revelations Joseph Smith had already given as well as the rest of the four standard works.
Section 132 is full of contradictions and falsehoods. It contradicts the law of the gospel that had been given in 1831 and it changes the definition of several gospel terms. It added new doctrine and changes previous doctrine.
Section 132 adds thereto and diminishes from the holy and infallible word of God.
It resulted in another gospel being taught.
Paul warned us that another gospel would be introduced. He knew that “signs” would be produced and that the strength of the testimony of an angel would be used to persuade people to depart from the truth.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Gal. 1: 8-9
Speaking of the mystery of iniquity and how God will eventually consume the wicked one in the latter days, Paul reveals that God will send a strong delusion upon those that believe not the truth but rather take pleasure in unrighteousness.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thes. 2: 11
The God of the Bible uses prophets to test us
Perhaps one of the most poignant bible stories for illustrating the need for personal revelation and the fact that God does allow prophets to lead people astray in order to test them, is found in 1 Kings 13.
The story line is so remarkable that I am not going to tell it in detail, you simply need to read it yourself. To summarize however, a man of God who had received direct revelation from God had been commanded to NOT do something while on a journey.
He was then approached during his journey by another prophet who told him that he should in fact do it.
When the first prophet declared that the Lord had commanded him not to do it, the second prophet assured him that the Lord had changed his mind and told him that an angel of the Lord had thus appeared and rescinded the commandment of the Lord.
At this, the first prophet accepted the invitation to do what the Lord had commanded him to NOT do.
As a result, the Lord had a lion destroy the first prophet from off the face of the earth.
So much for God never allowing prophets to lead anyone astray.
So much for angels legitimately appearing to revoke a previous commandment of God without God himself revoking it.
So much for the God of Modern Mormonism and his associated teachings regarding the infallibility of prophets. That doctrine cannot be found in the holy and infallible word of God.
[BTW read the above passages from the JST. It provides clarification as to why the Lord had the angel and the prophet tempt the first prophet…. “that I may prove him“]
Succession
Those that dig deeply enough into church history realize that the succession issue was really not just about priesthood right or seniority or office, it was about the spiritual wife doctrine that had been introduced into the church.
People like Joseph’s brother Samuel Smith, President William Marks, President William Law and President Sidney Rigdon and some members of the high council were a threat to those other leading brethren who had embraced the spiritual wife doctrine and refused to acknowledge their sin and repent.
If you are well acquainted with the life of Joseph Smith, you may be aware of the fact that his introduction of the spiritual wife doctrine contained in section 132 is what caused him to be chastened by the rod of angry men and to be put to death by a secret combination of people from both in and out of the church.
One of the amazing things that we learn from the history of the church is that when people like Hyrum Smith and Mary Ann Lightner were initially skeptical about the doctrine and questioned Joseph about it, instead of proving it from the scriptures, Joseph would promise them a SIGN or a WONDER to prove it.
Lets review the first two verses of Deuteronomy 13 again-
“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them. Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet”
A prophet can teach false doctrine and provide signs and wonders in an effort to seduce people to follow after false doctrines and false Gods.
The above three prophesies in 2nd Samuel 7, Deuteronomy 13 and Deuteronomy 18 provide an amazing biblical profile of the David Servant who was to be like Moses in the latter days, however, there is one more that provides the forth cornerstone which vividly supports this theme and prepares us for the final capstone prophecy.
It is provided in the 16th chapter of Leviticus and it is called the atonement statute.
It is in this amazing chapter that we are given a prophecy about how two prophets depicted as two goats as well as other offerings depicting other servants would provide an intercessory atonement offering in behalf of apostate latter day Israel in the latter days.
This is where the tables are turned on each of us and all of the critics that are passing judgment on the prophet Joseph Smith, because it is in this prophetic enactment and other supporting prophecies that we are informed that the reason the latter day prophet and his spokesman are committing transgression is because the sins of the rebellious, apostate latter day children of Israel. Is there any reason why this would not include you and me? Those sins were artificially placed on the two servants.
It is OUR sins, the sins of latter day Israel that Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and others of their associates were acting out!
This should be very humbling for each of us to take into consideration. It isn’t just the outward sins of Joseph Smith that are really being revealed and judged, it is ours!
Once you come to this realization, you need to repent of any anger and judgment that you currently have towards God’s Seer, Spokesman and others of the first elders of the last kingdom.
Here are a few passages from the atonement statute.
AND the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
3
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering,
and a ram for a burnt offering.
4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
5
And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, (a joint sin offering! ) and one ram for a burnt offering.
6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
7
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; (both goats were equally clean and acceptable) one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9
And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
16
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (section 110 reveals that God accepted the offering of the Seer and the Spokesman because of and despite the transgressions and sins of latter day Israel and in the midst of the uncleanness of the congregation.)
20 ¶ And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
21
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Most prophecy scholars try to force the above prophecy to fit the atonement of Christ. Some claim both goats represent Christ which is inconsistent within the storyline enactment since they are both chosen at the same time to fill different offerings at the same time. It is illogical and inconsistent to have two physical goats simultaneously doing two different things. One requiring a blood sacrifice while the other requiring a living sacrifice.
Other interpretations acknowledge that two separate individual are represented in the two goats and claim the scapegoat represents Satan while the blood sacrifice goat represents Christ. The problems with that are significant and numerous. Suffice it to say that Satan does not qualify as a perfect and acceptable offering that began on equal footing with the Savior of the world… Nor could he have easily had his calling switched with that of Christ as that interpretation would have us believe!
Once I began to read each of the above mentioned four cornerstone prophesies in context of the other three, other Old Testament prophecies began jumping out of the woodwork and the pieces of the prophet puzzle began to fall in place.
Ezekiel 14 began to make perfect sense to me.
Interestingly enough, Joseph Smith taught a sermon to the Relief Society in May of 1842 using Ezekiel 14 as his text during the time when he was apparently taking some of them as plural wives! This is interesting in view of the fact that the relief society had to be suspended later in 1842 because Emma was using it as a platform for preaching against polygamy!
The history of the church records-
“Prest. Smith rose; read the 14th Chap. Of Ezekiel–Said the Lord had declared by the prophet that the people should each one stand for himself and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish Church–that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls–applied it to the present state of the church of Latter Day Saints”
How interesting that Joseph appeared to be warning the Relief Society about relying on others when each person must deliver their own souls as far as discerning truth!
A passage from the text of Ezekiel is worth reiterating to provide context to the prophets remarks and the four cornerstone prophesies we have reviewed-
1 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
2 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?
4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh, [thru that prophet] according to the multitude of his idols;
5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Amazing.
If you inquire of a prophet with an impure and idolatrous heart, God will have the prophet answer you according to the desire of your sinful heart!
Interestingly, one of the plural wives of Joseph Smith, while speaking on the subject in Utah, admitted that she had dreamed of being the wife of Joseph Smith and felt guilty of it, long before he proposed to her.
If this seems like hard doctrine, and you are thinking that the Old Testament is harsher than the New Testament and modern revelation, please review the prophetic revelation and stern warning below that was given in the book of commandments in 1829.
“And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old.
And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, for he reigneth and hath power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them.
Behold I tell you these things even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem, and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified..” (Book of Commandments Chapter 4)
Just as Moses provided an atonement, took upon him the sins of Israel and was prevented from entering into the promised land and then put to death for his transgression, so would the latter day one like Moses!
The following doctrine and prophesy contained in section 132 contradicts the Bible, Book of Mormon and all of the other published revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth-
“Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same. For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.”
Imagine that, a false prophecy embedded in a false doctrine foretelling that those who have had this new doctrine revealed to them about the necessity of having plural wives sealed to them, preventing them from entering into the highest glory if they refuse to live it! In other words, a false commandment is being given here.
Is it a true doctrine and a true commandment or was Joseph Smith speaking presumptuously?
Do you fear the Lords anointed more than you fear God?
Will it become an issue again when the marvelous work begins?
Will it become a stumbling block for many?
After debating with people who are to wise to be taught for years on this issue, I can guarantee this is going to become an issue when the strange act takes place. The natural man is inherently polygamous by nature.
There may be other false doctrines introduced as well but this particular one seems to be the one that ancient prophecy points out as the primary one that was at the center of controversy in getting latter day Ephraim to act out their whoring spirit.
Read the entire book of Hosea to see how latter day Ephraim, like ancient Ephraim, would commit whoredom and depart from the Lord (1:2) because they have forgotten the law of God (3:6). Indeed the spirit of whoredoms would cause them to err (3:12) because “they walked after the COMMANDMENT!“ (511) Which commandment? Obviously a false commandment which caused them to err!
We have now reviewed from Deuteronomy 18 that a latter day prophet like Moses would first utter the true word of the Lord that the people are to receive and then he will prophesy falsely and die!
We have also reviewed three other prophecies that provide confirmation.
Do you think the prophecies in 2nd Samuel and Deuteronomy 18 and Deuteronomy 13 and the prophetic enactment in the atonement statute in Leviticus 16 are the only passages that suggest that a prophet of God can transgress and yet retain the mercy of God and even be restored to their calling?
We also have the example of how Moses transgressed.
That is pretty strong evidence.
However, once you have identified the general scenario, you will be surprised how many other scriptural witnesses will jump out of the scriptures from other prophecies and Davidic lamentations.
Here are a few,
He notes that “an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
Are we seeing a pattern here?
After identifying Leviticus 16 as one of the missing pieces of the prophet puzzle and realizing how Gods servant takes the sins of Israel upon himself, I also realized that the “marred servant” in Isaiah 52 was also the “suffering servant” in Isaiah 53. (check the Hebrew chapter identifiers)
Furthermore, even though Isaiah 53 is typological of Christ in the 1st watch, it has a dual fulfillment and is also typological of a latter day servant in the 2nd watch.
Notice how the marred servant in 52 comes forth triumphantly to gather Israel out of Babylon yet 53 describes the first part of his ministry as an intercessory one where he bears the sins of others-
1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
7 ¶ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. [multiple watchmen who previously quarreled will become united]
9 ¶ Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
11 ¶ Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.
13 ¶ Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle [gather] many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. (Isa 52)
1 Who hath believed our report? [is it possible that part of this unbelievable report contains some of the information we are discussing in this article?] and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 ¶ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isa 53)
Once I had considered all four of the cornerstone prophesies itemized below and the related scriptures in the context they provided for each other, I was able to add more of the missing pieces to the prophet puzzle.
I was finally ready to Identify and understand the fifth and final capstone prophecy that had eluded me for so many years. It is in my opinion one of the greatest prophesies about how the Marvelous Work will begin.
It is contained in Zachariah 3 & 6
Joshua The High Priest and the Branch Prophet
The amazing prophecy in Zech 3 and 6 reveals that in the latter days a BRAND (servant) that has become filthy and been cast into the fire will be retrieved from the fire despite the resisting of Satan.
This BRAND prophet that had previously committed sin will have his filthy garments removed and be made clean and restored to his previous calling and position. At this time, the Lord announces that he will bring forth another servant called the BRANCH.
1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree. (Zech 3)
Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord:
13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.
15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God. (Zech 6)
From the above passages we learn that the two “goats” in the “atonement statute eventually come forth from the dead to finish their work!
One of these returning servants is called Joshua The High Priest. Joshua means “Jehovah Saves”. This servant is also referred to as a “BRAND” (or piece of wood and also genealogical term) which is retrieved from the fire.
The second servant that is also brought forth from the dead is called the “BRANCH“. (also a piece of wood and genealogical term)
The Brand servant who had been the scapegoat, has his filthy garments replaced with clean garments and is crowned and set as a judge over the house of the Lord.
The Branch servant, who had been the blood sacrifice goat, will build the final temple of the Lord in Zion and shall bear the glory of the Lord and shall rule upon his throne.
Notice how Zechariah points out that the “counsel of peace shall be between them BOTH of these servants in the 3rd watch“
This is consistent with the atonement statute that states that the two goats will offer a joint offering,
5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, (a joint sin offering! ) and one ram for a burnt offering.
It is also consistent with modern revelation which speaks of a joint stewardship between the Seer and Spokesman in section 36 in the 2nd watch.
And now this calling and commandment give I unto you concerning ALL MEN—That as many as shall come before MY SERVANTS SIDNEY RIGDON AND JOSEPH SMITH, JUN., embracing this calling and commandment, shall be ordained and sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel among the nations—
My original seven point profile of the Davidic Servant had become significantly larger now that the four cornerstone prophecies had been combined with the final capstone prophecy, verifying that a scapegoat servant with filthy garments will be returned to the earth and made clean and given the mandate to take his rightful position, followed by the return of the BRANCH servant who made the joint atonement with him.
Below are some of the points of a more complete profile of the Davidic Servant…
The following diagram depicts the four cornerstone prophesies in conjunction with the capstone prophecy as the missing pieces of the Prophet Puzzle that enable all of the other pieces to fall into place.
Eventually over 50 Old and New Testament scriptures surfaced that provided evidences that the Davidic Servant profile depicted in the four cornerstone prophesies were true. Some of them are depicted on the above picture.
They also added other points to the profile explaining why the Davidic Servant committed iniquity and why the mercy of the Lord did not part from him and why he is able to return and have his filthy garments made white and to complete his calling and gather Israel.
Some Mormon prophesy scholars are quick to point out that Joseph Smith is the one mighty and strong as depicted in section Isaiah 28:1-6, however, I have yet to see one of them acknowledge that verses 7-13 in Isaiah 28 identifies the mighty and strong prophet (Seer) and the priest (spokesman) as having eventually erred in vision and stumbled in judgment, leaving all tables full of vomit and filthiness and no place clean because the people would not hear! This results in latter day Israel falling backwards and being broken, snared and taken.
A key word search for the word erred in the D&C takes us to a prophecy that God’s latter day servants would–
1- Err and sin while in their weakness
2- Eventually their sins would be made known
3- They would be chastened that they might repent!
4- They would become strong
(see section 1:24-28)
There are a host of supporting scriptures to indicate that Gods Servant[s] are weak during the 2nd watch when a portion of God’s word goes forth but they are STRONG during the 3rd watch when God’s WORD goes forth in POWER.
Needless to say, there are numerous other supporting scriptures in the book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, many of which are provided in the threewatches blog, but I left most of them out of this article because I wanted to focus mainly on Old and New Testament passages to show non-Mormons that you don’t even need the book of Mormon or modern revelation to prove that Joseph Smith is the great last prophet spoken of in the bible.
The biblical evidence for Joseph Smith is beyond overwhelming!
Praise the Lord God almighty for the Lords Seer, Spokesman and others of the first laborers of the last kingdom.
They will return and complete their callings.
As watchmen on the wall who are diligent in warning Israel, they will be restored to their clean garments that they had prior to offering up an atonement and they will again cleanse their garments from the blood and sins of this generation by giving the last warning.
We need to recognize them and discern every message they give us that is inspired of the Lord, not adding to or diminishing from the holy and infallible word of God.
Amen and amen.
(the final part of this series is forthcoming… keep watching)
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Misc information possibly related to this article
Statues & Idolatry, an important aspect of Mormonism
And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
“CALM AS A SUMMERS MORNING”
HYRUM AND JOSEPH SMITH
BRONZE EQUESTRIAN MONUMENT- JUST ONE OF NUMEROUS STATUES IN NAUVOO
ALSO TITLED
“PROPHETS LAST RIDE”
Latter day Saints have become a statue building people. They probably generated more statues per year than any other religion except the Catholic Church. Strange how we assume that even though God commanded ancient Israel not to make graven images, it is somehow not offensive to him in the latter days!
Graven Images and the prophecy that latter day Israel would worship the moon sun and stars
19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Deuteronomy 4
Evidence indicating that Joseph Repented of Polygamy just before he Died
From April of 1841 to November of 1843 historians believe that Joseph smith took on 31 plural wives with the majority of them acquired in 1843. Then, all at once, it all stopped very abruptly. From December of 43 until his death at the end of June of 1844 no more wives were sealed to him. Although he seemed to be picking up steam through 1843 he immediately stopped and not one wife was taken during the last 7 months of his life.
At least two reputable people claimed that Joseph had admitted to them that he had made a terrible mistake on the polygamy issue and that he had repented of it and that it would curse the church if it could not be put down.
The following excerpt from David Whitmer contains some interesting perspective concerning this-
Excerpts from An Address to all believers in Christ by David Whitmer
(The following excerpts show that many of the concepts in this article were apparent to various people way back at the time of the succession issue.)
“All, or nearly all, of the pioneers of the Reorganization who were living in Nauvoo in 1843 and 1844 have now passed away, and you see what time has done in this regard. To-day nearly all of the Reorganization do not believe that Brother Joseph received that revelation on polygamy, or ever had any connection whatever with the doctrine of polygamy, openly and firmly denying this fact; some through ignorance, and some who should not be so ignorant about this matter. They charge it all to Brigham Young. Now, all honest men will understand, after they have read this pamphlet through, that I am doing God’s will in bringiug the truth to light concerning the errors of Brother Joseph. They will see that it is necessary, as he is the man Who introduced many doctrines of error into the Church of Christ; and his errors must be made manifest and the truth brought to light, in order that all Latter Day Saints shall cease to put their trust m this man, believing his doctrines as if they were from the mouth of God.
I quote from Volume X, Number 1, of The True Latter Day Saints* Herald, page 24, from an article written by Isaac Sheen, who was a leader in establishing the Reorganization. ” the Salt Lake apostles said “excuse themselves by saying that Joseph Smith taught the spiritual ” wife doctrine, but this excuse is as weak as their excuse concerning ” the ancient kings and patriarchs. Joseph Smith repented of his connection with this doctrine, and said that it was of the devil. He caused the revelation on that subject to be burned, and when he voluntarily came ” to Nauvoo and resigned himself into the arms of his enemies, he said ” that he was going to Carthage to die. At that time he also said that, if it “had not been for that accursed spiritual wife doctrine, he would not “have come to that. By his conduct at that time he proved the “sincerity of his repentance, and of his profession as a prophet. If ” Abraham and Jacob by repentance can obtain salvation and exaltation, “so can Joseph -Smith.” Here we have Isaac Sheen’s testimony as follows : That Joseph Smith did have connection with this spiritual wife doctrine; that he repented of it just before his death, having come to the conclusion that the revelation was not of God, but was of the devil ; and lie caused the revelation to be burned. Brother Sheen does not state how long Brother Joseph had connection with this doctrine, but of course we suppose from the time the revelation was given, July 12, 1843, until the time of his repentance just before his death, in June, 1844; at which time he concluded that the revelation was not’ of God, but was of the devil, and caused it to be burned, voluntarily giving himself up to his enemies, saying he was going to Carthage to die….
On page 22, in the same number of the Herald, is an article of like testimony, by Wm. Marks, who, as he states in his article, was Presiding Elder at Nauvoo in 1844, when Brother Joseph was killed, and was with Brother Joseph up to his death. His testimony is the same as that given in the two foregoing articles.
He states that Brother Joseph said to him just before his death, concernng polygamy as follows : ” He (Joseph) said it eventually would prove ” the overthrow of the church, and we should soon be obliged to leave *’ the United States unless it could be speedily put down. He was satisfied that it was a cursed doctrine, and that there must be every exertion made to put it down, etc.”
The reader will please notice this fact in regard to Wm. Marks’ statement ; and that is the time when Brother Joseph told him that polygamy must be put down in the church. The time when Brother Joseph said this to Wm. Marks, was just before his (Joseph’s) death. \ Polygamy had then been in the church almost a year, and it was just before his death that Brother Joseph saw that polygamy was a cursed doctrine, and repented of his connection with that doctrine — believing then that the revelation was not of God, but was of the devil —and he then caused the revelation to be burned.
The foregoing evidence is*sufficient to convince any one that. Brother Joseph received the revelation on polygamy; that he gave the doctrine to the church; that he had connection with this spiritual wife doctrine himself; and afterwards became convinced that this revelation was of the devil, and repented of this iniquity just before his death.”
[ A fascinating word search pertaining to the power of the atonement statute and the intercession of Gods servants in being PRESERVED to come forth at a later time and in PRESERVING others under the law to come forth at a later time, is conducted using the word PRESERVED which will take you into Isaiah, the parable in Jacob and into modern revelation! ]
21 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: atonement statute, covered the eyes of the seers, scapegoat, scapegoat doctrine | Permalink
Posted by onewhoiswatching
During this series we have briefly alluded to the four general phases of the apostasy of the restored church-
Phase One- The Kirtland/Jackson County Apostasy- 1831-1838
Phase One Part A 1831-34
Saints Reject of the Fulness
Phase One Part B 1835-1838
Secret Ushering in of Gospel of Abraham-Mass Kirtland Apostasy
Phase Two- The Far West/Nauvoo Apostasy 1839-1844
God Rejects the Unfaithful Church
Phase Three- The First Utah Period of Apostasy-1845-1889
The Gospel of Brigham Young
Phase Four- The Second Utah Period of Apostasy 1889-to present
The Modern Church Abandons Brigham’s Polygamy and
“Fundamentalism” to Become More Popular with the World
It is interesting to note that the officially accepted doctrines of the church dramatically changed during the 3rd phase of the apostasy, during Brigham Young,s administration. Five of the notable, heretical doctrines that Brigham officially introduced into the church are as follows,
There are a host of other heresies that Brother Brigham introduced into the church however the above five provide a sampling of the more high profile dogmas.
Of the doctrines listed above, the only one that could be theologically linked to Joseph smith from historical documentation is the spiritual wife doctrine, or at least the practice of polygamy. But even that doctrine was never publicly introduced by Joseph Smith and was never officially accepted into the church under the law of common consent during his administration.
Furthermore, as with the other four doctrines, there is no basis for it from the scriptures. Section 132 is a blatant contradiction of the celestial law of monogamy as taught in section 42 and section 49 as well as the original section 101 Article on Marriage written by Oliver Cowdery which Brigham Young extracted from the canon of modern scripture when he had section 132 canonized. There is simply no way to link spiritual wifery or polygamy to the celestial law of the gospel as contained in the scriptures.
IT CANNOT BE DONE.
[BTW, years ago I joined a chat board that had the topic of polygamy. After doing so, I engaged an LDS fundamentalist on the topic of celestial polygamy. He was a veritable walking dictionary when it comes to the sermons and dogma contained in the Journal of Discourses.
During the conversation, I challenged him to put aside everything he had ever learned from the Journal of Discourse and try to prove the doctrine of Celestial Polygamy, exclusively using the Old Testament, New Testament and Book of Mormon.
(I use the term Celestial Polygamy to refer to the doctrine that a man needs multiple wives sealed to him for eternity to be exalted)
He enthusiastically accepted my challenge and said he would return with his response shortly.
A day passed.
Then a few days passed.
Eventually he returned to the conversation with me in the chat board and admitted that it would be more difficult than he realized. I then told him he was welcome to use the D&C as also, as long as he didn’t use section 132.
The reason I was disqualifying section 132 is because it contradicted sections 42 and 49, and because it had never been officially taught by Joseph Smith, and because it had never been accepted by common consent and canonized until one year before Brigham Young’s death.
I wanted him to realize that the entire doctrine he had espoused was based solely on one heretical revelation. The place and person from which the revelation originated from is completely irrelevant because it contradicts the holy and infallible word of God.
I never heard back from the guy.]
One way to characterize the 4th and last phase of the apostasy of the church is by acknowledging that the church began to become popular with the world. This happened in part, because the church leadership realized that to be more accepted by mainstream Christianity it needed to self correct with regard to some of the doctrinal heresies that had infiltrated the Church. Hence, it began systematically rejecting important doctrinal components of the gospel of Brigham Young.
Of course when that took place beginning in approximately about 1889, it created a polarization in the church. That is when those who refused to abandon the teachings of Brigham Young, or, in other words, what has become known as modern day LDS fundamentalism as we know it, began to break away from the main church and become separate and distinct religious entities.
The LDS fundamentalist community eventually split up into multiple warring factions of the movement. With the emergence strange dominant authoritative personalities like Ervil and Joel LeBaron, Ron and Dan Lafferty, Rulon Allred, Warren Jeffs, Jim Harston and a long list of delusional wing-nuts that have ruled over their little kingdoms of followers. It only makes sense that many of these factions began intimidating their followers in much the same fashion as brigham Young used threaten and intimidate the saints under his rule. Some of these leaders even ended up slitting the throats of those who challenged their authority using the masonic temple endowment of Brother Brig as their justification.
I must emphasize as I have done in previous posts that technically it is inaccurate to refer to the followers of Brigham Youngs doctrines and the polygamous offshoots of the church as fundamentalists because the doctrines they believe and practice do not in fact represent the fundamental doctrines of the LDS restoration movement.
By 1831 the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and by late 1834 it had been fully rejected by the gentile church.
95% of the revelations that Joseph smith received had been received by 1836 and yet NONE of the above five doctrines and a myriad of other future heresies of Brigham Young were taught in the church at that time nor were they contained in the fulness of the gospel or in the scriptures that had been received.
Even as late as 1841, the Lord put his seal of approval on the existing cannon of modern scripture which had three revelations mandating celestial monogamy. (That canon of scripture had no revelations that advocated polygamy). Indeed, Brigham Young did not insert section 132 into the canon of scripture until 40 years after the Nauvoo period of the church.
In section 124 the Lord gave a stern warning that anything more or less than the doctrines contained in that cannon of scripture and the Book of Mormon “COMETH OF EVIL“. (124:119-120)
“And again, verily I say unto you, let no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House unless he shall be a believer in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord your God; For that which is more or less than this cometh of evil, and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings, saith the Lord your God. Even so. Amen.”
Indeed, the practice of polygamy that crept into the church even during the time that the revelation in section 124 was given did represent something more or less than what had been revealed and commanded of God.
Unsurprisingly, the practice of it was accompanied with cursings rather than blessings. One only needs to read the countless references to the damnable practice in the many diaries of the LDS pioneers and early Utah saints.
The true fundamental doctrines of the restored gospel and church teach just the opposite of many of the doctrines Brigham Young introduced into the apostate church.
The majority of the church had been indoctrinated strongly enough in the “follow the brethren” theology to go with the changes in doctrine whether they agreed with them or not. Truth be known, the majority of the membership was doctrinally ignorant and largely indifferent to the changes. Most of them probably agreed with the changes simply because they were told to by the “authorities”.
Some undoubtedly went along with the changes in doctrine because the changes would bring about less persecution from the government and the world in general.
I suspect that there were a few that actually studied the scriptures and realized that there was NO scriptural foundation for any of them and they probably viewed the church as actually going through a period of self correction and doctrinal cleansing by dropping those practices and beliefs.
Two of the changes, the practice of polygamy and the priesthood ban on blacks were prompted by government threats and pending intervention. The government involvement pertaining to polygamy is well known, however, the government intervention relating to the change in the priesthood ban with regard to blacks is not so well known.
“Kimball’s announcement [reversing the LDS anti-Black priesthood ban] coincided with events which were adversely affecting the Mormon Church.”
“For a period of time immediately prior to Kimball’s declaration, several major universities, had announced that until such time as the Mormon Church reversed its policy of racial discrimination, they would no longer take part in athletic events in which BYU participated.”
“More importantly though, approximately two weeks prior to Kimball’s surprising declaration, President Jimmy Carter had phoned Kimball and informed him that the IRS was seriously considering removing the Mormon Church’s tax exempt status unless changes were made in their policy of discrimination.”
“In 1978, due to the urging of Carter and mounting pressure from pending lawsuits concerning racism, Spencer W. Kimball suddenly received a revelation that Blacks could now enter the temple and hold the Priesthood.”
President Carter sent a telegram commending Spencer W. Kimball “for your compassionate prayerfulness and courage in receiving a new doctrine.’‘
The discarding of many of Brigham’s doctrines is really one of the foundational themes of the fourth phase of the modern apostasy.
As one begins to evaluate the phases of the modern day apostasy, it is interesting to analyze the membership growth of the church to help formulate context.
Prior to the beginning of Brigham’s Reign in 1844 the church claims a membership of 26,146.
The membership in 1845 at the beginning of the reign of Young, as the President of the Twelve, was at 30,332. At the death of Young in 1887 it was 115,065.
President John Taylor curiously reigned over the church for three years as the President of the 12. Then he was finally sustained as the president of the Church in 1880. He died in 1887.
President Woodruff claimed to have received a revelation on November 24, 1889. In it the Lord warnes-
“Let not my servants who are called to the presidency of my Church deny my word or my law, which concerns the salvation of the children of men.”
Despite this supposed warning from the Lord to not discontinue polygamy, after a few years of immense pressure from the government, Woodruff finally conducted the historic press dispatches associated with what has become known as “Official Declaration- 1” in which he publicly claims to be submitting himself and the church membership, to the anti-polygamy laws of the US.
It was at this time that he introduced the scripturally unjustifiable doctrine of infallibility,
“the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as the president of this Church to lead you astray”
Lets see, what is a politically correct term for BULLSHIT?
The apostasy of the church had begun long before brother Wilford took the helm… nevertheless I am sure he had good intentions in wanting to calm the nerves of the membership.
Nevertheless, we must remember the following warning the Lord gave the church back in 1829 which he acted on within less than a decade, by the time the Kirtland Temple had been defiled and the Saints fled Kirtland,
if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, (Book of Commandments Chapter 4)
it would appear that the Lord had a different understanding of the principle of infallibility with regard to human priesthood authority than Wilford had.
The above passage was deleted from the revelation now known as section 5 when it was later published in the Doctrine and Covenants because it was no longer applicable to the Latter day Saints as a future prophesy. It had already been acted upon by the Lord. He was in the midst of turning the Saints over to the man of sin as prophesied by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1831.
Although the world began to soften towards the latter day church from the time of the “Special Declaration- 1” the most significant era of PR took place during the administration of President McKay which could be considered a distinguishable time period of its own because of the tremendous positioning that he did with the world and the changing image of the church that he was instrumental in portraying.
President McKay served as a general authority for 66 years. He served as president of the church from 1951 to 1970. The membership was 1,147,157 in 1951. It grew to 2,930,810 in 1970 under his able leadership.
Today the Church boasts a membership of about 13,500,000 and claims to be one of the fastest growing churches in the world.
Although the LDS church was one of the fastest growing churches during the nineties, that is no longer true.
The internet has had a devastating impact on the growth of the Church. It has made doctrinal and historical information way to accessible to everyone. The light of truth is there for those who sincerely want to find it.
Between all of the anti-Mormon sites and sites by those doing serious historical research and the apologetic’s of FARMS and FAIR, disturbing information about the LDS church is so prevalent that it simply cannot be hidden any longer.
According to one website,
“Mormons like to claim that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest growing religious denominations in the world. While it was true into the 1990s, the membership of the Mormons has in fact been shrinking in every US state including Utah.
While some 13 million members are on the membership roll, the actual number of people who consider themselves Mormons is considerably less. Many people that the church claims are members are not. According to John Dehlin’s “Why People Leave the Church” podcast, about two-thirds of the church members are inactive, and one-third of these people cannot be located by the church. The once meteoric growth of the Mormon church is now expressed as a negative number.
According to charts that can be found on the LDS Church News website, the membership has gone up at a slightly decreased rate, while the number of converts has gone down. Most new members of the Mormon church now come from people being born into the faith, rather than coming from converts to the church.
Further compounding the issue is that the Mormon church cannot retain converts and many of the people who they claim as Mormons go inactive shortly after a baptism. A City University of New York Study and the Salt Lake Tribune confirm Dehlin’s numbers. Both sources report that the actual number of members is declining and nearly 100 percent of the converts who were baptized into the church report that they have left it.
Because the church does not take a member’s name off the rolls unless a member requests it, the 12 million member number is inaccurate in gaging Mormon church growth or the actual number of people who consider themselves Mormons worldwide.
The presentation is extremely revealing and disturbing.
I suspect the Lord has inspired him to do what he is doing as far as bring hidden things to light.
The next video is an interview between John and an excommunicated Mormon who encourages Mormons to become spiritually “born again”.
I provide it for context.
Notice how at peace the interviewee is and how stressed the interviewer looks.
I believe both of the people in the above interview are sincere and both of them are very good candidates for accepting the fulness of the gospel once the light shines forth again when the Marvelous Work begins.
For those that continue moving backwards in time in their quest to learn about the origins of the apostasy, the period of Brigham Young’s reign from the expulsion of the Saints from Nauvoo till the end of John Taylors reign, the church appears to have been victimized and therefore has the appearance of having suffered for being true and faithful to their original covenants.
The trek west to Utah has been spun as being a righteous remnant that was ill treated by a wicked nation.
Although it is true that they were essentially cast out by a wicked nation, it was at least in part because the wicked nation could not tolerate some of the dark practices of the apostate church. The scriptures refer to the salt that has lost its savor..
The old testament reveals that God puts all ecclesiastical and political rulers in place based on the righteous or wicked acts of the people.
Just as the Lord has put the President Elect at the helm of this nation based on what we as a nation deserve, the Lord also put President Young at the helm of the restored church based on what the collective church membership wanted and deserved.
Very few people get past this 3rd period of apostasy as they are working their way backwards in church history.
Therefore they quit traveling back in time to take a critical look at what happened in Nauvoo.
Those that do continue their research can find a very clear cut stop off in Nauvoo. Section 113 and sections 124 pretty much lay it all out. Verse 28 in section 124 reveals that the fullness of the priesthood had been lost before 1841. Verse 48 reveals that the Saints were currently practicing abominations before the Lord. Verse 45 promises that if the saints “will hearken” unto the voice of the Lord, they will not be moved out of their place in Nauvoo.
And finally, the ominous warning that if the church failed to complete the temple within the appointed time, they will be rejected as a church is found in verse 32.
Making the transition from the 2rd period of apostasy in Nauvoo to the 1st period of apostasy in Kirtland is actually not very difficult if one keeps diligently searching because section 124 makes it clear that the Saints were in apostasy when they got to Nauvoo.
If a person backs up far enough in time to finally begin focusing on the actual restoration of the Church in New York and the gathering of the church during the Kirtland era, they will find that the initial apostasy of the church took place back during those early years of the restoration of the church. In fact they will be shocked just how quickly the light of the fullness of the Gospel left after it began to shine forth.
Once this is realized, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th periods of apostasy make so much more sense.
The following passage of scripture in section 45 provides a perfect description of how quickly the fullness of the gospel light shined forth and then was rejected by the gentile church. This passage of prophesy has a dual fulfillment.
28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
29 But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.
According to the official D&C commentary by Smith and Sjodahl, (which has been greatly modified by the modern church) verse 28 is referring to the Saints of the 2nd watch at the time Joseph Smith was living. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, no commentary is provided for verse 29!
I personally agree that it applies to the Saints of the 2nd watch, however, I believe it is typological. The literal fulfillment of the passage has to do with the third watch.
I believe that when the marvelous work begins and the servants return, the vast majority of the church will reject the light just as the majority of the church rejected it during the 2nd watch.
In another post I will provide about 10 evidences why that prophesy in section 45 has to do with the 3rd watch.
The children of Israel are a perfect example.
The following chart shows an amazing time line of the revelations.
Overcome To surmount; to get the better of; as, to overcome difficulties or obstacles.
Surmount To surpass; to exceed.
In that same revelation the Lord said,
“I the Lord am angry with the wicked. I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth.”
Part 6- The Transfiguration of Lyman Wight
Part 7- True Oath & Covenant found in True Manner of Baptism
Part 8- The Gospel of Abraham and Patriarchal Polygamy
Part 9- Three Orders of Priesthood
Part 10- Three Distinct Churches Representing Three Distinct Gospel Laws
I ended the last post asking you if you knew what the following five people all had in common.
Do you know what these five people all had in common?
They all experienced an amazing supernatural spiritual epiphany in their lives. It is an epiphany and endowment that is not spoken of frequently in the scriptures. Possibly because it happens so rarely and possibly because the bible had it removed and the sealed portion of the plates that speak about it in detail were never brought forth.
These three men had the heavens opened and they saw both the Father and the Son. The event was part of their true baptismal covenant. And they all experienced this before 1833. There is no account of anyone in the church experiencing that sacred event anytime from 1836 to the present time… do you think that is a coincidence?
What they began experiencing has to do with the very definition of what the fullness of the gospel is.
In the next part of this series we are going to address the definition of what the fullness of the Gospel is because we cannot fully appreciate when and how the church apostatized until we now what it apostatized from!
If you think you know exactly what the fullness of the gospel is, you just might be surprised.
Keep Watching
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
(My backwards journey in “awakening” and loosing my “worldly innocence” about the current state of the church as I began to identify the four apostasies of the latter days)
Many years ago as I was struggling to keep my head above the water as a young married person with a few kids, a demanding job that required me to be on 24 hour call, and a calling in the bishopric.
I was blissfully unaware that there might be any problems in the only true church.
In my worldview, the church was a near-perfect institution that was the purveyor of the fullness of the Gospel.
Back during those years and also previously, during my mission, I had had some very profound spiritual experiences that I cannot begin to describe because they are ineffable and sacred to me. Suffice it to say, they had to do with an incredible burning within pertaining to the reality of the atonement of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the gospel.
I felt I had received the second part of baptism. I felt I had been “born again”. For that reason alone, the human foibles of others within the church was simply not an issue for me. Testimony was a personal thing, not a public thing.
My spiritual experiences at that level were not something I ever really spoke to anyone about. I realized it was just a personal thing. I suspected that not everyone I the church had experienced it but I suspected that many had.
It is not my intent to speak about it in depth in this article either, however I need to simply make mention of it because it relates to the story line of what I want to address in this article pertaining to the journey of awakening and the loss of naivete and innocence regarding the state of the Church.
Yes, I saw the obvious things going on in the church that were a little disconcerting, but hey, people are human! The church is an imperfect institution and that is really what makes it perfect in its role of perfecting the Saints!
Right?
My father who was extremely well connected to the current brethren by blood and by his callings as stake president, regional rep and mission president had warned me to never go to work for the church because I would lose my testimony if I ever got that close to the inner workings of the institution.
He counseled me to always separate how the outer church institution conducted business vs the inner spiritual truthfulness of the gospel as contained in the scriptures.
I suppose it was him that perhaps played a small role in my earlier, partial loss of naiveté regarding my fairytale religious worldview.
During that time in my life I got to know an elderly lady in my ward by the name of Clare Middlemiss.
She lived about three blocks from me.
This charming lady had lived an amazing life and was now nearing the end of it.
I am guessing she was in her 80’s or 90’s at the time.
She was very lonely and was pretty neglected. I don’t think she had many living relatives.
I think I initially met her because she was a “shut-it” that needed the sacrament taken to her home on Sundays and I was over the boys that needed to provide this service for her.
In a conversation with her one day she could see that I was fascinated with LDS Church history so she invited me over to her house to discuss it.
Initially I probably went over as a service project and possible to humor her, as I didn’t think she really had very much information that would be of interest to me.
I had heard that she had never been married which was intriguing to me. She was a beautiful woman and I couldn’t imagine how she had escaped the institution of marriage.
When I met with her I was blown away to find out that she had spent much if not most of her adult life working for the church… as the personal secretary of President David O McKay!
I was stunned.
As I recall, our first conversation was rather short. I think she was checking me out to see where I was coming from emotionally, spiritually and intellectually and how much raw information I could handle.
She obviously had a story to tell and she was looking for someone to tell it to.
She showed me a huge scrapbook regarding the life of McKay and many of the major events that took place in the church under his watch.
She invited me to return again sometime.
I later found out that she had over 130,000 pages consisting of diaries discourses and scrapbooks.
As I began to ask older people in the ward about her I found that she never married because she was 100% dedicated to her job… she was married to her job…. and , in a sense, she was married to McKay.
People would say under their breath, she was his second wife, or she chose to be married to the church instead of being married to a man, etc.
Some felt that she spent significantly more personal time with McKay than he did with his own wife.
When I say that some people perceived her to be McKays second wife, I am not implying that anything inappropriate ever took place. I am simply stating that she worshiped him and devoted her life to him and to the church. As a result, she spent an inordinate amount of time and energy in her job and she never had time for marriage.
She was passionate about her role. She took it very seriously. She was a strong personality who was no bodies fool. She could take a very high profile dignitary who came into her office demanding to see President McKay and send him on his way licking his wounds.
She considered McKay to be an endangered resource and she considered herself to be his protector and confidant.
She was largely the one who was chosen to discern who should warrant his time and his ear.
To many, she was an anomaly, and a dichotomy. She lived a very different life than the one the church teaches you should live, with a spouse and family, and yet she was, in many ways, helping to run the church.
Those of you who have been in sales are probably aware of the dreaded “gatekeeper” who you need to get past in order to pitch your product to the decision maker. Well, Middlemiss was the “middle man” so to speak… she was the grand and dreaded gatekeeper as far as access to McKay was concerned.
And she did her job well.
Many of the general authorities came to resent her for making it such a difficult and laborious task to gain access to the Lords anointed.
What many of them didn’t realize (and what many sales people don’t realize) is that the gatekeeper not only determines who gets to see the decision maker, they often also have a great deal of influence on the decisions he makes!
How you and your cause is perceived by the decision maker is often very much determined by the whispering of the gatekeeper.
The most balanced and perhaps fairest assessment of Clare Middlemiss came from Robert L Simpson who, as a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, worked with her and McKay for nearly a decade;
“She believed implicitly that she had a responsibility to protect President McKay and to do everything she could to conserve his energy and strength, and give him peace of mind. And she did that to the very utmost of her ability.
I never saw one occasion when she did anything but when she thought it was for the benefit of the Church, and President McKay personally.
A lot of people were a little taken aback by her, because she held the line, but she had to , and in her mind she was doing what the Lord wanted her to do.
Even other members of the [First] Presidency or the Twelve that would try and make an end run – she just didn’t let that happen. And I think President McKay appreciated it…
He never wavered in his trust … I think Clare Middlemiss was meant to be for just exactly what she did, and the role she played.”
The above quote was taken from the book found here
As i recall, I think it was my second visit with Middlemiss when I completely lost my first stage of innocence and naiveté regarding the state of the church.
In that conversation she began speaking about McKay’s strong political views and his stance on communism and secret combinations and how his beliefs created a philosophical and religious split among many of the brethren.
It was very possibly McKay that fueled President Benson’s life-long passion to warn people about communism and secret combinations.
She shared with me how Ezra Taft Benson and Hugh B. Brown hated each other and tried to get each other disciplined, if not excommunicated.
Ezra was ultra conservative with ties to the John Birch Society. Hugh was an extremely liberal minded saint from Canada.
She showed me letters about and between the ongoing feuds between these two “apostles” that stood my hair on end.
She showed me many other things that shook my foundation regarding the state of the only true church.
Mind you, she was not trying to shake my testimony, she simply had a story to tell and she wanted to find someone to tell it to.
She wasn’t viewing these events through doctrinal eyes pertaining to the spiritual state of the Church, to her it was simply a study in human nature… she was simply passionate about her experience being in the nucleus of a rapidly expanding religious organization and the incredible social and political dynamics it went through. All of that was really the secondary part of her story. The main one had to do with the man she gave her complete loyalty to.
To be honest, although she provided me with one of my first significant epiphanies regarding the fact that the brethren were not always united in their religious views, and that all was not well in Zion, I was not ready or able assimilate the information she had to share with me.
It really kind of scared me.
I felt a little dirty and perhaps a little guilty after reading some of the letters she shared with me, that the brethren sent to each other and about each other. I felt like a voyeur of sorts peeking into people’s personal lives… people I have held in high esteem… people I have possibly worshiped?
In hindsight I deeply regret that I did not take better advantage of the tremendous opportunity that she was offering me… but I really wasn’t ready for it. I did want to better understand the state of the Church, but I wanted to do it my way and at my pace.
And I wanted the outcome of my research to in in an outcome that I could live with.
I was not ready to embark on the journey of discovery that has since taken up about 20 years of my life. So I kept going in the direction I had been going on and I simply shelved most of the information she shared with me.
I took from her and that experience the information that I could comprehend at the time and went my merry way down life’s path.
She died within a few years after I met her.
Oh how I would love to be able to go through the 130,000 pages. What a great reality TV series it would make!
Knowing what I now know, I wish I could turn back the clock and spend a few months extracting information from her and her historical documents. The context that I would view it in now would be quite different than how I viewed things back then.
My journey in waking up a little bit at a time, losing my innocence a little bit at a time, and discovering that all is not well in Zion probably started in a similar way that it happens to many.
It began by first assuming that all was well.
I then began seeing that the fruits that the church was producing were not the same fruits that the NT, BofM and restoration churches began producing.
Following that, I began to see some disturbing things in recent church history. In my case, much of that discovery began with Miss Middlemiss.
I therefore began my quest to understand the apostasy of the church at my own speed… my investigative research took place studying the history of the church while moving backwards in time just like most people do.
I studied the history of the church moving from the 1980’s towards the 1820’s instead of moving from the 1820’s towards the 1980’s.
The difference between me and many others who write about the apostasy of the church is that I did not end my investigative research once I got to the problems of the late 1800’s when the issue of discontinuing the practice of polygamy became a hot issue.
Somehow, by the grace of God, I was allowed to continue on my journey after spending considerable time studying the polygamy and related issues. I realize that it is only by the grace of God that I am not living in southern Utah with long sleeved garments and multiple wives and profusely quoting brother Brig.
Nevertheless, I truly wish I had begun this quest from the other end of LDS church history. I wish I had begun my investigative research at the beginning of the restoration movement working my way forward instead of working my way backwards in time. If I had done so, I could have bypassed all those years wasting my time pouring over the Journal of Discourses and trying to make sense out of things!
If only I would have spent more time in the four standard works and the early history of the LDS restoration movement I would have saved so many brain cells!
If only I would have worked my way forward in time rather than backwards in time, I could have avoided so much doctrinal, emotional and spiritual BULLSHIT.
That is the purpose of this multi-part series.
It is for those who have begun to awaken to the fact that all is not well in Zion and have begun their investigative research by moving backwards in time.
I am here to tell you that you can avoid a lot of wasted time getting caught up in the LDS fundamentalist quagmire- and get right to the crux of the matter if you will only start at the beginning instead of working backwards.
So, why am I working my way backwards on this topic in this article if I am suggesting that you do the opposite in your personal studies?
I am working backwards in this article because that is how I ended up working my way through the maze and that is how most people work their way through the maze.
My suggestion to you however is that in your quest for the truth, you would be wise to drop the JD and all other ancillary reading materials that you are currently ingesting and spend your time exclusively in the four standard works (including the jst) and the early history of the church that has to do with the time periods that the revelations in the D&C were given.
Once you gain an understanding and appreciation for what the fulness of the gospel is, you will be able to view all of the following events in the proper context.
I am not saying you shouldn’t be familiar with the other parts of LDS history. It is important to understand them for context, but you want to avoid getting stuck there and never learning about the true beginnings of the restoration movement.
Most LDS Fundamentalists are largely ignorant about the deeper aspects of the early history of the church and the revelations growing out of those periods. They can speak intelligently about section 132 and the JD but they get glassy eyed if you try to engage them in the really early parts of the restoration movement and associated scriptures.
If you begin studying history of the church from a strong and accurate foundation, everything else will fall into place.
In the following parts of this series I will continue providing a brief summary of what I learned in my quest to sort things out in my methodical backwards journey in time.
After I finish this segment pertaining to the “modern apostasy” of the church in Utah, our next stop will be the next major shaking up which took place shortly after the death of Brigham Young and taking us through the turn of the century.
I refer to this as the apostasy of the apostate church in Utah.
In that segment I will briefly share my experience and discovery pertaining to our fundamentalist friends and the “other gospel” they teach.
After discussing the two apostasies that took place in Utah, we shall address the apostasy of Nauvoo and then the apostasy of Kirtland…. we shall visit the rejection of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” when they failed to complete the Nauvoo Temple and became scattered abroad, as detailed in section 124 and the history of the Church.
After we review the apostasy that took place in Nauvoo, we will continue this unorthodox method of moving backwards in time and visit the very beginning of the restoration of the pure and simple Church of Christ and how it brought forth the Church of God complete with the fullness of the gospel and the baptism of fire and the holy ghost… even the church of the first born and the Melchizedek priesthood.
In the last segment we will review the first major “falling away” of the latter day restored church that was prophesied by Paul and verified by Joseph Smith.We shall address the prophesied time when the man of sin was revealed. It is the time Moses spoke of when the blessing and the cursing would be bestowed…
That was the first of the four apostasies that took place historically yet it will be the last apostasy that we will address in this article.
Clear as mud?
The seeds of the first apostasy began at the special conference at the Morley farm and was completed with the apostasy in Kirtland when the Saints were scattered from the holy place because they failed to obey the commandment to publish the fullness of the scriptures and redeem Zion.
The crowning achievement of this first apostasy was the defiling of the Kirtland Temple.
If you have begun to awaken to the serious state of the Church and you have begun to move backwards in time in your investigative research to better understand when and how the apostasy of the church took place, you might want to follow this series. It may save you a little heart ache, and save you a few brain cells, and negate the need for a harem.
to be continued…
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
One of the unique things about Mormonism that distinguishes us from protestants is the concept of needing priesthood authority to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel.
A huge emphasis is put on the importance of priesthood authority and how the saving ordinances of the gospel must be performed by one who has been properly ordained by the living God. Furthermore, LDS teachings often emphasis that once God ordains someone to the priesthood, all other priesthood ordinations must come through that person or someone that person has ordained. In other words once the priesthood is restored in a dispensation through a mortal man or men, all other ordinations must be able to trace their ordinations back to the originating man or men that were originally ordained.
I believe there is a priesthood authority that is required to administer the ordinances of the Gospel and I believe the scriptures make this abundantly clear.
There are, however, some teachings that I consider to be heresies about priesthood exclusivity that have entered into the Church.
Only One Person on the Earth at a Time?
One of them, in my opinion, originates from passages in section 132 verses 5-7
“And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God. And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.”
The above mentioned passages would have us believe that there is only one person on the earth at a time that has the priesthood keys through which others may be ordained to be able to administer the saving ordinances… in fact those passages can even be interpreted to be saying that only one particular designated person can actually seal another person up to eternal life, etc.
I have already briefly addressed this issue before, including the false definition of “New and Everlasting Covenant” that is introduced in section 132, however today I want to go into more detail about the false notion of priesthood is always controlled by an exclusive franchise by the first person or group to be ordained, or that there is always just one person holding these keys, etc. (see analysis of Section 132)
I have pointed out previously that God called and endorsed two separate ministries at the same time during the ministry of Joseph Smith.
God was working a work through the ministry of Sidney Rigdon, the Lords Spokesman in Kirtland which involved baptising people ( see D&C 35:4) while at the same time he was working a work through the ministry of Joseph Smith, the Lords Seer, in New York.
Sidney had been inspired of God to do a work independent of the calling and ministry that Joseph was currently involved in. It appears that particular work was able to be done via the lineal patriarchal priesthood that Sidney had inherited.
Again, Sidney and his ministry had been called independently of Joseph and his ministry stewardship.
I have also pointed out previously how God had Joseph and Hyrum jointly hold the keys for a brief time in Nauvoo..
These are difficult concepts for many of us Mormons to wrap our minds around because we have been so indoctrinated to think that God ALWAYS only works through one main person… and all others that are called of God must be called and ordained through that particular person… we have been led to believe that God will never call and ordain two separate people and associated ministries, independently, at the same time.
Of course anyone familiar with the Old Testament realizes that it was not uncommon for God to be working through multiple prophets at a time, independently.
I would suggest the apostle Paul provides us with another great example of how God sometimes works independently in calling prophets and apostles.
The apostle Paul was never a member of the “quorum” of the 12 apostles the Peter, James and John were members of.
Paul was never ordained to be an apostle by Peter James and John.
In fact, he was never ordained by a human being. He was ordained directly by God, even though the Church of Christ had been established and was on the earth at the time, and priesthood keys were held by Peter, James and John.
Here are Paul’s own words as contained in his epistle to the Galations,
“Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised him from the dead)”
Paul never even met Peter and James until after his conversion on the road to Damascus and his subsequent first mission to the gentiles.
It was not until after the apostle Paul went on a three year mission to the Gentiles that the Lord commanded him to travel to Jerusalem and finally meet Peter and James for the first time!
It was not Peter that received the revelation for the meeting to take place, it was Paul.
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem he didn’t humbly submit himself to Peter and ask for his marching orders. He considered himself equal with the other apostles.. on one occasion he chastised Peter in front of others for hypocrisy,
“I said unto Peter before them all, if thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest the the Gentiles to live as the Jews?”
Peter, James and John and their brethren of the twelve apostles were currently ministering to the Jews (circumcised) at the time that Paul had been called by God to minister to the Gentiles (uncircumcised).
If the First Elders were Apostles, Why Were the Twelve Called?
Understanding that Paul’s calling to the apostleship differed both in the focus of his ministry and in the procedure in which he was called and ordained to be an apostle, gives greater significances to what the Lord said to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer,
“And now, Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment; for, behold, I command all men everywhere to repent, and I speak unto you, even as unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling with which he was called.
Incredible.
I would submit that the three witnesses and the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon were called primarily to labor initially to the Gentiles during the second watch. It is interesting to see how many of them fell away from the church after the Kirtland apostasy and the sending of the preparatory gospel to the nations of the earth.
Oliver and David were commanded to call and ordain twelve OTHER apostles who would not go forth on a foreign mission to the scattered Jews and remnants of Israel until AFTER the gentiles in America had rejected the fulness of the gospel.
Are we seeing a type here?
This is a typological clue to understanding the difference between the apostleship calling and ministry that David and Oliver and others of the first elders had, compared to the apostleship that Marsh, Patten, Young, Kimball and other members of the “quorum” of the twelve had.
Interesting how the 1st watch “quorum” of the twelve were called to preach to the “Jews” first, then Paul was ordained, and eventually the twelve were also called to go to the scattered gentiles.
Conversely, the 2nd watch apostles to the Gentiles were first called to take the gospel to the gentiles, then the “quorum” of the twelve were also called to take the gospel to the Gentiles first and then to the Jews and other remnants of Israel scattered among foreign nations.
Notice what Joseph said in an1835 sermon where he expains the difference between the newly called “traveling” quorum of apostles and those already called such as David and Oliver,
“After which the following quotation was prepared by President Smith (viz.:) What importance is there attached to the calling of these Twelve Apostles different from the other callings or offices of the Church? After some discussion of Elders [David W.] Patten, [Brigham] Young, Wm. Smith & [Wm. E.] McLellin, President Smith gave the following discussion. They are the Twelve Apostles, who are called to the office of Traveling High Council, who are to preside over all the churches of the Saints among the Gentiles, where there is no presidency established, and they are to travel and preach among the Gentiles, until the Lord shall command them to go to the Jews. They are to hold the keys of this ministry, to unlock the door of the kingdom of heaven unto all nations, and to preach the Gospel to every creature. This is the power, authority and virtue of their apostleship.”
This new quorum of the twelve was to first preach among the gentiles UNTIL the Lord shall call them to go to the Jews!
Joseph was simply reiterating what the Lord has said several times in modern revelation,
“The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly unto the Jews.”
I have previously postulated in other posts that when the Lord said the Lord needed to do something NEW for the salvation of the church that it was the sending of the twelve apostles to the foreign nations with the gospel of Abraham, as a result of the keys that were given in the Kirtland Temple. I have further postulated that this is the event mentioned in the allegory that keeps the things alive until the third watch. I have suggested that this event constituted sending the preparatory gospel to the Jews. The above statement from Joseph and associated scriptures actually verifies that the twelve were to be taking the gospel to the Jews after they had taken it to the Gentiles!
AWESOME!
“the first shall be last and the last shall be first.”
It is important to understand that both the 1st and the 2nd watch had two categories of apostles and that each category had a different calling to minister to a different branch of Israel initially.
This provides another testimony that the gentiles very quickly rejected the fulness of the gospel BEFORE the gospel was taken to the Jews and other remnants of scattered Israel… just as the 1st watch Jews very quickly rejected the gospel followed by the gospel going to the scattered gentiles.
It is incredibly important to understand just how completely and quickly the rejection of the gospel by the gentiles took place… I feel that if you don’t understand this, you will remain conflicted in your mind about the truth pertaining to many historical events and many doctrinal and priesthood related issues.
There was only One Falling Away.. and it was In Kirtland
Those who believe there was a falling away during the Kirtland years and also another one after the Saints arrived in Utah are quite conflicted in their minds because on the one hand they acknowledge that the gospel appears to have been preached and rejected by the gentiles during or before 1834 (with and extension and grace period of redeeming Zion by September 11 1836), yet they continue to assume that the keys of the priesthood had remained in the church and they continue to consider the teachings in the journal of discourses as a credible source of gospel study.
They assume that those who had rejected the fulness of the gospel and eventually went to Utah still spoke with authority and credibility… and that their polygamous lifestyles were an indication of their righteousness instead of a sign of their darkened minds and state of apostasy.
They seem to think that after the Saints rejected the fulness of the Gospel as contained in section 42, in Kirtland, somehow God mystically continued to shower the Saints with even greater knowledge, ordinances and spiritual endowments.
Two Types of LDS Fundamentalists
Please understand that there are two types of LDS fundamentalists.
The most common type of fundamentalists are those who assume that the main 2nd watch apostasy took place AFTER the death of Brigham Young. These folks believe that polygamy and the replacement of spiritual endowments with ritualistic masonic endowments are celestial principles that are congruent with the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The second (and authentic) type of LDS fundamentalists are those who realize that the apostasy was completed by September 11th 1836. These folks realize that the fulness of the Gospel and all necessary ordinances thereof were on the earth by the time that the special conference at the Morley Farm was completed in 1831.. all other strange doctrines and practices that entered into the church after the Kirtland apostasy are highly suspect, particularly when they are not congruent with the holy word of God.
If you believe the falling away took place in Kirtland yet you continue to believe that the keys of the kingdom went with the Saints to Utah and that polygamy is a celestial principle, then you will be conflicted in your mind until you finally come to the truth.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you
than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Let me just point out in case I have failed to do so in previous posts, that the new doctrines, definitions, practices, rituals and ordinances that crept into the church AFTER September 11 1836 came as a direct result of the rejecting of the fulness of the gospel.
THEY WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE CHURCH BECAUSE THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL HAD BEEN REJECTED!
These new doctrines, practices, rituals and ordinances that were prevalent among the Saints by the time they fled Kirtland, and shortly after, in Nauvoo, are what the Lord was referring to in section 124,
“And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord.
Clearly, the church was in apostasy before the arrived in Nauvoo, as had been declared in section 112. The strange follies and abominations that entered into the church after they fled Kirtland were the fulfillment of Gods warning back in 1829 that if the Saints hardened their hearts, he would turn them over to Satan.
There is a reason why many beliefs and practices that were not allowed to creep into the church in Kirtland later became embraced after the Saints left Kirtland. Here are a few of the beliefs and practices that crept in,
Those that insist on knowing the truth and our current state as a church must come to grips with when the falling away (from the fulness of the gospel) took place, how total and complete it was and how serious the consequences were that followed. Yes, it is true that the preparatory gospel of carnal commandments as administered in the Gospel of Abraham was sent to the Jews by the twelve after the Kirtland apostasy, but that is a lesser, gospel.
This is why the simple but eternally profound act of believing in Jesus Christ takes on even more significance during our current time of darkness.
If in fact the fulness of the gospel is not on the earth and we are waiting for God’s servants to return with priesthood authority to administer the ordinances, the most important single thing we can emphasize at this particular time is to BELIEVE IN CHRIST, followed by the desire to partake of his love and then show forth the love of God to our fellow men. We are informed by modern revelation that we can still be led by and filled with the Spirit of Christ which is always available to mankind even during times when the fulness of the gospel is not on the earth.
Seventeen Points to the True Church
Years ago while serving a mission in the Bible Belt I was armed by the church with an audio tape called “the 17 Points of the True Church”.
It was a recording of a fireside talk by Floyd Weston, a convert to the church.
According to his presentation,
“Near the outset of World War II, five college friends determined to search for the Lord’s true church. One of the group compiled a list of seventeen characteristics and key doctrines of the church Christ established. He suggested that Christ’s church today should include them all and that they should try to find such a church. The five friends began talking to priests and ministers, comparing the structure and doctrines of various churches with the list. None matched more than half of the requirements.
The five friends parted, and it was years before they met again. Individually, they had found and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, finding it to be the only church on the earth that encompassed all seventeen evidences.” (This inspiring story, told with power and conviction, was calculated to add strength and resiliency to the testimony of the missionaries that were using it as a teaching tool.A list of the seventeen evidences is included with the and also below.)”
17 Points of the True Church of Christ
Unfortunately, years later someone began researching people and events mentioned in the story on the tape… it appears that his story had been fabricated.
Apparently brother Weston suffered from the “Paul Dunn” syndrome of feeling that it is ok to tell a fictional story as if it is true as long as the intentions are good and the end result of gaining converts is a good cause.
The truth of the matter is that the presentation in the tape was a very compelling one to many people and it did in fact have a powerful influence on certain types of people.
It is unfortunate that the story line was fabricated because it has no doubt caused some people to question the doctrinal claims presented.
But frankly, even the doctrinal claims need to be critically analyzed.
Although I think there is some value in evaluating what a persons doctrinal research claims are, regarding the outline contained in the scriptures for identifying what God’s true church looks like and believes, it is still very subjective and it focuses on belief and practices of the true church rather than on the actual POWER and FRUITS that the church should have.
The fact that the story line was a fabrication is not the main point I want to make, the main point I want to make is that the mentality of Mormons and those who convert to Mormonism is often a very intellectual, philosophical, logical mentality… rather than one of actually requiring the true church they are seeking to have the exact same power and fruits that are so vividly depicted in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
After reviewing the seventeen scriptural points contained in the presentation, (35 years after my mission) it occurs to me that most of the points are referring to doctrines and practices and organizational structure. Things that any group could imitate.
What is wrong with simply requiring the exact same power and fruits that the original church had?
As a case in point, I think of Peter being asked for a temporal handout by a crippled person. His response was as follows,
“Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
How is that for identifying a sign of the true church? What was it that Peter had as a true member of the true Church?
POWER!
“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God..”
How is that for a vivid example of the power and fruits that are supposed to be found in the true church?
How is it that modern apostles get a way with giving “blessings of comfort and inspiration” to someone who is dying from disease or physical affliction instead of simply healing them?
Is it really that important that a person have a feeling of peace as they are dying? Is that the power and fruit of the gospel documented in the holy and infallible word of God?
Why don’t modern apostles boldly heal the crippled and raise the dead?
It occurs to me that along with noticing the scriptural profile of how the church should be organized and what their ordinances should be and what they should believe, the most important things we should be looking for are the fruits and powers that are ALWAYS associated with the true and living church.
Seven Points of the True Church
Interestingly, Christ actually gave such a list of how we can recognize the true church.
His list was a little shorter than brother Westons.
It contained 7 points instead of 17.
It focused on fruits and power.
He gives this list three times in the scriptures.
First He gave it to the New Testament Saints so that they could easily identify who the true believers of Christ’s church were. (Mark 16)
Secondly, He gave it to the Nephites so that they could identify who the true believers in Christ really were. (3rd Nephi)
Finally, He gave it to the Saints in modern revelation so that we who are waiting for the messengers to return in the 3rd watch will know how to identify the true believers in Christ. (Section 84)
In all three passages referenced above in the Bible, Book of Mormon and D&C he begins by commanding his servants to take and preach the gospel into all the world. (probably a veiled reference to the fact that all three groups of apostles will be returning in the 3rd watch to literally fulfill the commandment to take the gospel into ALL THE WORLD)
Here are the points contained in his list that identifies how to identify the true followers of Christ that constitute the true and living church,
In giving us the points by which we might identify the true and living church, Christ was focusing not just on the primary belief in Christ and the primary ordinance of the gospel, but also on the associated POWER and FRUITS that always accompany the fulness of the Gospel.
Notice that 5 of the 7 points had to do with POWER over devils, poison and, sickness.
(please note that the command to swear by ones neck in an endowment ritual and the need to take lots of wives are missing from the above list.. was that an oversight?)
In matt 7 and the Book of Mormon the Lord reminds us that even those who show forth powerful signs may be wolves in sheeps clothing.
Shortly after warning about the false prophets that would arise in the last days the following warning and clarification is given-
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Belief in Christ
Having reviewed the fact that we live during dark times and don’t have the fulness of priesthood, ordinances and gospel, AND that God can work independently of any of his church organizations any time he wants to, regardless of whether they are in apostasy or not, I want to encourage you to view a ten part video series of a mans testimony that claims to have had a miraculous conversion.
He had been an atheist his entire life with virtually no exposure to the scriptures. he had been living an extremely ungodly lifestyle when an event changed his life forever.
Unlike many “life after death” or “near death” testimonies, this man documents everything he learned and experienced from the scriptures.
At first it may be disconcerting to you that God did not tell him to run to the Mormon Church to get baptized.. and for that matter it may be disconcerting that he was not told about the upcoming marvelous work and many other mysteries, however I challenge you to watch with an open mind.. then discern if you think his experience was authentic… or whether he was deceived, or whether he is a deceiver, then, if you feel it was authentic, ponder just how important belief in Jesus Christ really is. That has always been the central theme of the gospel from which all else springs forth.
It is the essence of the gospel of salvation. Everything else grows out of it.
If this person really did experience what he claims he did, and if he really has met the Savior, the only important thing for him right now is accepting the grace and love of Jesus Christ and then sharing that love and testimony with others… and he will accept the servants and the fulness of the gospel in the due time of the Lord when the kingdom begins to roll forth for the last time…
You need to listen to all ten parts of his testimony to get the full impact of what he experienced in his attempt to avoid death, along with and the forgiveness of others and the ineffable love of God that he finally experienced during his journey of being spiritually born again..
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
I am not saying his experience was or was not authentic.. I am throwing his story out for people to consider..
For now, the elect of God who are on earth during this time of hidden darkness need to get back to the basics of belief in God and his holy word.
Once the 3rd watch begins, and the servants of the Lord return to the vineyard, additional records will come forth to try the faith of those professing to be disciples of Christ.
The true doctrines of Biblical Christianity that were taught at the beginning of the LDS restoration and then rejected, will be taught again.
And the seven signs that accompany those who accept the fulness of the gospel, as mentioned in all three cannons of scripture, will once again return to the true church.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Section One
Three Distinct Churches Representing Three Distinct Gospel Laws
(in the order of when they were established)
Church of Christ
Church of God
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Section Two
Aaronic Priesthood- pertains to ministering angels
Patriarchal Priesthood- pertains to seeing The Son-
Melchizedek Priesthood- pertains to seeing the Father
Section Three
144,000 High Priests to be sealed up in Nauvoo
Introduction to Part Ten
One of the significant blessings of understanding the events of the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood and the further clarifications Joseph gave in his sermon about the three orders of priesthood, is that you will begin to see things in the scriptures pertaining to the three orders of priesthood that you have never seen before.
Here is an example.
The following passage in section 84 identifies which priesthood holders should “travel” doing missionary work and which ones are called to remain among their local congregations.
When we read this section in the context of what had previously happened at the Morley Farm and once we understand that there are three orders of the priesthood (and three orders of associated glory (see section 88:29-31)), we can see that God was identifying how the three orders of the priesthood interrelate with each other pertaining to traveling to do missionary work.
Notice how the High Priests, (Melchizedek) Elders (Patriarchal) and “lesser” Priests (Aaronic) are to travel but the remaining officers in the Aaronic priesthood, ie, Teachers and Deacons are to remain among the local congregations and watch over the church,
“And behold, the high priests [Melchizedek priesthood] should travel, and also the elders, [Patriarchal priesthood] and also the lesser priests; [Aaronic priesthood] but the deacons and teachers should be appointed to watch over the church, to be standing ministers unto the church.” (84:111)
Once one begins to see and understand the distinction between the three orders of priesthood, one cannot so easily be fooled into thinking that the Melchizedek priesthood is the 2nd or middle priesthood and that the Patriarchal or Apostolic priesthood is the highest priesthood, or that there are only the two priesthoods that have been restored. (As is currently believed by many fundamentalist and main stream LDS)
Indeed the foundation of LDS Fundamentalism crumbles once the truth about what was originally revealed about priesthood is brought to light.
The false assumption that the patriarchal priesthood office of “Elder”, restored to the earth by Peter, James and John represents the highest order of the Melchizedek priesthood has skewed the meaning behind many of the events of the foundation movement.
Is the Patriarchal priesthood of Abraham the highest priesthood?
Clearly it is not.
And therefore, if there is a patriarchal law of multiple wives which functions under the preparatory gospel of Abraham and patriarchal priesthood, it is not as great as, nor part of the celestial law contained in the fullness of the Gospel which is identified in section 42. (which mandates monogamy as pertaining to celestial law It is helpful to remember that the apostate children of Israel who had rejected the higher law practices the carnal commandment of polygamy)
Obviously, God can command a Melchizedek Priesthood holder to do anything he wants to pertaining to Gods work upon the earth. Although it appears to me that Abraham practiced a form of polygamy BEFORE ascending to the highest priesthood of Melchizedek, I don’t see a problem with God commanding anything he wants, after the fact, as well, because the responsibility falls on God at that point.
(The will of God can supersede at any time and can command someone to do something ON BEHALF OF GOD. Nephi is a good example. If he had determined to kill Laban of his own intent and desires, and for his own purposes, he would have been guilty of breaking one of ten commandments and would have been a murderer just like David. And he and would have been subject to the consequences of his actions. However because the spirit of the Lord dictated to him to kill Laban while on Gods’ errand, in behalf of God’s will, Nephi was acting as God’s right hand of judgment. Nephi is not guilty of doing anything wrong… he simply acted as God’s servant on God’s behalf. God is personally responsible for the killing of Laban not Nephi. Needless to say, God falls under his own set of laws and he certainly commanded the killing of many people during Old Testament times.)
The restoration and loss of the fulness of the Melchizedek priesthood explains why there is very little, if any real power in the priesthood amongst anyone who claims to hold the same priesthood power that Melchizedek and Enoch held when in fact they really don’t.
Nevertheless, Joseph Smith’s declaration that all priesthood is Melchizedek provides a great safety net for those making the claim and provides substance for doctrinal lenience for those making the claim in ignorance.
Perhaps one of the most important things about the lessons learned from the Morley Farm experience and Joseph Smith’s discourse on the three orders of the priesthood is that it better prepares us for understanding why our generation of believers is now at the mercy of God sending a deliverer out of Zion and his fellow laborers to call us to repentance, restore the Melchizedek priesthood, and establish Zion. (see Rom. 11: 26 & Isa. 59: 20)
It also enables us to understand what to expect from the true servants of the Lord when they return.
Now we understand why we will need to be baptized.
Now we understand what the true manner of baptism is.
Now we understand how to enter into the oath and covenant of the Father and how critical it is to become sanctified by the baptism of fire and to see the face of God.
An understanding of the incredible light and knowledge bestowed upon the Saints provides answers to the many apparent discrepancies that exist about priesthood.
Section One
Three Distinct Churches Representing Three Distinct Gospel Laws
Church of Christ- 1829-30
Church of God- 1831
Church of the Latter-day Saints– 1834
(later changed to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints 1838)
When the New Testament Church came out of the wilderness, it was called the “Church of Christ”. A few years later, the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored for the first time at the Morley Farm. Revelations received by Joseph Smith began making reference to High Priests constituting the Church of God or, presiding over the Church of God which represented those that were gathered and attempting to live consecration. those revelations indicated that the High Priests of the Church of God always presided in the Church of Christ. When High Priests were not available, Elders would preside.This seemed to demote the patriarchal priesthood authority of the office of Elder, that had previously been presiding in the Church of Christ and dispensing the saving ordinances.
After the church failed in their attempt to gather and consecrate, the rejection of the fulness of the Gospel resulted in the name of Christ being taken out of the name of the Church of Christ. It was changed in 1834, to the Church of the Latter day Saints. Many years later, section 115 prophecied that in the last days, those that gathered and consecrated would be called the Church in Zion, while those who were yet in a scattered and unconsecrated condition would be called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. A misunderstanding of this revelation resulted in the Saints taking this name upon themselves prematurely.
Eventually, after a few short decades the entire church rejected the office of high priest as representing the third and highest order of the priesthood. Rather, it was considered an “office” within the same patriarchal priesthood that the office of Elder had been restored, by Peter, James and John. The patriarchal priesthood administering the office of Elder, was eventually considered by many to be synonymous with the Melchizedek priesthood.
We are now beginning to realize what really happened at the Morley Farm and how the key of knowledge pertaining to what really happened, and what the Melchizedek Priesthood really was, was withheld from future generations. It is now becoming apparent why and how the Saints got off track with regard to their understanding of priesthood and the three separate and distinct priesthoods that priesthood offices were restored from.
At the time the Melchizedek priesthood was restored, there was a need for the Lord to reveal how this higher level of priesthood authority interfaced with the existing patriarchal priesthood in the Church of Christ. Up until that time, Elders presided in the Church. Further revelation was needed to clarify how the High Priests were to function in the existing Church.
That clarification was forthcoming.
On November 12, 1831, shortly after the bestowal of the Melchizedek Priesthood and the office of High Priest for the first time in this dispensation, section 70 was given which introduces the phrase, “Church of God” for the first time in modern revelation.
The opening scripture addresses two distinct groups of people;
“Behold, and hearken, O ye inhabitants of Zion, and all ye people of my church who are afar off, and hear the word of the Lord…”
The above passages are making a distinction between those who have gathered and are attempting to consecrate and redeem Zion vs those who are still in a scattered condition outside of the designated holy places of gathering.
After speaking about those who have been called to be high priests, that have been made stewards over the revelations, he states;
“wherefore, I have appointed unto them, and this is their business in the church of God…”
Following that, he again refers to the “inhabitants of Zion” and addresses the issue of the “Lords storehouse” and the “laws of the kingdom“.
He then makes the following pronouncement;
“And behold, none are exempt from this law who belong to the church of the living God”
He then emphasizes how those who have entered into the higher order which he refers to as the “church of God” must be equal in temporal things or else the “manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld“.
I would submit to you that the term Church of God, (also referred to as the “Church of the living God” (and upon enduring to the end, the “Church of the Firstborn“) which is later revealed in section 72, is a new, distinct, church organization that is being introduced as a result of the endowment of the Highest Melchizedek priesthood and the organization of consecration.
All other churches that are in a scattered and unconsecrated condition are still called the Church of Christ in contemporary revelations of the time!
Eventually, after the Saints fail to redeem Zion and are sent forth to take the preparatory gospel of Abraham to the nations of the world, the Church organization is is renamed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, which according to the definition given in section 115 means to be in a scattered condition. (my contentions is that section 115 is a prophecy of the future, not the contemporary renaming of the Church of the Latter day Saints)
The tables below provide a brief distinction between the three primary church organizations mentioned in modern revelation along with the governing priesthood associated with each church organization.
The chart shows these three churches in the order in which they were established during the foundation movement,
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Patriarchal Priesthood Church of Christ (Functions under Patriarchal Priesthood restored in 1829 ) Apostle, Elder- Patriarchal Priesthood Ordained by angels or by the will of man Seed of Moses and Abraham Referred to as “Sons of Moses” |
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Melchizedek Priesthood Church of God [the Father] (Functions under Melchizedek Priesthood restored in 1831) High Priest- Melchizedek Priesthood Ordained by the voice of God out of heaven Without Father or Mother Referred to as “Sons of God” |
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Aaronic Priesthood Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints (Functions under Aaronic Priesthood restored in 1829) Priest, Teacher, Deacon- Aaronic Priesthood Ordained by angels or the will of man Seed of Aaron and Abraham Referred to as “Sons of Aaron”
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Understanding that there is a distinction in modern revelation between the following three church organizations can can make the distinction between the lesser priesthood, higher priesthood and the highest priesthood easier to comprehend ,
Furthermore, the D&C really comes alive once these concepts are understood.
But more clarification was still needed as to how the newly ordained High Priests were to interface with the existing church structure until Zion could be established.
During the same month that section 70 was given, in November of 1831, another revelation was given and recorded in the Kirtland Revelation Book, whick would eventually be published as Section 107, after recieving various modifications. This revelation gave a detailed explanation of how the High Priests were to fit into the existing Church of Christ while the Saints were attempting to gather, consecrate and redeem Zion. Section 107 incorporates portions of this un-canonized revelation.
Notice how the first paragraph of this revelation addresses the “Church of Christ” in the land of Zion.
Keep in mind that the only name the restored church had been called prior to the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood and the office of High Priest, in modern revelation is the Church of Christ.
Notice also that what the Lord was about to reveal in this revelation pertained specifically to the Church of Christ in the land of Zion, not to the Churches of Christ outside the land of Zion.
Notice also how the Church of Christ in the land of Zion had previously been presided over by presiding elders.
After giving a brief explanation of the priesthood order of the Church of Christ in the land of Zion, the next paragraph informs us that “the High Priesthood is the greatest of all“.
It then introduces, along with section 70 given the same month, for the first time in this dispensation, the phrase, “Church of God“;
“To the church of Christ in the land of Zion in addition to the Church Laws respecting church business verily I say unto you saith the Lord of Hosts there must needs be presiding Elders to preside over those who are of the office of a priest and also teachers over those who are of the office of a teacher and also the Deacons wherefore from Deacon to Teacher and from Teacher to Priest and from Priest to Elder severally as they are appointed according to the Covenants. Then cometh the High Priesthood which is the greatest of all… for this is the highest council of the church of God, and a final decision upon controversies in spiritual matters
[Notice how the term “greatest” is used again, referring to the Highest or Greatest Priesthood and the office of High Priest. Remember in section 50 how the term was used;
“..he that is ordained OF GOD [Melchizedek Priesthood] and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, not withstanding he is the least and the servant of all.
Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ his Son.
But no man is possessor of all things except he is purified and cleansed from all sin.”]
wherefore it must needs be that one be appointed of the high Priesthood to preside over the Priesthood and he shall be called President of the high priesthood of the Church or in other words the presiding high Priest over the high priesthood of the Church from the same Cometh the administering of ordinances and blessings [85] upon the church…:”
As you can see, in this revelation, the Lord is actually annexing the newly restored Melchizedek priesthood into the existing Churches of Christ living in the land of Zion to preside over the highest priesthood and to preside over the administering of ordinances and blessings.
To read the rest of this remarkable revelation and make comparisons between the different versions of it Click here
Once you realize that modern revelation references three distinct churches presided over by three distinct priesthoods and three distinct priesthood laws, the depth, beauty and clarity of what is being communicated in modern revelation is greatly enhanced.
The Gate
and
The Straight and Narrow Path
The acquisition of the highest priesthood of Melchizedek appears to be synonymous with getting through the gate onto the path.
One might assume that the purpose of the straight and narrow path is to get us to the gate, however, it appears that it is entrance into the gate that gets us to the straight and narrow path.
Perhaps finding ones way to the gate is possibly not as difficult as discerning the truth, submitting ones self to the ordinances and getting through the gate and onto the path.
Once the gospel is preached to someone, they simply make the choice to enter into the oath and covenant of the Father and accept baptism of water followed by the “gift of the Holy Ghost”.
Those two ordinances can be administered by an elder in the patriarchal priesthood… although it appears that the first laborers of the last kingdom will be High Priests having the fullness of the priesthood when they return. (Although they are apostles, they will be High Priest with the fullness of the priesthood also.)
After the baptism of water and the invitation to receive the Holy Ghost, you are then standing at the gate knocking.
Again, it appears that once the gift of the Holy Ghost is received, you stand knocking at the gate.
At this point, you are totally at the mercy of the father and the Son to grant your request.
It is up to the Father, acting through his son the mediator, to call or elect you to the highest priesthood by letting you through the gate via the calling of his voice out of heaven and the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
Once you are through the gate, you are on the straight and narrow path which leadeth to eternal life.
Again, using Lyman Wight as an example, he immediately responded to the gospel message in 1830 and made the choice to show his faith and commitment to Christ by making his oath and being baptized. He received a remission of his sins and undoubtedly enjoyed the intermittent reception of the Gift of the Holy Ghost which gave him greater revelation
Within about 18 months, because of the desires of his heart, his faith and his love of the Lord which produced good fruits, he was called (and as eventually verified in section 124, elected) to the highest priesthood by the voice of God out of the heavens.
It appears that baptism of water and fire represents one’s entrance into the gate to the strait path,
“Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
One reason I suspect that baptism by water AND fire represent entry into the gate is because in the 2nd chapter of Nephi 9 we are told to repent and be baptized, then several chapters later we are told that entry into the gate only takes place after the Holy One admits us in. I believe that the act of the keeper of the Gate letting us in, is referring to the bestowal of the fire, which sanctifies us and allows us to see God.
The following passages assure us that the wise and learned and rich who are puffed up cannot fool him.
And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.
And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.
Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.
For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.
But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!
41 …..O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.
42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.
I believe the above passages are referring to the process of being obedient to the commandment to be baptized by water while exercising faith. That is the process of knocking that the above passages refer to.
Notice that it is Christ himself that must open the gate, which I believe is done by sending the gift of the holy Ghost, followed by the baptism of fire as one is receptive to the preliminary gift of the Holy Ghost.
Section Two
Patriarchal Sees the Son- Melchizedek Priesthood Sees the Father
One of the things that had occurred to me pertaining to the work of the Father and the priesthood of the Father is that the 2nd priesthood which was restored by Peter James and John, was able to dispense the saving ordinances of the gospel and commune with Christ, but the highest priesthood, enables the recipient to see BOTH the Father and Son and have the Father bear testimony of the Son. That is one of the amazing things we learn from the restoration of the highest priesthood at the Morley Farm.
As this distinction began to become more clear in my mind it occurred to me that according section 76 there are three degrees of glory and that each degree was associated with the privilege of being in the presence of one of the members of the Godhead.
| Those who inherit the Telestial Glory as a result of living Telestial Law– Enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit: “These are they who receive… the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial world…and also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them…’ (86-88) |
Those who inherit the Terrestrial Glory as a result of living Terrestrial law- Enjoy the presence of the Son: “And again we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial… These are they who receive of his glory but not of his fullness, these are they who receive the presence of the son, but not of the fullness of the father.” 71-77
Those who inherit the Celestial Glory as a result of living Celestial law- Enjoy the presence of and equality with the Father: “And thus we saw the glory of the Celestial, which excels in all things- where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever… they who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fullness and of his grace; and he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion” (92-95)
There ARE higher laws and lesser laws
Section 88 clarifies that there are three LAWS associated with the three degrees of glory spoken of in section 76. We are clearly informed that the Law of Christ represents Celestial Law.
It is very clear in the scriptures that the Celestial Law of the Fulness of the Gospel is a higher law than Terrestrial Law and Telestial Law. Celestial Law clearly leads to a Celestial Glory which is higher than the Terrestrial Glory or the Telestial Glory.
Please notice the wording in section 88,
“…bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.” Section 88
There are those who choose to believe that there are no “higher” or “lower” laws however, that assumption is clearly false. There are higher and lesser laws that result in higher and lesser glories.
As stated in section 88, those that accept and live the “Law of Christ” will inherit the celestial glory. Those that live one of the lower laws will inherit a lower or lesser glory.
The Law of Zion
It is absurd to think that the law Moses that was revealed to the children of Israel is not a lesser law compared to the law of the Gospel. .
Modern revelation specifically speaks of “gospel law”, “celestial law” and the “law of Zion” as being a law that clearly leads to a higher glory.
Notice the following verses from section 105,
“And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial
kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.”
“That the kingdoms of this world may be constrained to acknowledge that the kingdom of Zion is in very deed the kingdom of our God and his Christ; therefore, let us become subject unto her laws.”
“And let those commandments which I have given concerning Zion and her law be executed and fulfilled, after her redemption.”
Some would suggest that since the exact phrase “higher law” is never used in the scriptures that the various gospel laws must not represent laws that are higher or lesser laws compared to each other.
The fact that the exact phrase “higher law” or “lesser law” is not specifically used in scripture certainly doesn’t negate the truthfulness of the doctrine taught in section 88 and so many other places in Gods holy and infallible word. Such logic is very questionable.
The doctrine of the “rapture” is believed by many Christians is a true doctrine even though the word “rapture” is never used in the scriptures. Yet the word rapture simply is a term that has been used by some divisions of Christianity to refer to an event wherein the Saints are “caught up” to meet Christ in the clouds, it is mentioned multiple times in the Bible and modern revelations. The doctrine is true despite the fact that a term often used to describe it is not in the scriptures.
Paul tells us that the law [of Moses] was given as a school master to lead us to faith.
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
Is it not clear from those verses that the preparatory “schoolmaster” law is a lesser law that leads us to the higher law of Faith?
The inspired version informs us that the first law that Moses was going to give to the children of Israel had a “priesthood” and a “holy order” that the second law did not have. He describes the second law as the “law of carnal commandments“;
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two other tables of stone, like unto the first, and I will write upon them also, the words of the law, according as they were written at the first on the tables which thou brakest; but it shall not be according to the first, for I will take away the priesthood out of their midst; therefore my holy order, and the ordinances thereof, shall not go before them; for my presence shall not go up in their midst, lest I destroy them.
But I will give unto them the law as at the first, but it shall be after the law of a carnal commandment; for I have sworn in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my presence, into my rest, in the days of their pilgrimage. Therefore do as I have commanded thee, and be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai”,
Can anyone really believe that the “law of carnal commandments” is the only law that God has ever given or that it is equal with every other law that has ever been given? Is not the Law of the Gospel as separate law? Is it not a higher law than the law of carnal commandments?
Is not the law of faith and mercy a higher law that transcends the law of carnal commandments?
Apparently the Book of Mormon teaches that the law of mercy and the law of justice are not the same laws nor are they equal to each other. Apparently mercy can overpower the law of justice… does that not make it a higher law?
“And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.”
Is there not a law associated with priesthood?
Are there not three different divisions of priesthoods with three divisions of laws associated with them?
Section 84 tells us the “lesser priesthood” pertains to the “preparatory gospel”… is the preparatory gospel not a division of gospel law?
“Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.”
The D&C informs us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a LAW which includes consecration. This is a higher law than what was given to the Children of Israel.
“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;”
“Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.”
A term used in the D&C to designate a HIGHER LAW is “Celestial Law”
“And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;
And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.” 105:4-5
The inspired version tells us that there is definitely a difference between the carnal law of Moses and Gospel Law;
“For the law was after a carnal commandment, to the administration of death; but the gospel was after the power of an endless life, through Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father.” JST John 1:1-34
Is it a far stretch to assume that the law that leads to eternal life is a higher law than the one that leads to death?
From scripture we learn there are three general laws that result in the three glories that will be inherited after this probationary experience. No, these three laws are not equal and yes, some are higher while others are lesser laws.
It is interesting to note that there are three divisions of the Godhead that seem to coincide with the three divisions of priesthood and the three laws pertaining to three glories.
One might even postulate the possibility that the three aspects of baptism may interrelate in this scenario,
Triumvirates within the Gospel
| Father | Son | Holy Ghost |
| Melchizedek- Highest | Abrahamic- Higher | Aaron- Lesser |
| Celestial Glory | Terrestrial Glory | Telestial Glory |
| Presence of the Father | Presence of the Son | Presence of the Holy Ghost |
| Blood- Sanctification | Spirit- Justification | Water- Commandment |
| Church of the First Born | Church of Christ | Church of JC of LDS |
The above three columns are given to illustrate a pattern of three’s in the gospel plan. Some components may not apply in the literal sense. I suspect that other components could be added as well, whether typological or literal in their connection.]
The thought that the Church of Christ that was initially restored to the earth by Peter James and John represented a lesser law of the Gospel until one becomes consecrated and “elected” by the Father to receive the highest priesthood was an amazing possibility to me and it seemed to connect some of the dots.
All of the sudden, I began to see a little more clearly why Lyman Wight felt that the Book of Commandments that was used by the Church of God, represented Celestial Law and the Doctrine and Covenants that was used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints represented telestial Law.
As mentioned in previous articles and parts of this series, once the Saints failed at consecration, were forced out of Jackson County, defiled the Kirtland Temple, failed to redeem Zion at the appointed time and fled from Kirtland a great transition took place in the church.
Among them was yet another name change for the church.
When it appeared that the scattered church of Christ was unable to live the higher law, the Lord then designated those who remained in a scattered condition as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints;
“Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints”……………..…. Telestial Law
“Church of Christ” …………………………………………….…….Terrestrial Law
“Church of God [the Father]” or “Church of the Firstborn”…Celestial law
Section Three
144,000 High Priests to be sealed up in Nauvoo
The Lord revealed the priesthood by hand through Elijah the Restorer
Those of you who have read my “behold the time has fully come” paper will remember that I observed about 8 different variations of the Malachi prophecy from the D&C, inspired version, the words of ministering angels and the words of Joseph Smith. I then used them to create an amalgamated version of the prophesy that looked something like this;
“Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, who is to restore all things before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
And during the 2nd watch he shall first plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and in the 3rd watch the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers and he will bind and seal the heart of the Prophets to the Jews, and the heart of the Jews to the Prophets, in preparation for when I come and smite the earth with a curse. If it were not for the return of Elijah the restorer, the whole earth, including the righteous would be utterly wasted at his coming” (Amalgamation and interpretation of the text of the prophecy in Mal 4 by the Watcher.. changes in red)
I love the amalgamated version of Malachi’s prophecy which is made possible from further light and knowledge that the restored gospel provides!
I must say, that the passages above took on greater significance to me after I began this current obsession in trying to understand the events associated with the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood that took place at the Morley Farm.
Although there are multiple fulfillments with many types and shadows of the above prophecy, I firmly believe that to date, the events at the Morley Farm represent the most literal fulfillment of the prophecy in Malachi.
Joseph Smith, acting in the spirit and calling of Elijah the Restorer, revealed the Melchizedek priesthood as Gods anointed servant, from the calling of God’s voice out of heaven. The calling and election of 23 High Priests that day at the Morley Farm represented the revealing of the priesthood by hand! The very first high priest to be ordained was Lyman Wight… He was ordained by hand.
The ordination by the laying on of hands represented the revealing by hand!
Those of the 23 that were faithful, eventually did or will receive the other comforter as a constant companion sealed into their hearts!
Truly the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood resulted in the delay of the great curse of God going forth in the earth! I believe the delay of the curse was to last four generations and I believe those four generations are coming to an end! The last warning and associated judgment of those living in the Promised Land is about to take place.
The great work that began during the 2nd watch was hindered, therefore, the fulfillment of the prophecy in the passages above has not been fulfilled to the fullest….when Joseph and the other laborers return, the priesthood will be restored to those from who it had been lost. (see section 113).
In fact, the application of this prophecy to the future, and to the sealing of the 144,000 is implied in the August 13 discourse as he follows up after that prophecy with this one;
“And I saw another angel ascending from the east having the Seal of the living God and he cried &c. sayin[g] Hurt not the Earth nor sea nor trees
till we have sealed the servants of our Go in their foreheads.—”
As you can see, the curse does eventually go forth, but not until AFTER the calling of the 144,000 high priests.
The prophet goes on in the discourse to tease his listeners about the mysterious meaning of the word “seal” mentioned in Revelation 7,
“What is the seal spoken of in Rev 7-3 find it out if you can I will not reveal it now but will drop an idea that I have never revealed concerning Election connected with the sealing of the servants of God in the fore or top of the head…”
“What is the object of this important mission or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the saints of God gathered, Zion built up and the saints to come up as saviours on Mount Zion!” Jan 21 44
From the above three statements from Joseph Smith we learn this about the sealing of the 144,000 High Priests,
1-Keys delivered (by Peter James and John)
2- the Spirit of Elijah comes (the Lord reveals and restores the Melchizedek Priesthood)
3- The Saints Gathered (to Zion )
4- Zion is built up (those living receive their election and then do work for the dead so they can come forth)
5- Saints to come up as Saviours on Mount Zion (all 144,000 of the living and dead all come forth and be quickened and sealed )
“if you are not one you are not mine”
Mutual Salvation
Regarding the variations I found that enabled me to create the composite, or amalgamated passage above, I was recently reviewing the Joseph Smith Nauvoo discourses and came across yet another variation of the Malachi prophesy that provides even more enlightenment., Look what Joseph Smith said in a discourse given on August 13th 1843;
“I will send Elijah the prophet and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers in relation to the children and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers that they may have the privilege of entering into the same covenant with each other in order to effect the mutual salvation lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse”
I have mentioned in a few posts that there seems to be two levels or characterizations of salvation mentioned in the scriptures, “personal salvation” and “group salvation”. (or mutual salvation)
“Personal salvation” is the personal acquisition of faith repentance, baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost which cleanses a person from sin and enables a person to enter into a covenant that makes a person one with Christ and God.
“Group Salvation”, or as Joseph Smith puts it, “mutual salvation” is simply the merging together into “one”, everyone who has become one with Christ. Obviously, if I become one with Christ, and you have become one with Christ, we would both be one with each other in the collective body of Christ. According to modern revelation this requires consecration.
It should therefore not surprise us that as part of celestial law, there are provision for the Saints to organize themselves into a united, consecrated state… merging individual salvation into group salvation.
I find Joseph Smiths statement with regard to “mutual salvation” very interesting in that context.
But mutual salvation is not just speaking about the law of consecration within Gospel Law which requires those within a given time period to spiritually and temporally become “one”, it also has to do with the linking together of people from all dispensations. It binds together the patriarchal fathers with their posterity. It seals our patriarchal fathers such as Abraham, Issac, Jacob and all of the great prophets such as Enoch, Elijah and Moses to those of the Saints in the last generation of time.
This is why Joseph Smith quoted Hebrews,
D&C 128:15:
“And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.“
Interestingly, the verse in Hebrews that JS was quoting in 1841 has been deleted from the JS translation of the Bible.
Why would Joseph Smith quote a scripture in 1841 that he supposedly had removed a decade earlier while doing the inspired version of the Bible?
Obviously he didn’t remove it. It appears that perhaps someone involved in the RLDS movement, that does not believe in the principle Joseph revealed pertaining to proxy work may have done that.
The doctrine that we are connected to our patriarchal fathers has always been central to Mormonism.
It is the tight link between the ancients and those living in the dispensation of the last times and the fullness of times that initiated the return of Abraham, Moses and Elijah and the delivering of priesthood keys in the Kirtland Temple in 1836.
Notice the following verse given a few years prior to section 128. After admonishing the Saints to document the wrongs committed by the heads of government upon the latter day Saints so that the Saints would be justified in calling the Lord forth out of his hiding place, the prophet observes that we have a duty to God ANGELS and their families,
“That we may not only publish to all the world, but present them to the heads of government in all their dark and hellish hue, as the last effort which is enjoined on us by our Heavenly Father, before we can fully and completely claim that promise which shall call him forth from his hiding place; and also that the whole nation may be left without excuse before he can send forth the power of his mighty arm.
It is an imperative duty that we owe to God, to angels, with whom we shall be brought to stand, and also to ourselves, to our wives and children, who have been made to bow down with grief, sorrow, and care, under the most damning hand of murder, tyranny, and oppression, supported and urged on and upheld by the influence of that spirit which hath so strongly riveted the creeds of the fathers, who have inherited lies, upon the hearts of the children, and filled the world with confusion, and has been growing stronger and stronger, and is now the very mainspring of all corruption, and the whole earth groans under the weight of its iniquity.” (section 123)
Why is there an obligation to ANGELS in being able to call forth the Lord out of his hiding place?
Because Abraham and Enoch and Elijah and all of our ancestors up in the city of Enoch that will be returning with Christ are dependent upon our salvation for their own salvation!
They are the angels being spoken of. They are the angels we will be called upon to make an accounting to.
Notice the other two comments made by Joseph Smith about connecting the fathers to the children through the covenants which were made in two separate sermons in 1843..
“The world is reserved unto burning in the last days. He shall send Elijah the prophet, and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers in relation to the children, and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers.”11
History of the Church, 5:530; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 13, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards.
“How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He will send Elijah the prophet. … Elijah shall reveal the covenants to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers.” History of the Church, 5:555; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton.
As you can see, the New and Everlasting Covenant pertaining to Baptism that has been broken, even the New and Everlasting Covenant that was from the beginning, that enabled Father Adam to enter into the holy order, needs to be revealed again to this last generation by Elijah the restorer… even the Seer Joseph Smith.
One of the themes of a previous post in this series had to do with the excruciating declaration that the highest portion of the Melchizedek priesthood became lost before the Saints arrived in Nauvoo. Then, after failing to complete the Temple and Nauvoo House, they finally had to flee Nauvoo.
I realize how devastating that possibility must be to some of you who had not already come to that conclusion and I suspect that some of you have rejected that supposition or at least put it on the shelf, so to speak.
Part of that supposition is that the highest portion of Melchizedek priesthood that was restored at the Morley Farm in 1831 was lost some time on or before September 11th 1836 which was the appointed time for the establishment of Zion.
Once we get done reviewing what the Lord has said, so many times, in so many ways, about the absolute necessity of living this law, you will better understand why the greater light and higher law had been rejected by those who sat in darkness during the Kirtland years. it was game, set and match before the Saints left Kirtland.
On July 16 1843 the Prophet Joseph Smith gave a discourse on the “Law of the Priesthood”. Unfortunately we do not have many lengthy notes on what he said however, he made the following statement about the purpose of the Nauvoo Temple and the future role of Nauvoo;
“I can not reveal the fullness of these things until the Temple is completed. The necessity of the Temple is that the servants of God may be sealed in their foreheads… the four angels spoken of in the scripture are not permitted to destroy the earth till it was done”
Clearly, if the re-restoration of the fullness of the priesthood which had been lost, was predicated on the completion of the Temple, it is congruent to find that, that is where the 144,000 High Priests will be sealed up.
Interestingly, this sermon is where he made the following observation about himself being replaced as the prophet of the church;
“I will not prophesy anymore. Hyrum holds the office of Prophet to the Church by birthright and I am going to have a reformation and the saints must regard Hyrum for he has authority. Hyrum should be the prophet. I did not tell you I was going to be a Priest now, nor a King, but by and by..”
Of course his amazing pronouncement was fulfilling the prophecy in a previous section about how he might pick a successor before his death under a very specific circumstance….
There was quite and uproar in the church over his statement. In the sermon he gave a week later he tried to calm the people down with some very interesting remarks. Among them, he acknowledged;’
“Although I was called by Heavenly Father to lay the foundation of this great work and kingdom in this dispensation, and testify of His revealed will to scattered Israel, I am subject to like passions as other men, like the prophets of olden times.”
During a sermon given the following month Joseph would drop another hint pertaining to his calling as the atonement sacrifice which is mentioned in Leviticus 16
He would remind the Saints that he had previously been given the promise of eternal life and that what he was currently going through had to do with sinning outwardly while contemplating the things of God inwardly, as if the sins of the people had been put upon him;
. “I [Joseph Smith] prophesy and bear record this morning that all the combined powers of earth and hell shall not and cannot ever overthrow or overcome this boy, for I have a promise from the eternal God. If I have sinned, I have sinned outwardly; but surely I have contemplated the things of God.” August 27, 1843. HC 5:554
I suspect these words may have had something to do with the scapegoat doctrine springing fourth out of atonement statute and the atonement the Joseph made in behalf of the Saints in Kirtland. The sins of Israel had fallen upon brother Joseph and among other things, his passions were running wild, not because of his base nature but because, after having become sanctified before the Lord, (see section 88:1-5) he became an atonement offering along with brother Sidney and others… which required him to become an offering without blemish.
He went on to acknowledge:
“Last Monday morning certain men came to me and said: Brother Joseph, if you resign Hyrum can’t lead the Church, he is no prophet. You must lead the Church…”
He then went on a long discourse showing that the priesthood of Aaron was a linear priesthood. He quoted the bible;
“And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office…. And thou shalt anoint them as thou dist anoint their father that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generation.”
It appears that with the understanding that the highest Melchizedek priesthood had been lost in Kirtland and the higher priesthood that oversees the fullness of the gospel had been lost a when the Saints failed to complete the Nauvoo temple, Joseph was now showing forth that in fulfillment of the prophecy that the time would come when he would need to call another to lead the church and be responsible for holding the oracles of God (revelations), he was now showing that the legal heir to preside over the Church by Aaronic priesthood lineage was his brother Hyrum.
Conclusion
This concludes our detailed study of the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood at the Special conference at the Morley Farm and associated events. Among other things, it has revealed the following ten things,
1- Revealing of the Oath: The Oath contained in the Oath and Covenant of the Father as mentioned in section 84 refers to the pre-baptismal declaration made before witnesses as contained in section 20:37. This practice has been discontinued in the church. It –established when the Servants return.
2- Revealing of the Covenant: The covenant of Baptism which includes the baptism of water, fire and Holy Ghost is the covenant referred to in the oath and covenant of the priesthood as mentioned in section 84. Since the proper manner of baptism and proper priesthood is in question, this may account for the fact that virtually no one in this generation is currently experiencing the fullness of the baptism of fire and the holy Ghost resulting in the entering into the gate and the priesthood after the Holy Order of God.
3- Purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood: The Melchizedek priesthood which is the third and highest order of the priesthood was restored to the earth at the Morley farm for the purpose of sanctifying the Saints, enabling them to see the Father and the Son and entering into the gate of the kingdom through the baptism of water, fire and Holy Ghost. It holds the keys of the mysteries of Godliness. It is required in order to establish and redeem Zion. It was lost shortly after it was restored however it will be restored to the earth again when the first elders of the last kingdom return.
4- Distinguishing Characteristics of the Melchizedek Priesthood: The Melchizedek Priesthood differs from the other two lineage based priesthoods that were restored by angels in 1829, in that a) it requires an oath and covenant, b) It makes the candidate a “possessor of all things” with power over giving them power over all other spirits, “the spirits shall be subject unto you” c) it is not a lineage based priesthood. It is without beginning of days or end of years.
5- Three Churches Modern revelation identifies three separate and distinct church organizations that were established during the foundation movement. Additionally, there seems to be a related priesthood and law for each of the three churches.
6- Blindness, Conspiracy and Cover up; The details of this miraculous event have been overlooked, misunderstood, misinterpreted, ignored and covered up. The church continues to teach that the two priesthoods restored in 1829 are the only two priesthoods restored during Joseph Smith’s ministry and that the Melchizedek Priesthood is simply an “office” within the priesthood restored by Peter James and John.
7- Rejection of the Fulness of the Gospel by the Gentiles: The rejection of the greater light of the fullness of the Gospel and related failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by the appointed time and the loss of the fullness of the priesthood which took place during the time leading up to the defilement of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 resulted in the fulfillment of the prophecy in the Book of Mormon that the Gentiles would reject the fullness of the Gospel
8– Rejection of the Higher Law: When the Saints ultimately rejected and failed to live the fullness of Gospel Law (Celestial Law) as contained in section 42 (which mandates monogamous marriage), the Lord sent ministering angels to restore the Gospel of Abraham in 1836. The gospel of Abraham represents a lesser gospel law than the Gospel of Christ. If the restoration of the Gospel of Abraham resulted in the restoration of the patriarchal law of multiple wives for the purpose of raising seed, it did not represent the celestial law contained in section 42. It was a lesser law of marriage than the one documented in section 42. Yes… there are higher and lesser laws!
9- The Abrahamic Covenant: After the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by the appointed time and their rejection of the fullness of the Gospel, the Gospel of Abraham was restored to the earth. This event represented the remembering of God’s Covenant with Abraham and his Seed. The church established foreign missions and began taking the gospel of Abraham which is the preparatory gospel, to the nations of the earth. America is the land that God gave to the seed of Abraham and Jacob in the latter days. This missionary work to the descendents of Abraham continues through the Latter day Saint missionaries to this present day.
10- Restoration of the fullness of the priesthood: The fullness of the Gospel containing the oath and covenant of the priesthood contained in the proper authority and manner of baptism will be restored to the earth when the first laborers of the last kingdom return in the 3rd watch to gather out the elect and bring judgment upon the world. We need to prepare our hearts and our minds to receive the fullness of the everlasting gospel when the Servants of God return to reestablish the everlasting covenant which has been broken.
In my opinion, the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood at the Morley Farm in 1831 is very possibly the greatest single spiritual endowment that took place during the 14 year public ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith… Greater than the restoration of the first two priesthoods by angels, greater than the vision known as section 76, greater than the Pentecostal endowments given in the Kirtland Temple and greater than the restoration of priesthood keys spoken of in section 110. Perhaps it is greater than all of them combined with regard to the impact in had on the church at that time and most of the revelations that followed it. And also with regard to what is going to take place in the 3rd watch.
It provides a critically important context from which to understand most of the revelations from section 52 and those that followed. Conversely, without a knowledge of this most important event, everything that took place after the special conference becomes skewed and very difficult to understand.
Praise the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Praise the Lord God Jesus Christ for laboring with his children on this earth and for his long suffering and patience with us.
Praise the Lord God for preparing Joseph the Seer and Sidney the Spokesman and Lyman Wight, even Baneemy, the Wild Ram of the Mountains and others for their mission when they will return to participate in the great and marvelous work and a wonder.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
This will be the fourth and hopefully last post I will do which is specifically dedicated to addressing the biblical principal of polygamy and the insidious spiritual wife doctrine that grew out of it during the Nauvoo period.
Although I first covered the whoredoms that overtook the church in Nauvoo in the final part of the tribute to Sidney Rigdon, I have since posted four others that specifically addressed this topic.
The first paper on the Spiritual Wife Doctrine approached the subject from some personal experiences my wife and I had trying to sort things out about polygamy early in our marriage.
The second post resulted in a doctrinal critique of section 132.
The third post I did pertaining to it grew out of the Morley Farm series. It viewed the evolution of the doctrine through the eyes of the events of the LDS foundation movement and postulated that the introduction of biblical polygamy was associated with the restoration of the gospel of Abraham in 1836.
In it I speculate that the patriarchal law of plural wives which is associated with the covenant God made with Abraham may have been acceptable to live under certain conditions, under the law of Abraham. Nevertheless, it is a lesser law and it appears to have been a cursing to the marriages of all that lived it… just as Sarah’s desire to have Hagar bear the seed of Abraham was a cursing to the marriage of Sarah and Abraham.
The fourth post contained several observations from Mrs Watcher from the book of Mormon and the Old Testament which supported the conclusions made in the previous posts.
Among other things, that post revealed that some bible scholars do not believe Abraham was even a polygamist. Regardless of whether he was or not, he did not have “MANY WIVES” and he did not have “MANY CONCUBINES“. Therefore, the opening verse in section 132 becomes even more problematic than originally pointed out in my critic of section 132.
Lastly, I want to approach this subject in this post through the eyes of ancient prophecy.
The ancient prophets saw our day and knew that sexual whoredom as a result of spiritual unfaithfulness to God would be one of the great stumbling blocks of the Latter day Saints…
You will recall, from the tribute I did to Sidney Rigdon, that when the spiritual wife doctrine crept into the church, Sidney Rigdon rejected it. He was one of, if not the greatest biblical scholar of his time and God had commissioned him to prove the revelations Joseph Smith brought forth using the words of the ancient prophets.
The following declaration by Sidney Rigdon provides one of the greatest keys for identifying a prophetic contextual understanding of the whoredoms that inflicted the latter day Saints.
When it became apparent that Joseph Smith was involved in this practice and leading others into it, Sidney’s assessment of the situation was simple and to the point:
“Joseph has contracted a whoring spirit“.
Rigdon also stated that,
“he had known for some years that Joseph had not been led by the spirit of God [and gave this] as the reason why he did not attend with him as his counselor”
The following statements from the Lords Spokesman published in a news paper provide a good explanation of how he felt about the spiritual wife doctrine;
Pittsburgh, Oct. 15, 1844.
Br. J. Gregg — Dear Sir: – Yours of the 14th inst., was received per mail this morning… I have been informed, since Mr. Page published his bull, and subsequent departure from this place, that he had attempted to teach the doctrine of spiritual wives in this city some time since. This will account for his sudden departure from both this place and yours.
It would seem almost impossible that there could be found a set of men and women, in this age of the world, with the revelations of God in their hands, who could invent and propagate doctrines so ruinous to society, so debasing and demoralizing as the doctrine of a man having a plurality of wives…
Those who read the New Testament with care, cannot avoid seeing that the apostles have declared that a corruption like that we complain of, was to make its appearance in the last days. See Second Timothy, 3d chapter, from the 1st to the 9th verse inclusive.
These sayings which the apostles, at Nauvoo, have applied to the professing world, are as applicable to themselves as to any others now living, or any others who have lived since the days of Paul. In the 6th verse we are told that “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.”…
That the Twelve and their adherents have entered into houses and led silly women astray, is a fact susceptible of the highest proof; and we are authorized by Paul to apply all the rest he has said to them.
“For if this sort enter into houses and lead astray silly women,” what sort? we ask; the before described religionists, for says Paul,”they have a form of godliness.” The conclusion then is, that they effected the ruin of silly females by, or through a form of godliness…
It is a fact, so well known, that the Twelve and their adherents have endeavored to carry this spiritual wife business in secret, that I hardly need mention it here, and have gone to the most shameful and desperate lengths, to keep it from the public.
First, insulting innocent females, and when they resented the insult, these monsters in human shape would assail their characters by lying, and perjuries, with a multitude of desperate men to help them effect the ruin of those whom they had insulted, and all this to enable them to keep these corrupt practices from the view of the world…. No falsehood too great and no perjury too darying, in order to conceal these heaven-daring abuses of mankind…
Yours respectfully,
SIDNEY RIGDON”
Rigdon obviously saw a fulfillment of New Testament prophesies taking place.
Perhaps one of the most cryptically profound things that Sidney uttered was that Joseph had “contracted a whoring spirit“.
Remember, Sidney was a walking bible. When he spoke he would often paraphrase or use similar phrases as the ancient prophets.
The words he uttered were carefully chosen. Go to the LDS word cruncher and punch in those two words “whoring spirit” and it will lead you to two references.. one of them is found in the book of Hosea.
“My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the bspirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God… therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.. for the spirit of whoredom is in the midst of them” (Hosea 4:12)
This is the perfect description of what was happening in Nauvoo. A lustful spirit of whoredom overcame the Saints as they entered into adulterous relationships.
As hard as it is to believe that latter day Israel could become so corrupted after having been given so much light, they had done exactly what the ancient children of Israel had done. How can this happen? The answer is in this same chapter:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou has forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children“
Hosea provides one of the more clear and concise commentaries on the Latter day Saints.
The entire Book of Hosea is a commentary on how Ephraim struggles with a whoring spirit anciently and in the latter days.
There are parts of the narrative that so clearly describe what was going on in the Nauvoo era of the foundation movement. It is absolutely heart breaking to compare the LDS history with the commentary in Hosea. .Perhaps one of the most poignant examples of what Hosea is speaking about was when Apostle Williard Richards shacked up with Apostle Orson Hydes wife while Hyde was on a mission,
“Willard Richards nailed down the windows, and fired off his revolver in the street after dark, and commenced living with Mrs. Nancy Marinda Hyde.” (Letter from Ebenezer Robinson page 294)
Richards of course considered himself to be doing a noble thing. In his mind he was living a higher law dispite the fact that Mancy was another mans wife. This emboldened him in what he was doing.
In a sarcastic letter regarding the actions of Elder Willard Richards, Sidney Rigdon, the Lords Spokesman wrote:
“If Richards should take a notion to Hyde’s wife in his absence all that is necessary to be done is to be sealed. No harm done, not adultery committed, only taking a little advantage of rights of priesthood.
And after Richards has gone the round of dissipation with Hyde’s wife, she is afterwards turned over to Smith and thus the poor silly woman become the actual dupe to two designing men, under the sanctimonious barb of rights of the royal priesthood” pg 294
Hosea tells us,
“”They have set up kings, but not by me….
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples...” That pretty much says it all.
The good news contained in Hosea is that he notes that in the 3rd watch, a remnant of the Saints will “acknowledge their offence” when the trumpet sounds against those who have “transgressed my covenant and trespassed against my law”
I don’t want to imply that Hosea is the only ancient prophet that prophesied of and testified against the whoredoms that the Latter day Ephraim would commit, virtually all of the Old Testament prophets spoke of this.
Ezekiel noted the conspiracy that would take place at the time of the succession issue in Nauvoo and associated the defiling of neighbors wives with that time frame,
“There is a aconspiracy of her bprophets in the midst thereof, like a croaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the dtreasure and eprecious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
26 Her apriests have bviolated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no cdifference between the holy and profane“
“And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.”
Of course the Saints in Nauvoo didn’t even need to be that familiar with the ancient prophecies, modern revelation addressed these issues as will,
“And again, I command thee that thou shalt not acovet thy bneighbor’s cwife” D&C 19: 25
It is critical to understand the scapegoat doctrine contained in the atonement statute to realize that Joseph Smith was simply handing the Saints over to the idolatrous stumbling blocks that they had set before themselves.
Nauvoo Stake President William Marks was one of the noble brethren that rejected the principle and believed it to be a false doctrine.
He testified in 1853 that Smith came to have doubts about polygamy before his death:
“When the doctrine of polygamy was introduced into the church as a principle of exaltation, I took a decided stand against it; which stand rendered me quite unpopular with many of the leading ones of the church…
Joseph, however, became convinced before his death that he had done wrong; for about three weeks prior to his death, I met him one morning in the street, and he said to me, “Bro. Marks, we are a ruined people.”
I asked, how so?
He said, “this doctrine of polygamy, or Spiritual-wife system, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow. I have been deceived,’ he said, ” in reference to its practice; it is wrong, it is a curse to mankind, and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down and its practice stopped in the church..
Now Brother Marks, you have not received this doctrine, and I want you to go into the high council, and I will have charges preferred against all who practice this doctrine; and I want you to try them by the laws of the Church, and cut them off, it they will not repent, and cease the practice of this doctrine…
I will go into the stand and preach against it with all my might, and in this way, we may rid the Church of this damnable heresy.” (Zion’s Harbinger and Baneemy’s Organ, Vol. 3 (July 1853), pp. 52-53)
It is because Sidney Rigdon paraphrased a passage out of the book of Hosea that I realized that Hosea was prophesying about the whoredoms taking place in Nauvoo. For this reason, the book of Hosea is one of my many favorites in the Old Testament.
It provides detailed information about the mystical tribe of Ephraim… Both historically and prophetically.
It shows that their sin of whoredom on a temporal and spiritual level anciently is a reoccurring one that manifests itself in the latter days.
It provides a powerful testimony about the apostasy that took place during the LDS foundation movement and reveals how the Tribe of Ephraim leads Israel into whoredom and idolatry in the latter days. It provides a vivid description of what took place in Nauvoo regarding the spiritual wife doctrine.
Most importantly to me, it verifies that after their whoredoms, and the final call to repentance, the righteous remnant among them will be cleansed and saved.
According to various authors,
“The book of Hosea may be divided up into two major sections. First, Hosea’s marital experience which pictured God’s relationship with Israel in chapters 1-3. Then, chapters 4-14 include prophetic messages dealing with Israel’s sin, judgment and eventual restoration.”
“Hosea was a prophet who lived and prophesied just before the destruction of Israel in 722 BC. He preached to the northern kingdom [of Israel[. Throughout the book you will see that he refers to Israel and Ephraim. Ephraim was the largest tribe in Israel and sometimes the whole nation was referred to as Ephraim.]
Hosea was commanded to take a wife who [was already a prostitute or] would become a prostitute as an example of God’s relationship with Israel. Hosea was to manifest God’s patience and love. Some wonder if Gomer was already a prostitute when they got married or if she became unfaithful later. They think that it presents a moral dilemma. Would God really command his prophet to marry someone that, according to Deuteronomy 22:20 was supposed to be stoned?
“Hosea was a Hebrew prophet and writer of the Bible book of Hosea; identified merely as the son of Beeri.
Hosea served as Jehovah God’s prophet during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah as well as Jeroboam II (son of Joash) of Israel, in the late ninth century and well into the eighth century B.C.E. (Ho 1:1) Prophets of the same general period included Amos, Isaiah, and Micah.
See Amos 1:1; Isa 1:1; Mic 1:1.
Hosea may be identified as a prophet (and probably a subject) of the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel. That kingdom was the principal object of the declarations in the book of Hosea. Whereas Judah was named therein only 15 times, and its capital city, Jerusalem, not even once, the book contains 44 references to Israel, 37 to Ephraim (Israel’s dominant tribe), and 6 to Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. Most of the other locations mentioned in the book either were a part of the northern kingdom or were on its borders. See Hosea 1:4, 5; 5:1, 8; 6:8, 9; 10:5, 8, 15; 12:11; 14:6, 7.
The Old Testament speaks negatively and positively about Ephraim.
Isaiah refers to latter day Ephraim as the “crown of pride“. God has to send his mighty and strong one to the apostate Ephraimite nation in the latter days who have been overcome with false doctrine and idolatry.
1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
5 ¶ In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
7 ¶ But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way;
the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
After the Ephraimite leaders repent, they will be the watchman on the tower,
Jeremiah acknowledges that the tribe of Ephraim serves as the watchman on the tower that sends the cry to “arise… let us go up to Zion“. He reveals that Ephraim is God’s Firstborn,
6 For there shall be a day, that the awatchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to bZion unto the Lord our God.
• • •
9 They shall come with aweeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a bfather to Israel, and cEphraim
is my dfirstborn. Jer. 31: 6, 9, 18, 20
Calling Ephraim God’s firstborn apparently applies to the obscure passage in the JST wherein Ephraim is taken away from Joseph’s posterity and transplanted directly into Jacobs,
“And now, of thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt; behold, they are mine, and the God of my fathers shall bless them; even as Reuben and Simeon they shall be blessed, for they are mine; wherefore they shall be called after my name. (Therefore they were called Israel.)
And thy issue which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance, in the tribes; therefore they were called the tribes of Manasseh and of Ephraim.
JST Gen 48:5-6
He points out that Ephraim will be chastised for his sins and that the Lord will have mercy upon him.
18 ¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:
aturn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.
• • •
20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he
aa pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
With the above information as a foundation, let us now examine the words of Hosea concerning the whordoms that Ephraim commits anciently and in the latter days. It should come as no surprise to us that God requires Hosea to marry a prostitute as a type of Ephraim’s unfaithfulness and sexual promiscuity.
I am going to provide the entire book of Hosea below. Please read it with specific focus on the parts that relate to the whoredom of Ephraim anciently and in the latter days. I feel that no further commentary is necessary regarding the book of Hosea, it is painfully self explanatory. As you read it, there will be times that you feel as if you are hearing a commentary on the events that took place in Nauvoo..
The book of Hosea the Prophet
Chapter One
The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of aUzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a awife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great bwhoredom, departing from the Lord.
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will abreak the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6 ¶ And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name aLo-ruhamah: for I will bno more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them caway.
7 But I will have amercy upon the house of bJudah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by chorses, nor by horsemen.
8 ¶ Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9 Then said God, Call his name aLo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
10 ¶ Yet the anumber of the children of Israel shall be as the bsand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the csons of the dliving God.
11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be agathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Chapter Two
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| Say ye unto your brethren, aAmmi; and to your sisters, bRuhamah.2 Plead with your amother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
3 Lest I astrip her bnaked, and set her as in the day that she was cborn, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with dthirst. 4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. 5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done ashamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bbread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 6 ¶ Therefore, behold, I will ahedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. 7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first ahusband; for then was it better with me than now. 8 For she did not know that I gave her acorn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. 9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. 10 And now will I discover her alewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. 11 I will also cause all her amirth to bcease, her feast days, her new cmoons, and her dsabbaths, and all her esolemn feasts. 12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13 And I will visit upon her the days of aBaalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her bearrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord. 14 ¶ Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the awilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of aAchor for a door of hope: and she shall bsing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. 16 And it shall be at that aday, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me bIshi; and shalt call me no more cBaali. 17 For I will take away the names of aBaalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. 18 And in that day will I make a acovenant for them with the bbeasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down csafely. 19 And I will abetroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt aknow the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. 23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon aher that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to bthem which were not my cpeople, Thou art my dpeople; and they shall say, Thou art my God. |
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At the command of God Hosea purchases a harlot to be his wife typological to how Israel will be unfaithful to God. He prophesies that after the latter day apostasy in Jackson, Kirtland, Far West and Nauvoo, latter day Israel will abide many days in a state of darkness with the heavens being sealed. Finally, Israel will return and seek her God.
Chapter three
1 Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an aadulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love bflagons of wine.
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and aseek the Lord their God, and bDavid their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the clatter days.
After restoring the church and kingdom to the earth, a great controversy takes place.. it involves swearing by the neck, lying and killing and stealing by secret combinations. The committing of adultery is also a central theme.
Chapter Four
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a acontroversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no btruth, nor mercy, nor cknowledge of God in the land.
2 By aswearing, and blying, and killing, and cstealing, and committing adultery, they dbreak out, and eblood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the aland mourn,
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the aprophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of aknowledge: because thou hast brejected
cknowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the dlaw of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into ashame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.
11 aWhoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12 ¶ My people ask acounsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the bspirit of cwhoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit aadultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
15 ¶ Though thou, Israel, play the aharlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to bBeth-aven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Ephraim is joined to aidols: let him alone.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers awith shame do love, Give ye.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Chapter Five
Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest awhoredom, and Israel is defiled.
4 aThey will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.
5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath awithdrawn himself from them.
7 They have dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a amonth devour them with their portions.
8 Blow ye the acornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin.
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the abound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked aafter the commandment.
12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his awound, then went bEphraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king cJareb: yet could he not dheal you, nor cure you of your wound.
14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15 ¶ I will go and return to my place, till they aacknowledge their offence, and bseek my face: in their caffliction they will seek me early.
Chapter Six
Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will aheal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he arevive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his bsight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the alatter
and former rain unto the earth.
4 ¶ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early adew it goeth away.
5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have aslain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
6 For aI desired bmercy, and not sacrifice; and the cknowledge of God more than burnt dofferings.
7 But they like amen have btransgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way aby consent: for they commit lewdness.
10 I have seen an ahorrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.
Chapter Seven
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own adoings have beset them about; they are before my face.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
8 Ephraim, he hath amixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a bcake not turned.
9 aStrangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not areturn to the Lord their God, nor bseek him for all this.
11 ¶ Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 When they shall go, I will spread my anet upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: adestruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I bhave
credeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 And they have not acried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
15 Though I have abound
and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
16 They return, but not to the amost High: they are like a bdeceitful bow: their princes shall cfall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Although hosea spends most of his commentary railing against the whoredoms of ancient and modern Ephraim, he does acknowledge that a remnant of them shall repent and return. These are the leaders of latter day Israel. They are the watchmen on the tower.
Let us end this sobering review of Ephraim with the wonderful promises made in section 133,
“And they shall bring forth their rich atreasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants. And the boundaries of the everlasting ahills shall tremble at their presence. And there shall they fall down and be acrowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of bEphraim. And they shall be filled with asongs of everlasting joy. Behold, this is the ablessing of the beverlasting God upon the ctribes of dIsrael, and the richer blessing upon the head of eEphraim and his fellows.” (section 133)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The following are the comments I recently got from Mrs. Watcher. I make a few observations following her comments.
My Dear Watcher-
In studying the concept of plural marriage I went to the Book of Mormon.
A couple of things stood out in the book of Jacob.
In Jacob chapter 2 we read that because of pride, their hearts were turned towards the accumulation of gold and silver and the desire for riches.
11 Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the plainness of the word of God. For behold, as I inquired of the Lord, thus came the word unto me, saying: Jacob, get thou up into the temple on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall give thee unto this people.
12 And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully.
13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.
14 And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you.
Did you see where it said,”…because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts…“
Then he goes on to tell them that their involvement in polygamy is a GROSSER CRIME than their quest for riches and the inequality of trying to excel one above another;
22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you.
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
He just defined whoredoms as having “many wives and concubines“. We don’t need to look in the Webster’s or in the Strong’s Concordance to understand the proper definition of whoredoms in this particular context, because he clearly defines the word for us!
Having many wives and concubines IS abominable before God. To substantiate this point, look at Mosiah 11
1 And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.
2 For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.
3 And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.
4 And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom.
5 For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.
6 Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity.
How interesting that Mosiah provides a 2nd witness to Jacob, in defining”many wives and concubines” as being whoredoms.
Additionally, both of these holy prophets noted that those who were committing whoredoms and lusting after women, also lusted after riches.
Although the love of money is the root of all evil, it appears that sexual whoredoms is a grosser evil.
I’ve also been researching polygamy amongst the patriarchs and have found some interesting things;
Sarai (before she was named Sarah) gave Abram her maid. “And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai“(Genesis 16:2) This does not sound like God was commanding it. It sounds similar to when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. (no changes were made to this in the JST)
Moses 4: 23 And unto Adam, I, the Lord God, said: Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the fruit of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying—Thou shalt not eat of it, cursed shall be the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. (Cursed and sorrow seem to be the same idea of polygamy)
Then I wondered, well, maybe the Lord had the patriarchs live polygamy to make many nations. Then I found out when Rebekah was barren,” Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived”.(Genesis 25:21)
Instead of the wife taking matters into her own hand her husband intreated the Lord and made it where the wife was not barren.
Fascinating scenario!
Then I read that multiple wives are not required to have multiple nations-
Within Rebekah’s womb, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels”.
So, you don’t have to have another wife from another nation in order to have multiple nations come from you.
Wow!
I then wondered if the blessing of Abraham might include polygamy so I was led to finding out what the blessing of Abraham is and found this definition in the scriptures. Jacob is given the blessing of Abraham, “And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.”
It appears to me that the blessing of Abraham and his seed includes the land covenant over in America, in “the land wherein thou art a stranger”.
Next we go to Jacob. I remembered Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah. So he gets two wives. Remember, this is not by command. Then we read that Rachel is barren. The Lord allows Leah to bear children.
In Genesis 30 we read that Rachel wants a child, even if it is her maid that bears it, and Jacob does what his wife wants, again, the Lord has not commanded it.
“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
2 And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.”
Next, Leah, not to be outdone:
9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
10 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son.
So, summing up we find that there is not a command to live polygamy. They don’t appear to be more blessed, indeed it is a cursing when you read about the envy , jealousy, etc. that is experienced.
In every place I could find, it was to “raise up seed” when the woman was barren and when the women took having children into their own hands and did not intreat the Lord through their husbands, instead they commanded their husbands.
This whole scenario gives new meaning to the term, henpecked!
COMMENTS BY MR. WATCHER
Holy shamolly Mrs Watcher, you are at the top of your game today!
how you used two witnesses in establishing the Book of Mormon definition of whoredoms as “many wives and concubines”
how you noticed that many wives and concubines is a grosser crime than the love of money!
how you used the following key words “hearkened” and “voice” to draw the comparison of Adam hearkening to Eve vs Abraham hearkening to Sarai. In both instances, even though what they were doing was outwardly wrong, and they should have hearkened to God instead of to their wives, God used it for his own purposes. Praise God
your subtle but profound observation that Sarai and Abram showed their lack of faith and took matters into their own hands BEFORE they repented and got their new names and begat the true seed many years later.
how you pointed out from Gods word that multiple nations can come from one woman.
I really loved how you showed that Isaac and Rebecca chose to “intreat the Lord” instead of using a handmaid.
It is interesting how God continues to work with his servants even when they are in apostasy. In Section 124 God informs the Saints that they are practicing abominations before him, yet he is still talking to Joseph and giving instructions on how the Saints can come out of apostasy and regain the fulness of the priesthood which had been lost.
Some Bible scholars contend that Abram was in a state of apostasy when he and Sarai took matters into their own hands and that,
“Thirteen years passed between chapters 16 and 17. Abram was 99 years
old when God spoke to him again. 17:1 The God who appeared to Abram was El-Shaddai, the Almighty God. He said, “Walk before me and be blameless.” This was a call to Abram to repent… Abram fell face down before God in repentance. God changed Abram’s name; he renewed his covenant with Abram; he commanded Abram to seal that covenant with circumcision.”
They suggest that after making the decision to raise up seed from a handmaid brought grief to their household, Sarai complained to Abram about the cursed state of affairs she found herself in. They point out that Abrams response was that it was Sarai’s idea and Sarai’s handmaid, hence it was her problem to deal with,
“After Hagar became pregnant, she became proud and began to look down on her mistress, Sarai. When Sarai complained to Abram, he said, “She’s your servant; do what ever you think best.” Abram did not try to mediate between two women. He restored spiritual order in his home, and made it clear that his wife Sarai was the mistress of the home. So Sarai treated Hagar harshly, and Hagar fled into the desert.”
Bible scholars also point out that Abraham WAS NOT A POLYGAMIST.
Hagar was not a wife, she was his wife’s handmaid. Sarai was simply using her to bear offspring in behalf of herself. There was no marriage ceremony nor is she ever referred to as a wife by God, Abraham or Sarah.
The Narator does mention Hagar as a wife once, however, this is what one commentator has to say about it,
“Even after the agreement between Sarai and Abram (v.2), Hagar is still considered her maidservant (v.3). The language is important. It is not Abram who takes Hagar into his tent, but Sarai gives Hagar to Abram. Sarai is in charge. After Abram slept with Hagar and conceived, not only Sarai (v.5) but also Abram still talks about Hagar as Sarai’s servant (v.6), not as his (new) wife. Furthermore, the narrator continues to call Sarai “her mistress” (v.4).
The phrase “to be his wife” in verse 3 is merely a euphemism for sexual intercourse. That is clear from the phrase that immediately follows it as well as from the original request (v.2). The context makes it clear that Hagar remained the slave not of Abraham, but of Sarai.
All throughout Genesis we find Sarai addressed as Abraham’s wife many times (11:29,31; 12:5,17,18,20; 13:1; 16:1,3; 17:15,19; 18:9,10; 20:2,7,11,12,14,18; 23:3,19) by the narrator, by Abraham, or by God himself. Hagar is never called the wife of Abraham, whether by Abraham, or by Sarah, or by God and only once by the narrator in the above discussed verse 16:3.
Hagar herself speaks to the angel about “my mistress Sarai” She does not question her status as a servant of Sarai. It is not the status but mistreatment by Sarai which is the issue.
More importantly, when the angel of the LORD appears to her he addresses her as “Hagar, servant of Sarai”, not as “Hagar, wife of Abram”. The messenger from God surely knows her proper title and position. And the angel gives her the command, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her”.
Abraham married Keturah AFTER the death of Sarah, and although she was a wife, she was considered his concubine (Gen. 25: 1, 4).
According to Websters, a concubine is,
“A wife of inferior condition; a lawful wife, but not united to the man by the usual ceremonies, and of inferior condition.” Such were Hagar and Keturah, the concubines of Abraham; and such concubines were allowed by the Roman laws.
This is yet another reason why the first verse of section 132 is so problematic. Abraham didn’t have “many wives”. He probably only had two, and not at the same time. But even if we did consider Hagar to be a legal wife, Abraham never had more than two living wives at a time.
Additionally, he did not have “many concubines”, he only had two, if you can even consider Hagar to be a concubine.
The 1828 Websters defines many as more than two,
“Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.”
Lastly, Abram gets the new name Abraham and Sarai gets the new name Sarah but Hagar the handmaid and Keturah the concubine of Abraham’s old age, don’t get new names… because they are not even part of the promise God made to Abraham.
Abram means “exiled father”, Abraham means “father of multitudes”. Sarai means princess, Sarah means “mother of nations”.
Lastly, Isaiah 51 actually defines the “righteous” that “seek the Lord” as those who come from Sarah- the other offspring of Abraham is not even mentioned!!!!!!!
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
PS
In part 8 of the Morley Farm paper I talk about the differentiation between the Gospel of Christ (covenant of Christ) and the Gospel of Abraham (covenant of Abraham). Note the statement of Paul,
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:22-31)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The Gospel of Abraham
The Place of Patriarchal Polygamy in the LDS Foundation Movement
The Possible Restoration of Biblical Polygamy in 1836
This Series about the special conference at the Morley Farm has been an amazing ride for me.
My intention was to do two or three articles about it. But the more I studied it, the more I learned and realized that it interrelates with everything else in the gospel, and it took on a life of its own.
I really appreciate all of the feedback and observations that many of you have given me during this journey.
I think I have personally learned more about the history of the church and certain components of the priesthood and the gospel in the last few months than I have learned in the last five years.
Praise the Lord.
I have made a few numbering changes and annexed the paper about the patriarchal priesthood into this series since it was the Morley Farm research that revealed that information, making this part 8.
This was going to be the last part of the series summarizing what we have learned about the three orders of the priesthood however, I have decided to use this part of the series to publish what I have learned about the restoration of the Gospel of Abraham in 1836 and how it relates to the introduction of the biblical polygamy into the LDS restoration movement.
Please understand that the “patriarchal priesthood of Abraham” and the “gospel of Abraham” are not synonymous! They are to very different topics.
I am assuming the next installment summarizing what we have learned about the three orders of the priesthood will be the last one.
By way of review, part 1 reviewed the actual accounts pertaining to the conferring of the priesthood on 23 of the elders of the Church. During that experience, Lyman Wight saw the Father and the Son. He became one of the very few documented cases to see the glory of the Father.
In part 2 we reviewed how the Man of Sin was revealed and how many of the people at the conference struggled with demonic possession for two days.
In part 3 we reviewed why the Melchizedek Priesthood needed to be restored and how it is the priesthood required to Establish Zion.
Part 4 is where the distinction between the patriarch priesthood that was restored through Peter James and John vs the highest, Melchizedek priesthood which was restored at the special conference at the Morley Farm began to unfold. We learned that one becomes a “possessor of all things” once one receives the fullness of the Melchizedk priesthood.
In Part 5 we continued to learn about priesthood and realized that Patriarchal Priesthood administers the saving ordinances of the Gospel and the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism. That paper was originally titled Patriarchal Priesthood.
Part 6 discussed the transfiguration of Lyman Wight and how one of the definitions of salvation is for one to “triumph over all evil spirits” it was previously titled Part 5-a,
The most recent part in this series, part 7 examined the true Oath & Covenant of the Father which is found in the True Manner of Baptism. It identified that Father Adam & Lyman Wight and every other Saint that has entered into the gate and the holy order of the priesthood after the order of the Son of God, did so via the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism…. even the three part baptism of water, fire & Holy Ghost (previously titled part 5-b)
That may sound trite and obvious, but it is not. What I am saying is, that instead of the traditional scenario taught in the church of being baptized and confirmed, getting the Aaronic Priesthood and then being ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood according to the decision of mortal men, I am suggesting a scenario similar to this,
In that scenario, the oath and covenant which is entered into from the candidate is represented in the baptismal covenant.
On the part of God, it is his voice confirming that all that he has shall be given to the candidate. This oath and covenant are received of the Father which he cannot break (84:40)
“..in the ordinances … the power of godliness in manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh. For without this no man can see the face of God and live”
No matter what the hirelings of the latter day saint church have said, the holy and infallible word of God instucts us to seek the face of God.
Four Records merge into Three, then become One
The following passages in 2 Nephi 19:12-14 speak chronologically about God’s dealings with four groups of people in the Lords vineyard and the corresponding books of scripture containing Gods dealings with them.
The first three groups are separate and distinct from each other. The fourth group is referring to a composite of the three and all other remnants of Israel.
I have made insertions in brackets to show how I am interpreting these passages,
12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; [Bible] and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; [Book of Mormon] and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; [Book of Commandment- the gentile Church of Christ- 1829-1837] and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it. [Doctrine and Covenants The Gentile Church of Christ AND the converts from foreign lands- “outcasts of Israel & Dispersed of Judah- 1837- ]
Notice that after referring to four groups and four records, in verse 12 that verse 13 reduces the four groups to three groups with three records. It explains that the time will come when all three groups will have their own record along with the record of the other two groups. This applies to the second watch.
13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
Finally verse 14 reveals that the time will come in the 3rd watch when all of Israel will be gathered to the promised land and will have all three records gathered into one record. Not only do each of the three groups have access to the records of the other two groups, but all three records are bound into one record,
14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; [Promised land of America] and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever. 2 Ne. 29: 12-13
Here is a breakdown of the four groups of people and their corresponding scriptures as mentioned in verse 12,
The Kingdom of Israel was LED AWAY into Gentile Nations
Verse 12 speaks of the third group of people who the Lord “led away”. This appears to be referring to the kingdom of Israel that was led away captive and then became mingled with and identified with the gentile nations. Eventually they migrated to the promised land of America between 1607 and 1836.
We have discussed on other posts the doctrine of “British Israelism” and the “Christian Identity movement” and how the Kingdom of Israel became assimilated into the gentile nations and that the believing gentiles are the literal descendents of Israel that had lost their tribal identity anciently.
Amos 7: 11 prophesies how the Lord “led away” the kingdom of Israel,
“For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.”
In 1st Kings 9 the Lord foretells how he will cast the Kingdom of Israel out of his sight if they apostatize and worship other gods,
“.. But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people” (See also 2 Chr. 7: 20)
We have also discussed how the Kingdom of Judah became “dispersed” during Old Testament times while maintaining their tribal identity so that they could return and rebuild the Old World Jerusalem preparatory to the Saviors meridian ministry. However after the siege at Jerusalem in about 70-73 AD the real Jews who survived became scattered and mingled into the gentile nations losing their tribal identity, just as the kingdom of Israel had done during Old Testament times.
The Book of Mormon reveals that the Jews who are mingled among the Gentile nations in the last days begin to believe in Christ and are gathered to the lands of their inheritance in the promised land of America.
Isaiah refers to the kingdom of Israel in the latter days as the “outcasts of Israel”. He refers to the kingdom of Judah as the “dispersed of Judah”,
“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.” Isa. 11: 12
The prophet Joseph Smith clarified that the Elders being sent to foreign lands were engaged in seeking the Outcasts of Israel and the Dispersed of Judah,
“Those engaged in seeking the Outcasts of Israel, and the Dispersed of Judah, cannot fail
to enjoy the Spirit of the Lord and have the choicest blessings of Heaven rest upon
them in copious effusions. Joseph Smith, Jr”.,( letter to Orson Hyde and John E. Page, dated 14 May 1840May 14, 1840)
When asked if the Jewish converts were to gather to the Jerusalem of the Old World or to America, he told them they were to gather with the Saints in America!
The Gentile Church of Christ was composed of the Children of Israel
How do we know that the believing gentiles that converted to the restored Church of Christ between 1830 and 1836 were remnants of the Kingdom of Israel that had been led away by the Lord?
We know this because In section 103 the Lord informs the small gentile Church of Christ in America that “..ye are the children of Israel, and of the aseed of Abraham, and ye must needs be bled out of cbondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.”
Furthermore, the following passage in the dedicatory prayer reveals that the leaders of the restored church are the “Sons of Jacob” who would be the “servants” of the Lord that would build the holy city in the end times,
“That all the ends of the earth may know that we, thy servants, have aheard thy voice, and that thou hast sent us; That from among all these, thy servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy acity to thy name, as thou hast commanded them.”
We also know that the righteous remnant of Jacob from the Book of Mormon will be involved in building the holy city. The above verses and other associated passages in modern revelation seem to indicate that the gentile-ephraimite leaders of the LDS restoration movement, who are the “servants” of the Lord, will be “assisting” the other remnants of Jacob s in building the holy city in the 3rd watch.
From these and other passages we are informed that the believing gentiles in America at the time of the LDS restoration movement were the “other tribes” spoken of in 2nd Nephi 29.
Although the triple combinations containing the Doctrine and Covenants, Book of Mormon and King James Version of the Bible with references to the JST that are enjoyed by the Latter day Saints in the 2nd watch appear to be a partial fulfillment of the prophecy in 2 Nephi 29, it appears that the three records will literally be bound together in the 3rd watch and they will be much more complete and accurate.
It appears they will contain,
According to another prophecy about the Seer of the latter days, part of his work was to reveal the COVENANTS of the Lord to his people once again. Hence the name of the record he brought forth, “DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS”.
Along with that work, he is instrumental in helping the record of the Jews and the record of the Nephites, a remnant of the house of Joseph, grow together,
In the 3rd watch, these three records will take away all doctrinal contentions among those who accept the truth. One has to pay close attention to realize that three records are being spoken of not just two. The Seer convinces people of the truth of the two ancient records and he also brings forth a record that reveals the “covenants” which God has made with the Fathers,
“For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.
Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers…
But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my [Doctrine and ] covenants, saith the Lord.” 2 Ne. 3: 12, 14
The current standard works of the Church have not been successful in confounding false doctrines and laying down all contentions and establishing peace. Once the 3rd watch begins and the fulness of each of the three records are bound together, then those of the pure in heart will come to a unity of the faith and the doctrinal confusion we currently have will disperse.
The following statement from the history of the church documents the intent of the leaders of the Church to publish and bind all three records together during the Nauvoo period, when they were attempting to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Another “Epistle of the First Presidency to the Saints Scattered Abroad” was sent out on or about 1 September 1840 and contained an appeal to the members to contribute financially to the building up of the kingdom. Particularly mentioned was “the printing and circulation of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, hymn-book, and the new translation of the Scriptures.” (History of the Church, 4:187; also Times and Seasons, vol. 1, no. 12, Oct. 1840, p. 179.)
It is essential for the Saints to publish and send the JST of the bible to the world. Please note what the Lord says in section 124,
“If he will do my will let him from henceforth hearken to the counsel of my servant Joseph, and with his interest support the cause of the poor, and publish the new translation of my holy word unto the inhabitants of the earth”. D&C 124: 89, 125
It is necessary for the salvation of Zion,
“And, verily I say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten to translate my scriptures, and to obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion. Amen.”
The Stick of Joseph and the Stick of Ephraim
The two prophecies concerning three records in 2nd Nephi 3 and 29 appear to be speaking about the same prophetic event mentioned in Ezekiel 37.
The apparent discrepancy is that Ezekiel 37 only appears to speak of two records being joined together instead of three. Of course the prophecy in 2nd Nephi 3 also appears that way unless you understand how to interpret the work that the Seer does pertaining to revealing the “covenants” of the Father.
I am not sure why the current version of the JST published by the community of Christ does not have those passages corrected, but my speculation, based on 2nd Nephi 29, is that the “stick of Joseph” is separate and distinct from the “stick of Ephraim” just as the tribe of Joseph is spoken of very distinctly and separately from the tribe of Ephraim in the Old Testament.
My speculation is that the stick of Joseph is the Book of Mormon and the stick of Ephraim is the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Here is what I think a more accurate rendering of the passages in Ezekiel is,
“Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, [then write upon ] the Stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.” Ezek. 37: 16
I believe the above translation is completely consistent with the two prophecies in 2nd Nephi and all of the other prophesies pertaining to these events.
The bible or “Stick of Judah” is written primarily to the Jews but also to the “children of Israel his companions”.
The book of Mormon, or “Stick of Joseph” is written primarily to and about Lehi’s posterity which is from the loins of Joseph but it is also written for the gentiles who are also a remnant of Joseph.
The Doctrine and Covenants or “Stick of Ephraim”, is written to the tribes of Israel that were identified among the gentiles and for ALL the House of Israel. Nevertheless, the leaders of the LDS restoration movement are clearly from Ephraim, as pointed out before. They are the ones responsible for gathering all tribes into the gospel net.
Notice how the following passages in Zechariah 10 speak of Judah, Joseph and Ephraim as separate and distinct tribal entities,
“And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will ahear them.
Apparent Discrepancy regarding Stick of Ephraim?
Of course the D&C has a passage that appears to define the Stick of Ephraim as the book of Mormon, (D&C 27: 5) however that verse was not in the original version of the revelation which raises some questions about how and why the verse was added at a later time.
Furthermore, defining the stick of Ephraim as the Book of Mormon instead of the Doctrine and Covenants appears to be inconsistent for the following reasons;
The Gospel of Christ vs the Gospel of Abraham
As you know, one of the greatest goals of the LDS foundation movement was to redeem Zion. That was one of the primary reasons for the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood at the Morley Farm. As you work your way through this article, please keep in mind that when the Saints failed to redeem Zion after having the Melchizedek revealed to them by the voice of God through the heavens, by the hand of Joseph Smith, who held the keys of Elijah, the Lord then does something NEW for the salvation of the church.
I am going to be presenting scriptural evidence that once the Gentiles rejected the fulness of the Gospel of Christ, God then remembers his covenant with Abraham.
Understanding that the gospel of Abraham is a lesser gospel containing a lower gospel law than the fulness of the Gospel of Christ is critical.
The Time of Transition
During 1834-6 the efforts to redeem Zion appear to have been largely abandoned after the Saints in Jackson County were forced to flee and the gentiles appear to have rejected the fullness of the Gospel as prophesied in the Book of Mormon by altering the manner of baptism and failing to live consecration and redeem Zion,
“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. 3 Ne. 16: 10
Indeed the Lord did take the fullness of the Gospel from the gentile Church of Christ however, the prophet Joseph Smith realizing the seriousness of the situation announced that the Lord had revealed to him that something NEW must be done for the salvation of the Church.
He then announced that foreign missions would be established by the twelve apostles and others. This declaration took place in conjunction with the secret appearance of Christ, Moses, Abraham and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple.
Amazingly, God was now remembering his covenant with Abraham!
Missions were now going to be set up to take the preparatory Gospel to the children of Abraham in the nations of the world!
It appears that God may have instructed Joseph and Oliver to keep the visitation in the Kirtland Temple a secret so that the Saints of that generation would not associate the taking of the gospel to foreign lands with the covenant of Abraham. Even down to this very day the apostate church claims to be taking the fulness of the gospel to the nations of the earth even though they are really taking the preparatory gospel of Abraham.
The Saints, in their darkened state of minds were unwittingly participating in the remembering of Gods covenant with Abraham instead of taking the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world for the last time.
By the time that the diary entry with the short summary of the Temple visitation would be published in the D&C 40 years later, the latter day church in Utah would pretty much be set in their interpretations of what had taken place in Kirtland, Jackson County, Far West and Nauvoo.
The modern church now assumes that foreign missions were initiated in response to the command in section 84,
“Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.”
Clearly that command is referring to the 3rd watch, when the first laborers of the last kingdom return with the fullness of the Melchizedek priesthood, as high priests, with fulness of priesthood power.
Notice the following verses,
“And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath bgiven me; ye are my my friends“;
Several of the quorum of the twelve, who are not the first laborers of the last kingdom, like Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, were NEVER even ordained to be high priests! The above command was speaking to those being spoken to in section 84! Those who had just received the other comforter, even the promise of eternal life. Joseph, Sidney and most of the others being spoken to in section 84 never went on foreign missions.. they were being reserved by the Lord to go forth for the last time in the 3rd watch.
The passages continue… revealing that miracles will follow those who believe when the servants go forth for the last time in the 3rd watch when the Marvelous Work begins.
God was reminding these first elders about the promise that had been given to them two years earlier in secion 29,
“..ye have been chosen out of the world to declare my gsopel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump… ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; formine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts…” (See section 29)
Once you understand the doctrine of the three watches and who the first laborers of the last kingdom are, you begin to realized that God did a “bait and switch” on the Church. They had been down-graded from the fulness of the Gospel, to the preparatory gospel mentioned in section 84.
Even the gospel of Abraham.
Here is what the LDS church website has to say about the transitory time time of crisis wherein the Lord revealed to Joseph that something new must be done for the salvation of the church.
“During the last few years the Saints lived in Kirtland, many members and even some leaders of the Church apostatized. The Church seemed to be passing through a time of crisis. “In this state of things,” the Prophet wrote, “God revealed to me that something new must be done for the salvation of His Church.” This “something new” was a revelation to send missionaries to England to preach the gospel.
Heber C. Kimball, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, recalled: “About the first day of June 1837, the Prophet Joseph came to me, while I was seated in … the Temple, in Kirtland, and whispering to me, said, ‘Brother Heber, the Spirit of the Lord has whispered to me, “Let my servant Heber go to England and proclaim my gospel and open the door of salvation to that nation.” ’ ” Elder Kimball was overwhelmed by the thought of such an undertaking: “I felt myself one of the very weakest of God’s servants. I asked Joseph what I should say when I got there; he told me to go to the Lord and He would guide me, and speak through me by the same spirit that [directed] him.”
The Prophet also extended calls to Orson Hyde, Willard Richards, and Joseph Fielding in Kirtland, and to Isaac Russell, John Snyder, and John Goodson in Toronto, Canada. These brethren were to join Elder Kimball on his mission to England. Gathering in New York City, they sailed on the ship Garrick for Great Britain on July 1, 1837. This first mission outside of North America brought some 2,000 converts into the Church during the missionaries’ first year in England. Elder Kimball wrote joyfully to the Prophet: “Glory to God, Joseph, the Lord is with us among the nations!”
A second apostolic mission to Britain, involving most members of the Twelve under the leadership of Brigham Young, was directed by the Prophet from Nauvoo. Leaving in the fall of 1839, the Twelve arrived in England in 1840. There they began a labor that by 1841 would bring over 6,000 converts into the Church, fulfilling the Lord’s promise that He would do “something new” for the salvation of His Church.
From Nauvoo, Joseph Smith continued to send missionaries throughout the world. Elder Orson Hyde landed in England in 1841 and later continued his assigned mission to Jerusalem.
On May 11, 1843, the Prophet called Elders Addison Pratt, Noah Rogers, Benjamin F. Grouard, and Knowlton F. Hanks to perform missions to the islands of the South Pacific. This was the first mission of the Church anywhere in that vast region. Elder Hanks died at sea, but Elder Pratt traveled to the Austral Islands, where he taught the gospel on the island of Tubuai. Elders Rogers and Grouard continued to Tahiti, where hundreds of people were baptized as a result of their labors.” LDS Church Website
The great missionary work to foreign lands was initiated as a direct result of the appearance of Moses and Abraham to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple in April of 1836. Since the gentile nation and the gentile church had rejected the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Lord was now remembering his covenant with Abraham. The preparatory gospel, even the gospel of Abraham was now being sent to the nations of the world.
Elder Parley P. Pratt had received a revelation shortly after the appearance of Abraham to Joseph and Oliver foretelling that the servants of the Lord would be taken out of the midst of the gentiles and sent to the nations afar off. Following that, paraphrasing Amos, he foretells that this nation would have a famine pertaining to hearing the word of the Lord…
“In July, 1836, while lodging at the house of brother Joseph Fielding, the voice of the Lord came unto me in a dream, saying:
“Parley!”
And I answered:
“Here am I;”
for I was in a vision of the Spirit and knew that it was the Lord who spake unto me. And he said:
“When did I ever reveal anything unto you in a dream and it failed to come to pass?”
And I answered:
“Never, Lord.”
“Well, then,”
He continued,
“go unto this people and cry unto them with a mighty voice that they repent, lest I smite them with a curse and they die; for, notwithstanding the present fruitfulness of the earth, there shall be a famine in the land; and not only a famine for bread, but a famine for the Word of the Lord; for I will call my servants out from their midst and send them to the nations afar off.”
Indeed, once the foreign missions were initiated the heavens began to close over the Latter day Saints. Only a few canonized revelations came forth during the next eight years, including sections 112 and 124 which declared ominous conditions among the apostate Saints,
How profound are the words of Amos,
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a afamine of bread, nor a bthirst for water, but of hearing the cwords of the Lord:”
Now that the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been rejected by the Gentiles, God was now remembering his covenant with Abraham and his seed. Hence, Abraham appears and restores the Gospel of Abraham to the earth and Moses gives the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth.
Up until section 110 in 1836 the restored church was only taking the fullness of the Gospel to those remnants of Israel who were identified among the gentiles who had been led away and had been gathered to America.
After the gentiles rejected the fullness of the Gospel of Christ, we have the secretive appearance of Christ, Elijah, Moses and Abraham in the Kirtland Temple and the restoration of the lesser Gospel of Abraham. From that time on, it appears from passages in section 84, 110 and 112, that the Saints were taking the preparatory gospel of Abraham into all the world to be a blessing to the seed of Abraham.
The Lord was keeping the church alive by restoring the lesser Gospel of Abraham and using the church to send it into all the world!
It is important to understand that the Covenant of the Father pertaining to the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ represents Celestial Law while the Covenant of the Lord with Abraham wherein the seed of Abraham blesses all the families of the earth with the preparatory gospel represents a lesser law… probably that of , Terestrial Law.
This amazing event wherein our Father Abraham restored the Gospel of Abraham was both a blessing and a cursing according to the prophetic words of Moses… more on that later.
Lyman Wight observed that the Book of Commandments represented the higher law while the Doctrine and Covenants contained a lesser law.
Much of the historical documentation pertaining to how Lyman Wight felt has been lost and some of it has been sealed from public scrutiny by people in high places so we are left to speculate why Lyman felt this way.
Nevertheless, his feelings seem to be consistent with history and the switching over from the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gospel of Abraham which is the preparatory gospel. However it may not have been so much to do with the differing content between the two books as the composition of the church membership they each went to and the level of priesthood authority and law directing the church.
Aside from possible variations in doctrine and protocol, perhaps one of the most distinguishing factors between the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants is that the Book of Commandments was the cannon of scripture used by the Gentile Church in America between 1830 and 1835 and the Doctrine and Covenants was published in 1835 and shortly thereafter sent forth to the world.
The Doctrine and Covenants came forth at a time of great transition in the Church where the following events were taking place,
1- The stronghold in Kirtland (priesthood protection) came to an end when the Saints failed to redeem Zion by September 11, 1836. A great apostasy followed and the Saints had to abandon the Temple and flee from Kirtland. (see D&C 64:21 regarding the five year stronghold”)
2- The church name was changed from the “Church of Christ” to the “Church of God” while attempting to redeem Zion. Then after failing to redeem Zion, it was changed to the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints”. The new name represented the Saints that were in a scattered condition. (Although the History of the church indicates the third name was used much earlier, the first time it is used in scripture is D&C 115: 3-4)
3- The gospel of Abraham was taken to foreign lands. With the foreign missionary work, and the influx of converts coming from foreign countries, the demographics of the church changed to include the “dispersed of Judah” and the “outcasts of Israel”. Remnants of Judah and all other tribes of Israel throughout the world that had also been assimilated into the gentile nations were migrating to America from foreign lands. (It is interesting to note the John B. Lee makes mention of the “Jews” and “Gentiles” living in Nauvoo. His statements seem to be applying the word “Jews” to the new converts coming into the church from foreign countries rather than to the Ashkenazi Jews in the church such as Orson Hyde and Alexander Neibar)
The statement of Joseph Smith that something new must be done for the salvation of the Church and the establishment of foreign missions was directly related to the secret event that took place in the Kirtland Temple which is documented in section 110 of the D&C.
Among other things, Father Abraham (Elias) in fulfillment of ancient prophecy, (110:12 ) appeared to Joseph and Oliver and committed to them the keys of the Gospel of Abraham pertaining to the covenant of the Lord to Abraham wherein all of the nations would be blessed.
This was done in conjunction with Moses appearing and giving Joseph and Oliver the keys of the gathering of ALL of the remaining remnants of the house of Israel.
At this point, foreign missions were set up and the preaching of the preparatory gospel, (see section 84:26-27) even the gospel of Abraham began to take place in all the world.
Although a huge 2nd watch gathering of the seed of Abraham to America has taken place from 1836 to the present day, it appears from passages in Section 133 that when the servants return, and the times of the Gentiles once again come in, (45:28) there will be a massive 3rd watch final gathering to America. The final warning to “go ye out from Babylon” will go to ALL NATIONS and eventually those who are in the “North Countries” will finally return with yet other records,
“Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off; unto the islands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the Gentiles, and then upon the Jews. And behold, and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go ye forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about..
..they who are in the North countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord and their prophets shall hear his voice and shall no longer stay themselves… and they shall bring their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim…And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim…. And they shall be filled with songes of everlasting joy. Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows…Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows.”
The above passages indicate that Ephraim and his fellows receive a richer blessing than the other tribes of Israel and those of Judah, including those who return from the North countries.
Old Jerusalem vs New Jerusalem
The Terrestrial Gospel of Abraham
The book of Ether makes the distinction between those of the celestial souls who inhabit the New Jerusalem vs those of the terrestrial glory that fall under the gospel of Abraham, pertaining to the covenant that God made with Abraham.
Those that are caught up to meet Christ and the city of Enoch come down in the New Jerusalem.
Those that fall under the terrestrial law pertaining to God’s covenant with Abraham, who died without accepting the fullness of the gospel law are also made white, but they receive a lesser blessing and live under a lesser law and are designated as the “Old Jerusalem”.
They are the terrestrial spirits that were gathered in under the covenant of Abraham,
“And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new.
And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel.
And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham. Ether 13: 11
We know the D&C was written to all nations because in the opening section it declares that “the voice of the Lord is unto ALL MEN.. and the voice of warning shall be unto ALL PEOPLE.”
Other sections also speak of how the servants of the Lord will go forth into ALL NATIONS,
“And inasmuch as my people shall assemble themselves at the Ohio, I have kept in store a blessing such as is not known among the children of men, and it shall be poured forth upon their heads. And from thence men shall go forth into all nations.” D&C 39: 15
“And I give unto you a commandment that then ye shall teach them unto all men; for they shall be taught unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.” D&C 42: 58
God remembers Abrahamic covenant AFTER remnant of Jacob is scattered by Gentiles
The Book of Mormon reveals that the blessings that God had for the descendents of Lehi were given to the gentiles who later came to America.
“And behold, the Lord hath reserved their blessings, which they [the apostate remnant of Jacob living in about 400 AD] might have received in the land, for the Gentiles who shall possess the land.
But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and AFTER they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel.” Mormon 5:19-20
That prophecy in the Book of Mormon indicates that God will remember his covenant with Abraham and all the house of Israel AFTER the Gentiles have DRIVEN and SCATTERED the remnant of Jacob.
I suspect that some people assume that the remembering of the covenant with Abraham by the Lord in the latter days was initiated by the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the legal establishment of his church in April of 1830.
However, I would like to suggest that perhaps there is another interpretation of the above scripture that is more congruent with scripture and history.
Please Note that the Indian Removal Act was not signed into law until the following month after the legal establishment of the Church of Christ upon the earth. More importantly, that actual act of driving the remnants of Jacob out of their lands did not begin until 1831!
Although the process of driving and scattering the remnants of Jacob continued for nearly a decade, the initial thrust of the movement began with the trail of tears in 1831 when 4,000 of the 15,000 cherokee died from exposure disease and starvation. The five primary Indian tribes were driven and scattered per the Indian Removal Act between 1831 and 1834… just about the time that the Gentile Church attempting to establish Zion in Jackson County was driven and scattered by the unbelieving gentiles!
Below are a few excerpts about the Trail of Tears,
The Trail of Tears was the relocation and movement of Native Americans in the United States from their homelands to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) in the Western United States. The phrase originated from a description of the removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831. Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation while en route to their destinations, and many died, including 4,000 of the 15,000 relocated Cherokee.
In 1831, the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee-Creek, and Seminole (sometimes collectively referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes) were living as autonomous nations in what would be called the American Deep South. The process of cultural transformation (proposed by George Washington and Henry Knox) was gaining momentum, especially among the Cherokee and Choctaw.[3] Andrew Jackson was the first U.S. President to implement removal of the Native Americans with the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. In 1831 the Choctaw were the first to be removed, and they became the model for all other removals. After the Choctaw, the Seminole were removed in 1832, the Creek in 1834…
…Secretary of War Lewis Cass appointed George Gaines to manage the removals. Gaines decided to remove Choctaws in three phases starting in 1831 and ending in 1833. The first was to begin on November 1, 1831 with groups meeting at Memphis and Vicksburg. A harsh winter would batter the emigrants with flash floods, sleet, and snow. Initially the Choctaws were to be transported by wagon but floods halted them. With food running out, the residents of Vicksburg and Memphis were concerned…
Nearly 17,000 Choctaws made the move to what would be called Indian Territory and then later Oklahoma.[8] About 2,500–6,000 died along the trail of tears. Approximately 5,000–6,000 Choctaws remained in Mississippi in 1831 after the initial removal efforts. The Choctaws who chose to remain in newly formed Mississippi were subject to legal conflict, harassment, and intimidation. The Choctaws “have had our habitations torn down and burned, our fences destroyed, cattle turned into our fields and we ourselves have been scourged, manacled, fettered and otherwise personally abused, until by such treatment some of our best men have died.”[10] The Choctaws in Mississippi were later be formed as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the removed Choctaws be called the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
God remembers his Covenant with Abraham in 1836
Clearly scripture reveals that the remembering of the covenant of the Lord with Abraham happens AFTER the gentiles reject the fullness of the Gospel and AFTER the unbelieving gentiles scatter the indians.
I would pose the following question. If the restoration of the Church of Christ in 1830 did not constitute the remembering of the covenant with Abraham and the blessing unto all the House of Israel, what event did?
All we are told is that AFTER the [unbelieving ] gentiles scatter the remnants of Jacob, the covenant with Abraham that would BLESS all the house of Israel would be remembered.
In previous articles I have shown that the Gentiles that received the gospel had rejected it sometime on or before September 11th 1836, with was the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.
I would suggest that the remembering of the covenant with Abraham likely began sometime between the beginning of the scattering of the remnants of Jacob in 1831 and the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by September 1836.
If we do a key word search using the word Abraham in modern scripture, looking for an event that might identify the establishment of the covenant with Abraham, we find the following event that took place shortly before the deadline of September 1836,
“After this, Elias [Abraham] appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.”
I would submit to you that this secret appearance of Abraham and others to Joseph and Oliver in the Kirtland Temple was an integral part of the Lord remembering his covenant with the seed of Abraham in the 2nd watch!
Indeed I would submit that the appearance of Abraham to commit the Gospel of Abraham in the Kirtland Temple was the fulfillment of the promise and prophecy that God made to Abraham that he would make a great nation (America) out of the seed of Abraham and that Abraham would minister to his seed in the latter days and that they would take the gospel of Abraham to the nations of the earth.;
“But I, Abraham, and Lot, my brother’s son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord aappeared unto me, and said unto me: Arise, and take Lot with thee; for I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land [in the latter days] which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice.
For I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in aheaven; the earth is my bfootstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my cchariot; I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly.
My aname is Jehovah, and I bknow the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.
And I will make of thee a great nation, [America]and I will bbless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;
And I will abless them through thy name; for as many as receive this bGospel shall be called after thy cname, and shall be accounted thy dseed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their efather; “
From this we see that Father Abraham was to minister to his posterity in the latter days. God was to make a great nation out of his posterity.
Although the patriarchal priesthood had already been restored in 1829 for the purpose of administering the ordinances of salvation for the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Father Abraham was now restoring the Old Testament Gospel of Abraham since the believing gentiles had rejected the higher gospel.
Remarkably, the restored church provides patriarchal blessings identifying people as the seed of Abraham, fulfilling the prophesy that those who receive this preparatory gospel are called after the name of Abraham!
In one sense the remembering of the Covenant that God made with Abraham was obviously a cursing since the church was being down-graded from the Fulness of the Gospel of Christ to the Gospel of Abraham, yet in another sense, it was a blessing because it appears to have prolonged the temporal salvation of the church and it initiated the remembering of the covenant between God and Abrahams posterity. This made possible the sending forth of the preparatory gospel to the seed of Abraham in all the world.
The Lord had revealed the Melchizedek priesthood through Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Lyman Wight at the Morley Farm and demonstrated that the oath and covenant of the Father was available through the baptismal covenant, enabling man to see the face of God the Father upon faith and diligence.
Joseph Smith had labored diligently to sanctify the latter day children of Israel that they might behold the face of God but the members of the church, collectively, like the children of Israel wanted to follow a prophet and live a lesser law instead of becoming prophets and consecrating themselves fully.
The Gospel of Abraham which is the lesser gospel with a lesser law, was therefore instituted… it is described in section 84, using the Old Testament children of Israel as an illustration,
“Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to Santify his people that they might behold the face of God;
“But they ahardened their hearts and could not endure his bpresence; therefore, the Lord in his cwrath, for his danger was kindled against them, swore that they should not eenter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took aMoses out of their midst, and the Holy bPriesthood also;
26 And the lesser apriesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the bkey of the cministering of angels and the dpreparatory gospel;
27 Which agospel is the gospel of brepentance and of cbaptism, and the dremission of sins, and the elaw of fcarnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until gJohn, whom God raised up, being hfilled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.”
Joseph Smith opined that the lesser law was given as a cursing….
“The law was given under Aaron for the purpose of pouring out Judments and destructions.” (Smith Dairy)
“Levitical which was never able to administer a Blessing but Only to bind heavy burdens which neither they nor their father able to bear” (Franklin D Richards Diary)
Was the Patriarchal Law of Multiple Wives Restored with the Gospel of Abraham?
I must confess at this point that the carnal law of commandments contained in the gospel of Abraham and the law of Moses does appear to allow the patriarchal law of multiple wives unless God specifically forbids it as he did in the case of Lehi and his posterity.
It appears that the restoration of polygamy also very possibly took place with the restoration of the Gospel of Abraham in 1836.
Two Groups are dispersed between 1831 & 1834
Is it a coincidence that from 1831 to 1834 the trail of tears and the removal of the five main Indian tribes was taking place at the same time the Saints who were attempting to redeem Zion were being moved out of their place?
Notice how the following prophecy in the Book of Mormon foretells of a time when the unbelieving gentiles will scatter one group of Gods people and will cast out another group of Gods people who had been mingled among them,
1- My people of the House of Israel who are scattered by the unbelieving gentiles
2- My people of the House of Israel who are cast out from among the unbelieving gentiles
“Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the alatter day shall the truth come unto the bGentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them.
8 But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; [the Lamanites] and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, [The Latter day Saints in Jackson County & eventually those in Kirtland, Far West and Nauvoo] and have been trodden under feet by them;
9 And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss and a byword among them—
10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.
11 And then will I remember my covenant [the Abrahamic covenant] which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. “
This prophecy is really quite amazing. It clearly states that right after the gentiles reject the fullness of the gospel, God will remember his covenant with Abraham!
Incredible!
We know that directly after the Saints failed to establish Zion, and rejected the fullness of the Gospel, that Abraham and other ministering of angels secretly appeared to Joseph and Oliver and restored the Gospel of Abraham.
The prophecy foretold of both the scattering of the indigenous remnants of the Book of Mormon people and it foretold the casting out of the Latter day Saints from among the unbelieving gentiles! It is remarkable that both events would happen simultaneously,
I realize that the following verse can be interpreted to only be referring to the lamanites, however, if you do a key phrase search on “trodden under feet” you will see that the second part of the sentence applies scripturally to the latter day Saints. They were truly trodden under feet.
But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; [the Lamanites]
and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, [The Latter day Saints in Jackson County & eventually those in Kirtland, Far West and Nauvoo] and have been trodden under feet by them”
In section 101 the Lord warns the Gentile Saints that if they are found to be transgressors after being called to the everlasting gospel they will be “cast out” and “trodden under the feet of men”.
“When men are called unto mine aeverlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the bsalt of the earth and the savor of men;
40 They are called to be the savor of men; therefore, if that asalt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
41 Behold, here is wisdom concerning the children of Zion, even many, but not all; they were found transgressors, therefore they must needs be achastened—“
Later in section 103 he reiterates,
1 Verily I say unto you, my friends, behold, I will give unto you a revelation and commandment, that you may know how to aact in the discharge of your duties concerning the salvation and bredemption of your brethren, who have been scattered on the land of Zion;
2 Being adriven and smitten by the hands of mine enemies, on whom I will pour out my bwrath without measure in mine own time.
3 For I have suffered them thus far, that they might afill up the measure of their iniquities, that their cup might be full;
4 And that those who call themselves after my name might be achastened for a little season with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not bhearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I gave unto them.
5 But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall arealize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour unto the bcounsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them.
6 Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to aprevail against mine benemies from this very hour.
7 And by ahearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the bkingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is cgiven unto the saints, to dpossess it forever and ever.
8 But inasmuch as they akeep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them.
9 For they were set to be a alight unto the world, and to be the bsaviors of men;
10 And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as asalt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.
11 But verily I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the alands of their inheritances, and shall bbuild up the waste places of Zion.
12 For after amuch tribulation, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, cometh the blessing.
The blessing and the Cursing
Years ago while reading the D&C I was impressed with the declaration of the Lord that the new converts of the Church were the literal descendants of the children of Israel.
While reading and pondering Deuteronomy 29-31 and other related prophesies about latter day Israel in the Old Testament, I began to use the prophecies about the descendants of Israel contained therein as a context for understanding the events of LDS church history.
I was already familiar with the very disturbing warnings that the Lord had given to the Saints about the consequences of not living consecration, not redeeming zion and not publishing the JS Translation of the bible to the world.
Those warnings seemed to give credence to the warning that had been given very early in the Church that God would turn them over to Satan if they did not repent.
The failure of the Saints to do these things seemed to fit into the prophecies in the Old Testament, New Testament and Book of Mormon about the future apostasy of Gods people in the latter days.
I had already keyed into the target day of September 11th 1836 as the time when the stronghold in Kirtland would be removed and the appointed time for the redemption of Zion would be in Jackson county.
Naturally, since that date came and went without the Saints being able to establish Zion, I began to analyze the changes that began to take place in the church after that time as the Saints were having to flee Kirtland, Far West, Adom-ondi-amen, and eventually Nauvoo. It caused me to consider the events relating to the Danites, the participation of Masonry and the evolution of the Spiritual Wife doctrine from the biblical principle of polygamy that entered into the church AFTER September 11 1836, in a new light.
It occurred to me that perhaps the church was digressing instead or progressing after failing to keep Gods laws.
I did a study on the flow of revelation and realized that the heavens seemed to be closing. With approximately 110 canonized revelations coming prior to September 11th 1836 and only about 10 coming after that date. How strange that over 100 revelations came during the first 7 years of Joseph Smith’s ministry and only about 10 coming during the during the remaining 8 years!
Additionally, I noticed that the few revelations that came after the ministering of Abraham in 1836 had ominous declarations in them, for instance section 112 informed the Saints that all “flesh was corrupt” and that “gross darkness” was over the “minds of the people”.
Section 124 informed that Saints that the “fullness of the Priesthood” had been “lost” and would need to be restored again.
Those warnings in latter day revelation seemed consistent with the prophesies in Deuteronomy which prophesied that the children of Israel would go a “whoring” after the “Gods of the stranger” “whither” they go (31:16) even in the “latter days” (31:29)
One of the things that intrigued me in those chapters in Deuteronomy was an event that was to take place in the last days that had to do with a “Blessing” and a “Curse” upon the descendants of the children of Israel which appears to take place as they are transitioning into apostasy.
It seemed extremely strange and illogical that God would be placing a blessing and a cursing on his people at the same time.. however, I have been studying the scriptures long enough to know that Gods ways are not my ways and so I did not discount what was being said.
It is really quite an important prophesy because it details some major events that lead up to the time when a portion of them finally come out of apostasy and RETURN to the Lord.
It behooves us to understand the issues involved in the prophecy that pertains to the Blessing and the cursing in the last days.
Please study these passages about the blessing and the cursing closely. They foretell a period of apostasy wherein the latter day children of Israel are given a blessing and a cursing. The Good news is that eventually the righteous portion will return to the Lord;
“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, thou shalt return unto the Lord they God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will turn and gather thee from all the nations, wither the Lord they God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven from thence will the Lord they God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee; And the Lord they God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
And the Lord thy god will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee which thee.
And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day…
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, That I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live;
That thou mayest love the Lord they God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that you mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham Isaac and Jacob”
The above passages seem to speak of a time when the Lord gives latter day Israel a blessing and a cursing. Sometime after that, the Lord has compassion on them and frees them from the “captivity” or bondage they have been in for 400 years.
At that time, God will circumcise their heart and they will finally love the Lord God with all of their heart and souls.
One needs to keep in mind the fact that there are two general groups of Gods people that are redeemed, the larger portion represents the seed of Abraham that ultimately receives a terrestrial inheritance, the smaller group of the elect receive a celestial inheritance.
I really wanted to identify and better understand what the blessing and the curse was that seemed to be placed on latter day Israel. It seemed very strange to me that God would put a blessing and a cursing upon them at the same time!
I looked for the pivotal event that might represent the turning point in Gods relationship with latter day Israel.
Naturally section 110 containing the appearance of Christ, Abraham, Elijah and Moses shortly before the appointed time for the redemption of Zion was one of the suspected events that I felt might relate this prophecy.
As I studied that event and where it fell into the time line of church history I thought it was interesting that Joseph Smith had quit encouraging the saints to be prepared to redeem Zion at the appointed time of Sept 11 1836. As early as late 1834 he was encouraging them to live in surrounding areas to Jackson county so that they would be ready to regain possession of those sacred places on or before September 11 1836. Strangely enough, he seemed to quit talking about it during 1835-6, as if it had become apparent to him that Zion would need to be redeemed at a later time…
It was as if it had been revealed to him, or at least become obvious to him that the Saints would not be able to establish Zion by that date.
Secondly, I found it intriguing that the visitation by Christ and the ministering angels in the Kirtland Temple was kept a secret!
The Saints of that time were apparently never told about this event during the life of Joseph Smith.
I believe it was 16 years after the Saints migrated to Utah before this event was made public and it was a full 40 year, biblical generation before it was canonized in the D&C!
The Gospel of Abraham possibly contains the Law of Plural Marriage
I have made some harsh statements regarding those who practiced various types of polygamy during the restoration movement.
However, somewhere between writing part 4 of the High Priesthood article and the article on Patriarchal Priesthood, I had an “ah ha” moment in the evolution of my belief about polygamy which I am now sharing in this part of this series.
I have always claimed in my posts that “biblical polygamy” was accepted of God and was certainly not adultery. I have also always maintained that the “spiritual wife doctrine”, which teaches that you must have multiple wives in order to gain an inheritance in the celestial kingdom, that was introduced for the very first time during the Nauvoo period is a false doctrine, and that it is not necessary to have multiple wives to become exalted in the celestial kingdom.
My opinion on those two issues has not changed…
HOWEVER
In the past I have felt that those who engaged in certain types of polygamy during the restoration movement may have been in transgression for doing so. I did this based on my understanding of the information I had at the time, within this twilight Zone that we are living in.
My belief concerning the practice of polygamy between 1836 and today HAS evolved.
Although I have suspected in the past, that biblical polygamy may have been permissible during the restoration movement, I could never find any credible documentation in the scriptures and supporting theory, to justify the belief.
Section 42 and 49 prohibited polygamy and section 132 has way too many false doctrines intermingled in it to accept it without corroborating scriptural testimony… and corroborating scriptural testimony for the doctrines taught in 132 is nonexistent.
Additionally, there is compelling testimony from William Law, who personally read the original revelation now known as section 132, which indicates that someone messed with the original and added the theological part about multiple wives being required for exaltation.
But now, as a result of the research I have been doing, primarily regarding the special conference at the Morley Farm and the high priesthood, and particularly the concept of the Gospel of Abraham that was restored in section 110, my thoughts about polygamy after the defilement of the Kirtland Temple have changed.
I now believe that after the first laborers of the last kingdom received their spiritual endowments and became sanctified in 1832-3 (giving them the ability to offer themselves up as an acceptable atonement and scapegoat offerings and giving them the ability to have their bodies “renewed” at a future time so they could return during the 3rd watch), that the collective body of the church, consisting of wheat and tares, rejected the fullness of the Gospel containing the higher law.
That higher law, as contained in section 42, contained the celestial law of monogamy as well as consecration.
Once the fullness of the gospel had been rejected by the Gentile church, the Lord came to his temple in secret with three other ministering angels.
Among other things, they restored Israelite tribalism AND the “Gospel of Abraham” which very possibly contains the law of plural marriage.
Shortly after that, people in foreign lands from the house of Jacob with the “believing blood of Israel” in them began to gather into the gospel net, geographically and theologically as a direct result of God remembering his covenant with the seed of Abraham.
Although this gathering of the seed of Abraham did not physically separate the new converts into the specific 12 sub-tribes physically, they were identified tribally by patriarchal blessings.
This amazing and secretive series of events that took place in the Kirtland Temple, began the global gathering of the tribes of Israel and the seed of Abraham into one collective tribe regarding those who joined the church. However it is very possible that the gathering of the seed of Abraham to America takes on a broader application than that.
With regard to the “Gospel of Abraham” which is not to be confused with the “Priesthood of Abraham”, it was restored to the earth during that series of events in the Kirtland Temple.
This took place since the Saints had rejected the fullness “Gospel of Christ”.
I realize there are people who will take issue with me and suggest that the Saints were becoming more righteous and enlightened between Kirtland and Nauvoo and that the “gospel of Abraham” is somehow greater than the “gospel of Christ”, containing a higher law, but I disagree, and I feel that the evidence is obvious and compelling..
Again, it is important to distinguish the difference between “priesthood” and “gospel”.
Among other things, Priesthood is the authority to dispense the saving ordinances of the gospel. While the gospel is the “power of God unto salvation”.
Up until the time that Christ came to the Kirtland temple in secret, the “priesthood” of Abraham and Moses that was restored by Peter, James and John, was dispensing the blessings of the fullness of the gospel of Christ, which is the gospel of the highest salvation.
Sometime after that time the patriarchal priesthood began dispensing the gospel of Abraham.
Abr 2 proves that the descendants of Abraham are to take the gospel of salvation to the world, and also D&C 124 which verifies that the church in Kirtland and also Nauvoo was being governed by patriarchal priesthood.
According to section 124, the Church in Nauvoo was being administered by the patriarchal priesthood of Abraham which Hyrum Smith had been appointed to by his father, by blessing and by right.
That patriarchal priesthood gave him the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all of the Saints. It also gave him the same keys of blessing and cursing, sealing and loosing, just as the Lord gave to Abraham and Peter, James and John.
If it is not shocking enough that the church was being governed by the Patriarchal Priesthood beginning in 1829, we find that in Nauvoo, after the fullness of the priesthood had been lost, the prophet, seer and revelators of the church, namely Joseph, Sidney and Hyrum, were functioning with those spiritual gifts, under the authority of the patriarchal priesthood.
Even more shocking is the fact that when Hyrum was being made the co-president of the Church with Joseph under the patriarchal priesthood, he was replacing Oliver Cowdery in that calling… that’s right, way back before Oliver left the Church, when he was the co-president of the Church with Joseph in Kirtland, the priesthood he had gotten from Peter James and John was the same patriarchal priesthood that was governing the church in Nauvoo!
Once the Gentile church had collectively rejected the gospel of Christ and the higher law of consecration which mandates monogamy, it was necessary to down-grade the church to the gospel of Abraham, in order to enable it’s temporal salvation, even if they were being down-graded to the preparatory gospel.. without them even knowing it. Hence, the event in the Kirtland Temple was not spoken about publicly during the life of Joseph Smith.. nor was it published in the D&C for forty years after that.
I am therefore open to the possibility that anyone living at that time to the present, who is living the biblical law of polygamy according to the rules and authority of the Gospel of Abraham, (which I don’t claim to be an authority on) may not be committing transgression in doing it. They were simply given the lesser law that Abraham was living before he entered into the higher law.
This lesser law that allows polygamy, allowed the children of Israel to practice polygamy and it was a cursing to them.
Nevertheless, I am not convinced that the patriarchal law of polygamy allows an unspecified number of wives with no guidelines.
The Old Testament doesn’t give us much information pertaining to the law and the Book of Mormon makes the following statement,
“For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.” Jacob 2: 30
This remarkable verse actually provides more clues to how polygamy should be practiced than one might think.
If you do a key phrase search on “raise up seed” we find that in the Old Testament the raising up of seed pertained to the act of raising up seed to a deceased brother via his wife,
“…And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s awife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.” Gen. 38: 8
It refers to the same thing in the New Testament,
“…Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his abrother shall bmarry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.” (Mat 22:24 see also Mark 12: 19 Luke 20: 28)
I find it interesting that the New Testament credits Moses as stipulating the practice of raising up seed to a deceased brother, yet gives no other details about what guidelines Moses gave pertaining to raising up seed.
Finally, in the Book of Mormon, it simply means raising up seed through monogamous marriages.
“And now I would that ye might know, that after my father, Lehi, had made an end of aprophesying concerning his seed, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take bdaughters to cwife, that they might raise up dseed unto the Lord in the land of promise.” 1 Ne. 7: 1
How fascinating that according to the scriptures, that phrase can only be documented as referring to one of two things, raising up seed to a deceased brother by marrying a brothers wife, or to procreation via monogamy!
Obviously, it is possible that Moses gave other rules and broader allowances pertaining to polygamy, but if so, it is very strange that they do not show up in scripture.
Although I have evolved regarding the legitimacy of patriarch polygamy in the LDS foundation movement, my paradigm shift has not changed my belief that the spiritual wife doctrine is bogus. In fact, it has significantly strengthened it.
I would present the case study of Lyman Wight as just one more evidence, that multiple wives are not necessary for exaltation.
Note that he was called to the High Priesthood after the order of the Son of God, was transfigured, he beheld the father and the son, became sanctified by fire and appears to have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost or the “other comforter”.
In short, he received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, was elected to the highest portion of Melchizek priesthood, and entered into the gate and received the promise of eternal life, and he did all this as a humble, monogamous, follower of Christ. We have no reason to suppose that case was any different regarding the monogamous status of Adam, Melchizedek, Enoch and many others.
Historical Revisionism and the Practice of Polygamy
In addition to the case study of Lyman Wight regarding polygamy, I would like to present the case study of Benjimin F. Johnson.
Recently one of my friends send the following question to me by email;
“was the parenthetical statement in verse 2 of D&C 131, viz. [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage], always present in this verse, or was it something added later. the only other reference to the “new and everlasting covenant of marriage” is in 132, which is obviously a point of debate. i suppose my real question is if the “order of the priesthood” mentioned in the same verse really referring to marriage, or was that interpretation added sometime later. did the Lord really use that language..”the new and everlasting covenant of marriage“?
Let us review what it says in those passages in 131;
“In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have increase.”
Here was my response to him;
“According to the blue books, section 131 was never intended to be represented as a revelation.
Sections 130 and 131 were composite statements from Joseph Smith that people reminisced about hearing him talk about. verses 1-4 of 131 were comments JS made while visiting a friends house taken out of history of the church… of course, this is during the time that he was apparently practicing polygamy.
Those comments from history of the Church were not put into the D&C until 1876 by Orson Pratt under the direction of BY..
YES the comments in brackets were added later..
Strangely enough, when you read the entire original statement without the comments that Pratt and Young added, JS was speaking about the highest priesthood and was speaking about being sealed for eternity to ONE wife.
Here is the exact quote taken out of the history of the Church that Joseph Smith made to his friend;
““Your life is hid with Christ in God and so are many others, nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent you from inheriting eternal life for you are sealed up by the power of the Priesthood unto eternal life, having taken the step necessary to for the purpose.
Except a man and his WIFE enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die. That is, they will not have any children after the resurrection.
But those who are married by the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory.
The unpardonable sin is to shed innocent blood, or be accessory thereto. All other sins will be visited with judgment in the flesh and the spirit, being delivered to the buffetings of Satan until the day of the Lord Jesus the way I know in whom to confide-
God tells me in whom I may place confidence.
In the Celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase..”
I personally find the above quote to be anything but an endorsement of the spiritual wife doctrine or polygamy in general….”
The above statements attributed to Joseph Smith are a testimony against the spiritual wife doctrine.
Notice how the man and wife are to enter into the true everlasting covenant of baptism, which includes consecration, and then, after having done that, they are to be married for eternity;
Except a man and his WIFE enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity,
The above statement reminds me of the profound statement by Paul to the Corinthians about the eternal union of the two genders,
“Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.”
If being sealed to multiple wives was essential to the highest salvation, Paul would have said,
“Nevertheless neither is the man without women, neither the women without the man, in the Lord.”
The Rest of the Story
It is pretty amazing to realize that Brigham Young deliberately selected one short paragraph from those incredible statements which were contained in the dairy. After selectively taking only a portion of what was said, he then inserted [meaning everlasting covenant of marriage] to imply something other than what was really being said.
This is a text book example of historical revisionism.
But then, so is section 132.
This is exactly what had happened with the rewriting of section 132. There is evidence to show that the original revelation was very short and only had to do with biblical polygamy.
Additionally, the traditional biblical definitions for the terms “everlasting covenant”, “salvation” and “oath and covenant” “strait gate” and other terms were all changed in section 132.
The definition of “everlasting covenant” was changed. Instead of referring to baptism it was changed to refer to multiple wives.
The term “salvation” was also changed. Instead of referring to the “greatest gift of God” in the Celestial Kingdom, as it had previously been referred to in the scriptures, it referred to a lesser glory for those who remain single.
Lastly, the term “oath and covenant” of the priesthood, which had previously referred to the covenant of the Law of the church containing consecration, now referred to “multiple wives”.
But lets get back to our case study of Benjamin F. Johnson.
As you saw from reading the complete statement attributed to Joseph Smith, the principle of being sealed in marriage eternally was presented as having to do with ONE WIFE.
But there is much more to be gleaned from this case study.
If you are very familiar with church history, you are aware that Joseph introduced Benjamin to the principle of multiple wives and that Benjamin did in fact practice polygamy!
You might have assumed that it must have been some time after the event mentioned in section 131 that Joseph introduced Brother Johnson to the law of polygamy. In fact you may be assuming that it was introduced after Joseph sealed Brother and sister Johnson to each other..
WRONG!
Joseph had already introduced the patriarchal law of multiple wives to Benjamin F Johnson before he sealed him to his wife!
That is what is so revealing and compelling about the case study of the Johnsons!
Joseph Smith had introduced the biblical principal of multiple wives to Benjamin as a separate concept. He later revealed the celestial principle of celestial marriage to ONE WIFE as a separate and distinct concept.
He told Brother Johnson he needed to be sealed to his WIFE but he never said anything about needing to be sealed to his plural wives…. Why! Because polygamy is a TEMPORAL, CARNAL LAW, having to do with raising up seed within the law of the gospel of Abraham.
It is not a SPIRITUAL LAW having to do with the Law of Zion.
Please note the wording taken from several passages out of the autobiography of BFJ
“…As I have alluded to the law of plural marriage [D&C 132] I will relate the time and manner in which it was taught to me.”
Notice how brother Johnson refers to it as the “law of plural marriage” but someone later inserts [D&C 132] in brackets to lead the reader into assuming that plural marriage and the doctrine contained in the current editions of section 132 which teaches that you need multiple wives to receive the greatest salvation, are synonymous. They are NOT!
“After telling additional details in his autobiography brother Johnson states, “as we sat down upon a log he began to tell me that the Lord had revealed to him that plural or patriarchal marriage was according to His law; and that the Lord had not only revealed it to him but had commanded him to obey it;”
Again, notice that the marital law spoken of is characterized as PLURAL or PATRIARCHAL marriage. Not CELESTIAL marriage. Also please remember that the law Joseph Smith was obviously referring to was the Law contained in the gospel of Abraham that was restored in 1836, he was obviously not speaking about the celestial law contained in section 42 as the gentile church had rejected the fullness of the Gospel.
Nowhere in brother Johnsons diary does it ever mention celestial marriage or the concept of being sealed to multiple wives for eternity.
This is what Brother Johnson says…
In the evening he called me and my wife to come and sit down, for he wished to marry us according to the Law of the Lord. I thought it a joke, and said I should not marry my wife again, unless she courted me, for I did it all the first time. He chided my levity, told me he was in earnest, and so it proved, for we stood up and were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.
Again, Joseph had already taught Brother Johnson about the law of plural marriage, yet when Joseph told him he needed to be SEALED TO HIS WIFE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE according to the “LAW OF THE LORD” it was a totally new concept to him, nor did he say anything about the need to have additional wives sealed to him!
This is further proof that the law of plural wives was not a part of celestial law. Again, the law of the fullness of the Gospel in section 42 requires monogamy. The interesting thing about this is that while taking the people into the law of Abraham, Joseph still seemed to be functioning as a prophet seer and revelation and God was still using him to seal righteous people.
Later in his autobiography Brother Johnson reiterated;
“the Prophet had sealed to me my first and had given to me a second to be my wife”.
Again, we see a very important distinction being made, the primary wife was sealed for eternity, while additional wives were not.
As we begin to realize that Zion was not redeemed by the appointed time and that the 3rd watch would not begin for four generations, the remembering of the covenant with the seed of Abraham would not only necessitate the gathering of the Seed of Abraham but also the bearing of the seed of Abraham. It actually begins to make sense why the Old Testament law of polygamy might actually provide an important role among the Saints.
Joseph was so concerned about the necessity of his close friend Brother Johnson fulfilling the higher law of being sealed to his wife that he made sure it was done. Yet he never said anything about sealing plural wives to Brother Johnson.
It appears that it was Brigham Young that insisted that Brother Johnson be sealed to his plural wife after the death of Joseph Smith;
“On November 14th Mary Ann Hale, given to me by the Prophet, was sealed to me as a plural wife by Father John Smith, as directed by President Brigham Young.
This case study of Brother Johnson provides another potential testimony that the Abrahamic Law of Plural wives was not originally presented as a celestial law that required being sealed to multiple wives.
This is consistent with the testimony of William Law who had read the original revelation on marriage back in Nauvoo, and when asked about the current content in section 132 in an interview, he said;
“I was astonished to see in your book that the revelation was such a long document.
I remember DISTINCTLY that the original given me by Hyrum was MUCH SHORTER.
It covered not more than two or three pages of foolscap. The contents are substantially the same, but there was not that theological introduction.
The thing consisted simply in the command of doing it, and that command was restricted to the High Priesthood and to virgins and widows. But as to Joseph, himself, the Lord’s chosen servant, it was restricted to virgins only, to clean vessels, from which to procure a pure seed to the Lord.”
It is also consistent with the scenario that when the Saints rejected the fullness of the Gospel including the law of Zion which contains consecration and monogamy, the Lord came to his temple in secret with other messengers and restored a lesser gospel law, even the Gospel of Abraham.
When the Saints got to Nauvoo, the Lord verifies in section 124 that the fullness of the priesthood had been taken. He also informs that Saints that the priesthood now governing the church is patriarchal priesthood, the same priesthood that governed the church in Kirtland!
Now then, I am not saying that it was categorically Brigham Young that began the practice of sealing plural wives to people for eternity. I have not taken the time to research this topic further but I suppose it was probably Joseph Smith that began it at some point in time before his death.
It doesn’t matter to me who began it because I believe in the literal interpretation of the “Atonement Statute” prophecy and the “scapegoat doctrine”.
God had to use someone to deliver the Saints over to the idolatry and whoring spirit that was in their hearts. My best guess at this time is that it probably was Joseph Smith who initiated the doctrines and practices associated with section 132 as well as the more deviant variations of it pertaining to polyandry that took place in Nauvoo. (which even violated the terms and conditions of plural marriage contained in section 132)
For this reason I am not all that concerned with who originated the doctrine and the practice of sealing people to multiple wives.
I am interested in understanding the introduction of the principle of patriarchal polygamy in view of ancient and modern revelation and how LDS history tells us in the proper context of those scriptures.
This concludes the 8th part of this series on the incredible event and associated knowledge that we can glean from the special conference at the Morley Farm in 1831.
My last part of this series will summarize what we have learned about the three orders of Priesthood.
Keep Watching
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
True Oath & Covenant found in True Manner of Baptism
Father Adam, Lyman Wight and Everyone Else
Must Enter into the Gate the Same Way
Via Water, Fire & Holy Ghost
(previously titled part 5-b)
True Manner of Baptism & the Oath & Covenant of the Father
As you know, the Melchizedek Priesthood was originally called the priesthood after the order of the Son of God before it was named after Melchizedek,
“Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because bMelchizedek was such a great high priest. Before his day it was called the aHoly Priesthood, after the bOrder of the Son of God.”
Section 76 explains that it was originally referred to as being after the order of the Only Begotten, after that, it was referred to as being after the order of Enoch and eventually it was after the order of Melchizedek;
“…And are apriests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of bEnoch, which was after the corder of the Only Begotten Son.
58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are agods, even the bsons of cGod—
59 Wherefore, aall things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
60 And they shall aovercome all things…”
“without beginning of days or end of years”
We are also informed in the Book of Alma that the highest priesthood of Melchizedek is the priesthood after the “order of the Son” and it is described as the priesthood “without beginning of days or end of years”.
I suspect it is referred to as being without beginning of days or end of years because this highest priesthood was before the earth was formed whereas the Aaronic priesthood and the patriarchal priesthood of Abraham and Moses pertain to human priesthood lineage having been created by covenant during the existence of this earth with various patriarchal fathers. Those two priesthoods had a beginning on this earth, according to the lineage of the fathers.
“This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things—
Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen.” Alma 13: 7,9
The JST agrees with the Book of Mormon in identifying the highest priesthood as being called after the order of the Son of God and also describing it as being “without beginning of days or end of years”,
“And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.
26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.
27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,
28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;
29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.
30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;
31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.
32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.”
The Book of Moses reveals what the Covenant of the Father is
We know that Adam is the first man and the first father of the human race. He is second in authority to Christ himself. The ordinance by which he made an oath and covenant, in order to obtain an oath and covenant from God, in obtaining the highest priesthood would certainly be the same ordinance for others.
Having shown that the highest priesthood is the one referred to as being “after the order of the Son of God”, and having shown from the word of God that this highest priesthood is also referred to as being “without beginning of days or end of years”, please review a most remarkable passage from the Book of Moses which clearly shows that the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost is the New and Everlasting Covenant through which the humble follower of Christ obtains the highest priesthood.
And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was acaught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the bwater, and was brought forth out of the water.
65 And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was aborn of the Spirit, and became quickened in the binner man.
66 And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with afire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;
And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity.
68 Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen.
Unbe-freakin-lievable!
Our Father Adam entered into the highest priesthood after the order of the Son of God that is without beginning of days or end of years DIRECTLY through the oath and covenant of BAPTISM!
The New and Everlasting Covenant of baptism which was from the beginning, is the highest priesthood covenant into which the Father invites us to enter.
The “Oath and Covenant of the Father” spoken of in section 84 is clearly and unmistakably linked to the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism! (this may seem obvious and basic to you and if it does I congratulate you for not being sidetracked by the false doctrines taught in section 132 and other places which teach the false doctrine that the Oath and Covenant and New and Everlasting Covenant is interrelated to and predicated on the Spiritual Wife Doctrine and false temple rituals)
After crying out his promise to the Lord and being baptized by water, Adam received, according to the will of the Father, the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost!
It is important to note that although the baptismal candidate begins the process by making the oath and covenant of water baptism, the highest priesthood and the promise of receiving all that the Father has is not consummated until the candidate receives the corresponding oath and covenant in return from the Father confirming that the candidate has received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost and has become a Son of God.
In other words, the covenant and oath is between two parties and both parties must enter into covenant and make an oath.
The candidate begins the process of making the oath and covenant via the baptismal ordinance. Predicated upon faithfulness, the Father calls the candidate to the fulness of the priesthood. The candidate needs to continually seek the face of God as Lyman Wight did. Being called to the priesthood by the voice of God out of the heavens is an important step, however one needs to receive their election as well.
Once the Father has accepted the offering of a broken heart and contrite spirit, the Father gives the candidate a verbal confirmation that the offering has been accepted and swears an oath that the candidate has become a Son of God and will inherit all that the Father has.
Adam got the same baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost that the Lamanites got in the 5th chapter of Helaman. It appears that he was transfigured before God and got the same baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost that Lyman Wight got at the special conference at the Morley Farm.
The baptism of water, fire and Holy Ghost is the priesthood covenant by which Adam and all of the great prophets obtained the promise of eternal life.
That’s what it means to enter into the order of the priesthood that has no beginning or end! It is the priesthood of eternal life!
The patriarchal priesthoods of Aaron (restored by John the baptist) and Abraham (restored by Peter James and John) were based on mortal lineages pertaining to this earth. The Patriarchal priesthood was given the responsibility and authority to administer the New and Everlasting covenant so that we might transcend the two lesser priesthoods of lineage and mortality and obtain the highest priesthood of Godhood and eternal life.
“This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever”
Did you notice in those passages from Moses that it is by entering into the oath and covenant of the Father through the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism that gets you recorded into Gods book?
Notice the definition of record from the 1828 websters;
RECORD’, v.t. [L. recorder, to call to mind, to remember, from re and cor, cordis, the heart or mind.]
1. To register; to enroll; to write or enter in a book or on parchment, for the purpose of preserving authentic or correct evidence of a thing..
Section 88 refers to this book as the “book of the names of the sanctified”.
Of course the above passages in the Book of Moses don’t tell us what the oath or promise was that Adam cried out, but it doesn’t matter, because we have been given the commandments that pertain to the ordinance of Baptism through a latter day prophet.
The Oath we make to the Father
Here is the verbal oath or promise we have been commanded to make in the presence of witnesses PRIOR TO BAPTISM;
“And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.”
I would suggest that if we are serious about salvation, we study the above passage very carefully because it very possibly contains the oath that we must make before we can enter into the New and Everlasting Covenant of the Father. This verbal determination to serve God is to be made publicly in front of the church.
Even if we are the most righteous people on God’s green earth, we technically don’t qualify for the will of the Father to grant the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost if we failed to follow the commandments of God concerning the proper MANNER of Baptism that we have been commanded to follow… which includes repenting, receiving a the spirit of Christ unto the remission of sins AND making a public declaration of your determination to serve Christ to the end, in front of witnesses, BEFORE baptism.
Again, notice that verse 37 is the COMMANDMENT to the Church concerning the MANNER of Baptism.
Lets review this promise that we have been commanded to make before baptism,
First, humble ourselves before GOD.
This promise we are making before God must be made verbally in front of the church as witnesses.
Our promise and declaration must state that we have truly repented of our sins.
We must state that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ.
We must state that we are willing to SERVE HIM TO THE END.
Prior to making this promise we must manifest by our works that we have received the spirit of Christ unto the remission of our sins.
ONLY AFTER MAKING THIS OATH SHALL WE BE RECEIVED BY BAPTISM INTO THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD.
Following the above passages, section 20 informs us that it is the duty of the elders of the church to “confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES.”
WOW, it is a good thing we searched the scriptures in our last part of this series to better understand what is the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost.
We must Sacrifice all things like Abraham
I have mentioned several times that we must make a covenant to sacrifice all things. Did you know that the sacrifice that we are to offer up unto God is actually our offering up a “broken heart and a contrite spirit”?
Do a key word search of the phrase and it takes you to the words of the Savior to the Nephites,
“And ye shall offer for a SACRIFICE unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.”
There you have it. Those who truly follow the commandment to make the oath contained in verse 37 and offer unto God a broken heart and a contrite spirit are actually offering the sacrifice that is required in order to receive the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost, which sanctifies you and allows entrance through the strait gate and into the path… which is synonymous with being called to the High Melchizedek Priesthood.
Lyman Wight had obviously received a remission of his sins by the spirit of Christ and obeyed the commandment to make the aforementioned declaration before witnesses at the time of his baptism BEFORE his baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost at the Morley Farm!
The Baptismal covenant and the sacrament wherein we covenant to keep all of his commandments represent an “offering” and “sacrifice” that are usually spoken of in ancient and modern scripture. ( See Malachi 3:1-3 D&C 59: 8, 12, 84:31,
Following verse 37, section twenty gives us the exact wording that we are to use in administering the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism.
That baptismal prayer in the D&C was identical to the baptismal prayer contained in the Book of Mormon UNTIL the 1835 edition of the D&C was published. At that time, the baptismal prayer was CHANGED to the words that are in the D&C today.
It is not clear exactly when the Church quit having new converts obey the commandment in verse 37, nor is it clear why the leading brethren of the Church changed the wording of the baptismal covenant. Nevertheless, the fact that it was changed must surely be significant.
Isaiah apparently saw in vision the changing of the manner of baptism, including the discontinuance of the baptismal oath that is required BEFORE the baptism. This of course changes the ordinance. He spoke prophetically of it…
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have atransgressed the laws, bchanged the cordinance, dbroken the eeverlasting fcovenant. (Isa 24:5)
Lyman Wight was equally unimpressed.
He was quite upset about changes made in the 1835 edition of the D&C which included the changing of the baptismal prayer. Perhaps he also had concerns about the fact that the church was no longer having converts obey the commandment in verse 37 to make a public oath to the Father.
Despite the efforts made to conceal much of what Lyman Wight did and said, we have historical records showing that In 1837 Lyman Wight was teaching “that the church was under a telestial law, [and] the Doctrine and Covenant was a telestial law, but the Book of Commandments was celestial law”
Lyman also alludes to the defilement of the temple and the Saints having to flee Kirtland he said,
“..because God does not whip in a Celestial, or under a Celestial law; therefore he took us the Church out doors to whip us—as a parent takes his children out of doors to chastise them.”
(See http://saintswithouthalos.com/m/370424.phtml see also volume 1 part 1 of the “historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants” by Woodford)
David Patten was so offended at what Wight was teaching that he brought him before a church court.
When I first saw that statement by Lyman Wight years ago it made no sense to me and I blew it off and discounted Wight as one of the many loose cannon, wing-nuts who had gravitated to the restored church.
I have since re-evaluated the situation after learning about the events at the Morley Farm, the incredible life of Lyman Wight and the things God says about Lyman in the D&C.
In our next installment, when we review the three orders of priesthood and the corresponding three levels of law and three degrees of glory, we shall see that the terrestrial “priesthood” of Abraham initially offers celestial law and the opportunity for people to transcend to the highest priesthood of Melchizedek through the fullness of the Gospel and the New and Everlasting covenant of Baptism.
However, when the church collectively rejects celestial law and the fullness of the Gospel, then the “priesthood” of Abraham replaces the “gospel” of Christ with the “gospel” of Abraham, which functions under a lesser law and a lesser Priesthood.
I now believe Lyman Wight knew exactly what he was talking about!
I honestly believe now that Lyman Wight was one of a few holy men among the gentiles for a period of time, until the scapegoat doctrine kicked in. He clearly was human and eventually the affects of the latter day apostasy and the atonement statute fell upon him, but he enjoyed a period of enlightenment for a season and had the priesthood sealed upon him for the part he would play in the 3rd watch.
His words were often blunt and harsh and not politically correct. People probably thought he was a heretic.. perhaps much the same way John the Baptist was perceived… a wild man.
But true prophets speak the word of God with the tongue of angels and those words are sometimes words of sharpness and are like a two-edged sword.
Once you have been sanctified and have truly entered into the narrow path, you see things with your spiritual eyes that others don’t see. The eyes of your understanding are touched by the finger of God and you only traffic in the truth.
The words of Lyman Wight were as a two-edged sword to those who heard them.
Another holy man that used much sharpness was King Benjamin,
“…For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people—” Mormon 1:17
Lyman Wight made another politically incorrect observation in a letter he wrote in 1851, after the martyrdom.
At a time when he could have been trying to take the leadership control of the church jointly with his brethren of the 12, or claim the presiding position by virtue of having been the first High Priest of this dispensation, he simply made the following declaration;
“… We were to have a sufficient time to build that house, during which time our baptisms for our dead should be acceptable in the river. If we did not build within this time we were to be rejected as a church, we and our dead together. Both the temple and baptizing went very leisurely, till the temple was somewhere in building the second story, when Bro. Joseph from the stand announced the alarming declaration that baptism for our dead was no longer acceptable in the river. As much to say the time for building the temple had passed by, and both we and our dead were rejected together..”
“The church now stands rejected together with their dead. The church being rejected now stands alienated from her God in every sense of the word.” (ref )
The Key of Knowledge has been hidden
If you are like me, you are somewhat baffled and awestruck at how we latter day saints have missed the simplicity of the Gospel and gone past the mark.
How have we missed the simplicity of Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost being the gate by which the highest priesthood and eternal life is gained? How have we allowed ourselves to become so confused with so much other doctrinal and ritualistic baggage?
How has this happened to four generations of Latter day Saints?
In JST Luke 11:53, the Savior makes an astonishing accusation against the religious “lawyers” that were largely responsible for teaching doctrine in the corrupt Jewish church,
“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge, the fulness of the scriptures; ye enter not in yourselves into the kingdom; and those who were entering in, ye hindered.”
In previous posts and/or comments I have pointed out that just because a person holds the keys of the kingdom (church), it doesn’t mean that they have successfully used those keys themselves to get into the kingdom.
We see from the Saviour’s chastisement to the Jewish lawyers that they not only failed to use the key of knowledge to get themselves in to the kingdom, but they hindered others from entering as well.
The above passage reveals that the “key of knowledge” is the “fulness of the scriptures”.
It should be remembered that in the Law of the Gospel as contained in section 42 the Lord said;
“…And all this ye shall observe to do as I have acommanded concerning your teaching, until the fulness of my bscriptures is given.”
In section 104 the Lord said
“And for this purpose I have commanded you to organize yourselves, even to print amy words, the fulness of my scriptures, the revelations which I have given unto you, and which I shall, hereafter, from time to time give unto you for the purpose of building up my church and kingdom on the earth, and to aprepare my people for the time when I shall bdwell with them, which is nigh at hand.”
As I have pointed out before, the church was warned that they would be damned in their progression if they failed to finance the publishing of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Although evidence suggests that the JST was finished long before the Saints left Kirtland, Joseph Smith was still pleading with the Saints in Nauvoo to contribute to the publishing of the JST.
Although the JST that we get from the reorganized church is pregnant with incredibly important and enlightening information, there is reason to believe that perhaps there will be much more to it when it finally comes forth under the direction of the first laborers of the last kingdom, including the record of John.
As we dig deep into the understanding of what priesthood is, we need to remember that an important aspect of priesthood power is knowledge. Indeed, knowledge is power. And it is priesthood and the fulness of the scriptures that enables one to obtain knowledge,
“… Now the great and grand secret of the whole matter, and the summum bonum of the whole subject that is lying before us, consists in obtaining the apowers of the Holy Priesthood. For him to whom these keys are given there is no difficulty in obtaining a bknowledge of facts in relation to the csalvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living… This, therefore, is the asealing and binding power, and, in one sense of the word, the bkeys of the kingdom, which consist in the key of cknowledge.” (Section 128)
“And this greater apriesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the bkey of the cmysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the dknowledge of God.” (Section 84)
“The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church—
To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.” (107:18-19
This is a time to Rejoice and Prepare our Minds and Hearts
Let me take this opportunity to remind the readers of this article that the information you have read about the changing of the manner of baptism, the changing of the actual ordinance and the breaking of the covenant should not be cause for despair but rather for rejoicing.
This explains why the servants need to restore the breach!
If you are feeling despair, you either are not familiar with the doctrine of the three watches or you don’t believe it. I strongly advise you to go here and review it.
We live in an exciting time. We are living during the time of the fourth generation that will experience the return of Gods servants to the earth.
God is slowly removing the blindness from the eyes of a portion of Israel.
This information that God has granted us to have is a blessing for it explains why the gifts of the spirit in large measure have been withheld from the church. It explains why and how the covenant has been broken and why the heavens have been sealed since the death of the prophet Joseph Smith.
Perhaps most importantly, it explains why the first laborers of the last kingdom need to return and restore the breach prior to the return of the Lord!
Knowledge is power. Once you understand the truth pertaining to the New and Everlasting Covenant, you are less likely to be deceived by the false prophets and false teachers out there who are seducing people into a state of complacency. Others are seducing people into believing in the spiritual wife doctrine and other false doctrines and practices. (Once a person understands about what took place at the special conference at the Morley Farm, and what the fulness of the priesthood is, and that it was restored and lost between 1831-1834, it is easy to detect the fallacy of section 132 and the “spiritual wife doctrine” that categorically contradicts the celestial law of monogamy revealed in section 42)
This information enables us to better prepare our hearts and minds for the return of the servants and for the opportunity to enter into the true manner of baptism and the true covenant with the Father.
Lyman Wight had previously entered into the Oath and Covenant
In my closing remarks of part 6 of this series I made the following statements
“If it is true that Lyman Wight was indeed transfigured before the Lord and that he received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost in the process of being elected to the Melchizedek priesthood, then he had already entered into his part of the oath and covenant of the Father that is mentioned in section 84.
He had entered into it BEFORE the special conference.”
Chances are pretty good that you ascertained during the last part of this series, if not before, that the Oath and Covenant of the Father pertains to the New and Everlasting Covenant of Baptism .
Now, hopefully you have an even better understanding of this. Hopefully you are internalizing this doctrine.
This requires a huge paradigm shift since we have not been conditioned to think of the highest priesthood being predicated upon the baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost.
Once you have an epiphany that the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost is granted by the will of the Father and that indeed it precedes the oath and covenant made by the Father, confirming that the candidate has been born again and become a Son of God, inheriting all that the Father has.
Why did God reveal the Law of the Gospel AFTER the Saints promised to live it?
Now then… I want to point something out to you that is very curious.
End of story as far as priesthood and associated gospel law?
NOT!
After restoring the first two priesthoods and telling them they have the fullness of the Gospel and the keys of the kingdom, he then tells them to go to Ohio so that he can give them the Law of the Gospel and a higher endowment of priesthood!
Wait a minute! Doesn’t that seem a bit illogical?
If they have the fullness of the gospel and the keys of the kingdom, why in the world would they still need to receive the Law of the Gospel?
And why in the world would they need an additional priesthood endowment?
To add more intrigue to this story, once the Lord reveals that the law of consecration is part of the law of the Gospel, he acts as if it is a given that they will obey it.
The reason for this is because they had already made a covenant to obey the law of the gospel even though they didn’t fully understand what it was.
I had a person emphatically declare on my other blog several months ago that the baptism covenant is separate and distinct from the covenant to consecrate and that a person can enter into the baptismal covenant but choose not to consecrate and still make it into the celestial kingdom.
WRONG!
When you enter into the baptismal oath to serve God to the end instead of others and to serve God instead of yourself, you are making a covenant to obey ALL of the commandments that have been revealed to you and all of the commandments that will be revealed to you in the future.
Can you agree to something before knowing what you are agreeing to?
One of the things that bothered me about the temple endowment when I went through for the first time is how, right before you go through, you are taken into a room and given the opportunity to back out if you want to.. but they don’t tell you exactly what the covenants and ritualistic reception of tokens are that you are about to enter into… so you can’t really make an intelligent decision as to whether you want to back out or not.
They don’t tell you what you are going to do nor what you will say and to what you will agree to do.
It seems to me that it would be helpful to know that information before having to commit one way or the other.
That information is revealed after you have declined to back out of the ceremony!
As disturbing as it is to me that the temple endowment was handled that way, I must confess, that protocol is, in essence, how God works with his covenant of baptism.
This is why you need to really make sure you know which God you are dealing with and whether the gospel is being administered by true shepherds or false shepherds when you enter into a covenant that binds you to future commandments… fortunately, the scriptures inform us that we can break false covenants into which we are duped.
Anyway, the baptismal covenant is the same way. Once you know that Jesus Christ is the creator of the heavens and the earth and that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one God, and that you can become a possessor of all things and have eternal life if you enter into covenant with them upon obedience and your willingness to sacrifice all things, you get to make that decision even though you don’t have a full understanding of the gospel and all of the future commandments that may be given to you.
Notice in verse 68 of section 20 that the elders don’t teach the new converts everything concerning the Church until after they are baptized but BEFORE they covenant again to keep all of the commandments by taking the sacrament.
“The elders are to have a sufficient amount of time to expound all things concerning the church of Christ to their understanding previous to their partaking of the sacrament”
It is interesting that God has given us the sacrament ordinance which is a renewing of our original commitment to obey all of Gods commandments that was made in the ordinance of baptism.
“But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. (2nd Nephi 31)
Notice how we renew our original promise to God every time we partake of the sacrament,
“..that they may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may have his spirit to be with them, Amen”
Since a foundational law of the fulness of the gospel is consecration, one has to wonder if those not living that most important commandment are supposed to be taking the sacrament… clearly, we cannot have the spirit to be with us if we are not living the commandments.
Law of Consecration
One could make a case for the proposition that the law of consecration is the covenant of the Father and that when a person enters into the promise to live consecration that that is the oath that begins the covenant. But I would suggest that the law of the gospel and the associated requirement to consecrate and live a monogamous life, as contained in the law of the gospel in section 42, was entered into the day a person makes the public oath that is detailed in section 20 verse 37.
It is interesting to note that Oliver Cowdery received what is now known as section 20 by revelation after being commanded to do so.
You can learn a little more about the unique roll that Oliver Cowdery has and will play in the church here and you can read various versions of section 20 here http://saintswithouthalos.com/p/1831_articles.phtml
Although Oliver received the majority of this revelation, it was, however, the prophet Joseph Smith, who, by revelation, added verse 37 to section 20.
While Oliver Cowdery was reviewing some revelations and preparing them to be published, he came across the verse that Joseph Smith had added and felt like the phrase “they have received of the fSpirit of Christ unto the gremission of their sins” was incorrect and not in harmony with the word of God in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. He therefore wrote a letter to Joseph Smith stating,
“I command you in the name of God to erase these words, that no priestcraft be amongst us!!”
In Joseph’s diary he said;
“I immediately wrote to him in reply, in which I asked him by what authority he took upon him to command me to alter or erase, to add or diminish to or from a revelation or commandment from Almighty God.” (ref http://saintswithouthalos.com/s/d&c_28.phtml)
It took a week of Joseph laboring with Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmer Family to convince them that Joseph had not erred in using those words. He had added them by direct revelation from God.
His labors with those good folks was followed up by a revelation wherein the Lord told Oliver,
“..no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my Servant Joseph Smith Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses. And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him… And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church..” (D&C 28)
It is important to realize that prior to the printing of the Book of Commandments, the early elders of the church would hand copy sections 20 and 42 and take them with them on their missionary assignments.
At that time section 20 was referred to as the “Articles and Covenants” of the Church.
These two sections were all that were needed to teach new converts about the true oath and covenant of the Father and the law of the Gospel.
Now then, getting back to this amazing sequence in the history of the church, after bestowing the first two priesthoods, restoring the church, acknowledging that the church has the fullness of the gospel and the keys by which entrance into the gate is made possible, God commands the Saints to go to Ohio where they will get the greater endowment of priesthood and find out what the details are of the gospel law they have already made an oath to obey.
I have spoken much about what we have learned about priesthood and I am going to provide a detailed summary about priesthood in a later part of this series; however, I want to address the law of the Gospel and more particularly the law of consecration at this time.
Consecration
We need to take a few minutes to revisit and encapsulate the warnings and consequences associated with not living the law of consecration.
It is essential that we understand just how critical is the law of consecration.
Here is a brief summary of the admonitions and warnings given about the importance of this law with dates and sections;
It is essential to understand and remember that the oath and covenant of the priesthood is incorporated within the new and everlasting covenant of baptism and that the everlasting covenant of baptism contains the commandment to serve God and live consecration.
Interestingly, the Saints didn’t have the law of the gospel given to them before being given the covenant of baptism. It wasn’t necessary for the Lord to give the details of the law first because the baptismal recipient is agreeing to sacrifice all things by serving God instead of anyone else. The baptismal oath requires us to be obedient to every law that has or will be given.
Let us review what the Lord has told us about this law;
| Dates | Sections | Admonitions and Warnings |
| 1/18312/18312/1931
2/1831 3/1831 6/1831 7/1831 8/1831 8/1831 10/1831 11/1831 3/1832 4/1832 |
384142
44 45 54 57 58 63 66 70 78 82 105 119 |
“Be One and If ye are not ONE YE ARE NOT MINE”“Ye shall see that MY LAW is kept.. He that recieveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple he that sayeth that he receiveth it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple and shall be cast out from among you..”“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.. Behold, thou wilt remember the poor and consecrate of thy properties… with a covenant and a deed that cannot be broken… and this I do for the salvation of my people
“many shall be converted in so much that ye shall obtain power to organize yourselves.. that your enemies may not have power over you; that you may be preserved in all things” [3rd watch fulfillment] “..it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin “For it must needs be that they be organized according to my laws; if otherwise, they will be cut off.” “that I will consecrate unto my people, which are a remnant of Jacob, and those who are heirs according the [oath and] covenant [of the priesthood] “Wo unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visistion, and of judgment, and of indignation; the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved..” “Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion… and thjus let those of whom I have spoken be planted in the land of Zion, as speedily as can be, with their families, to do those things even as I have spoken.” “for verily I say unto you my law shall be kept on this land” [3rd watch] He that sendeth up treasures unto the land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world and his works shall follow him, and also a reward in the world to come” “..for he that is tithed [consecrated] shall not be burned at his coming” “Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant [which is synonymous with the oath and covenant of the priesthood], even the fullness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life..” “And behold, none are exempt from this law who belong to the Church of the living God” (The Church of the Living God separate from the Church of Christ, it consists of High priests who have entered into the oath and covenant of the priesthood) “Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld” “..according to the LAW every man that cometh up to Zion must lay all things before the bishop in Zion.” 1 The Lord spake unto Joseph Smith, Jun., saying: Hearken unto me, saith the Lord your God, who are ordained unto the ahigh priesthood of my church, who have assembled yourselves together; 2 And listen to the acounsel of him who has bordained you from on high, who shall speak in your ears the words of cwisdom, that salvation may be unto you in that thing which you have presented before me, saith the Lord God. 3 For verily I say unto you, the time has come, and is now at hand; and behold, and lo, it must needs be that there be an aorganization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of the bstorehouse for the cpoor of my people, both in this place and in the land of dZion— 4 For a permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to advance the cause, which ye have espoused, to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father who is in heaven; 5 That you may be aequal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. 6 For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be aequal in obtaining heavenly things; 7 For if you will that I give unto you a place in the acelestial world, you must bprepare yourselves by cdoing the things which I have commanded you and required of you. 8 And now, verily thus saith the Lord, it is expedient that all things be done unto my aglory, by you who are joined together in this border; 9 Or, in other words, let my servant Newel K. Whitney and my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and my servant Sidney Rigdon sit in council with the saints which are in aZion; 10 Otherwise aSatan seeketh to turn their bhearts away from the truth, that they become cblinded and understand not the things which are prepared for them. 11 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, to prepare and organize yourselves by a abond or everlasting bcovenant that cannot be broken. 12 And he who breaketh it shall lose his office and standing in the church, and shall be adelivered over to the bbuffetings of Satan until the day of redemption. 13 Behold, this is the preparation wherewith I prepare you, and the foundation, and the aensample which I give unto you, whereby you may accomplish the commandments which are given you; 14 That through my providence, notwithstanding the atribulation which shall descend upon you, that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world; 15 That you may come up unto the acrown prepared for you, and be made brulers over many kingdoms, saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Zion, who hath established the foundations of cAdam-ondi-Ahman; 16 Who hath appointed aMichael your prince, and established his feet, and set him upon high, and given unto him the keys of salvation under the counsel and direction of the bHoly One, who is without beginning of days or end of life. 17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are alittle children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; 18 And ye cannot abear all things now; nevertheless, be of good bcheer, for I will clead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the driches of eeternity are yours. 19 And he who receiveth all things with athankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an bhundred fold, yea, more. 20 Wherefore, do the things which I have commanded you, saith your Redeemer, even the Son aAhman, who prepareth all things before he btaketh you; 21 For ye are the achurch of the bFirstborn, and he will take you up in a ccloud, and appoint every man his portion. 22 And he that is a faithful and awise bsteward shall inherit call things. Amen. And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just…This order have I appointed to be an everlasting order unto you , and unto your successors, inasmuch as you sin not. And the soul that sins against this covenant, and hardeneth his heart against it, shall be dealt with according to the laws of my church, and shall be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption..” “And your minds in times past hve been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received. Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation..” “Therefore, inasmuch as some of my servants have not kept the commandment, but have broken the covenant through covetousness, and with feigned words, I have cursed them with a very sore and grievous curse. For I, the Lord, have decreed in my heart, that inasmuch as any man belonging to the order shall be found a transgressor, or in other words shall break the covenant with which ye are bound, he shall be cursed in his life, and shall be trodden down by whom I will. For I , the Lord, am not be mocked in these things… therefore, inasmuch as you are found transgressors, you cannot escape my wrath in your lives. In as much as ye are cut off for transgression, he cannot escape the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption….” “Behold, ..were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now… they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them. And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom. And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom. And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer….” “..If my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you.” |
Obviously, the above is only a sampling of what the D&C says about the law of consecration.
If you took the time to read all of the quotes above, then you are probably feeling a little sober.
The above exercise was done to remind you just how many times the Lord addressed the law of consecration in modern revelation. He did it repeatedly. The warnings and consequences are numerous and severe.
Looking beyond the Mark
We actually agree to live the law of the Gospel which incorporates the law of consecration when we obey section 20:37 and enter into the true manner of baptism and make our public declaration before witnesses that we are going to serve Christ to the end.
Once you realize just how important it is that we live the law of the Gospel and how integral the law of consecration is, and how severe the consequences are for not living it, you begin to realize just how far off the path we really are.
It would make no sense for God to reveal a higher law to us after we have rejected his previous laws. (see the following article regarding my recent Analysis of Section 132)
It may seem shocking to realize that the oath and covenant of the Father is the baptismal covenant!
That is just too simple!
Hopefully the simplicity of the Gospel is starting to emerge out of the darkness and confusion that we have been in.
We needed to have the lesser priesthoods restored so that the oath and covenant of the Father could be administered by the proper priesthood authority… enabling us to enter into the gate and into the highest priesthood.
Recently a blogger who has taught seminary posted a blog asking the following question,
She went on to pose the following questions,
“Where do you find the actual “Oath and Covenant” of the Priesthood?
Who makes the covenant?
Who takes an oath?
Why is it called the “oath and covenant of the Priesthood”?”
She then acknowledged that she had not been able to find the answers to these questions,
“These and many more questions plagued me the first year I taught Doctrine and Covenants in early morning seminary. I had come to Section 84 where the Lord outlined the beautiful patriarchal order of the priesthood, but still could not find the answers. In Section 84 we are instructed regarding the blessings for obtaining and magnifying the priesthood…. It even refers to the “oath and covenant of the priesthood”, but still not a clue is given to what is meant by that terminology. I asked everyone I could find, and believe it or not, the answers I got would surprise you. The funniest one I think I got was, “That is just what they call it!”
Finally she provides the answer that she got which you can read about here if you are interested.
This dear lady had run into the same wall that virtually all other inquiring minds in church have run into and she did the best she could to try to figure it out.
How is it that we as a people have lost our way?
The Book of Mormon speaks of how the Jews fell because they were looking beyond the mark,
But behold, the Jews were a astiffnecked people; and they bdespised the words of cplainness, and dkilled the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their eblindness, which fblindness came by looking beyond the gmark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they hcannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble. Jacob 4: 14
The above passage is fascinating in that it begins speaking about the Jews in the past tense then transitions to speaking about them prophetically, in the future.
“They were a stiffnecked people…” PAST
“They must needs fall…” FUTURE
These passages prophesy that the Jews would fall because they despised the words of plainness and looked beyond the mark. They chose to seek after things they could not understand instead of believing the plain and simply doctrine of faith, repentance and baptism of water, fire and the Holy Ghost.
I would submit to you that this prophesy has a dual fulfillment. Not only did the Jews look beyond the mark in the meridian of time, they also are doing it in the latter days.
The Gentiles looked beyond the mark and rejected the fullness of the Gospel from 1830 to 1836.
They demonstrated their blindness in rejecting the incredible endowment being offered at the special conference at the Morley Farm.
They treated lightly the true oath and covenant of the Father.
Beginning in 1836, Father Abraham appears to Joseph and Oliver and gave them the keys of the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. Shortly after this the twelve apostles were sent to establish foreign missions and the preparatory gospel went forth to the remnants of Judah and scattered Israel. Latter day Judah has been restored to the church and preparatory gospel as a result of what took place in section 110!
To this day, the Jews and Gentiles who have accepted the preparatory gospel and the Book of Mormon continue to despise the words of plainness and look beyond the mark as they seek after things they cannot understand.
We have one last chance coming up here very shortly.
The third watch is about to begin.
If we don’t learn from the past mistakes of our fathers in looking beyond the mark, the incredible tragedy of the special conference at the Morley Farm is doomed to repeat itself in the lives of many latter day Saints.
In our next installment we shall see what we have learned about the priesthood in our quest to find 23 high priests and the holy order.
Keep watching.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[I am not providing references to all quotes from the internet in this post… sorry, you will need to do key word searches]
It has now rained off and on for over three weeks where I live and it is supposed to continue right up to the New Moon on June 22nd!
In the 16 years I have lived here I don’t remember this much humidity during such a prolonged time. It reminds me of the prophecies that speak of the rain and storms, literal and figurative that will hit just before the great test hits. Joseph Smith made the following statement. “It is in the order of heavenly things that God should always send a new dispensation into the world when men have apostatized from the truth and lost the priesthood, but when men come out and build upon other men’s foundations, they do it on their own responsibility, without authority from God; and when the floods come and the winds blow, their foundations will be found to be sand, and their whole fabric will crumble to dust.”
At the time of the floods and winds, those who have built their foundations on a sandy foundation will crumble. Joseph Smith seems to be giving one of the signs to look for when it is time for the new dispensation to come in after the existing dispensation has apostatized and lost the fulness of the priesthood.
You may feel like the reference to the time when the floods come and the winds blow is speaking metaphorically, not literally… but I believe it is referring to both. Part of Joseph Smith’s statement was paraphrasing passages from section 90;
“Thus saith the Lord, verily, verily I say unto you my son, thy sins are aforgiven thee, according to thy petition, for thy prayers and the prayers of thy brethren have come up into my ears. Therefore, thou art blessed from henceforth that bear the akeys of the kingdom given unto you; which bkingdom is coming forth for the last time. Verily I say unto you, the keys of this akingdom shall bnever be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come; Nevertheless, through you shall the aoracles be given to another, yea, even unto the church. And all they who receive the aoracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the brains descend, and beat upon their house.” D&C 90: 1-5
Again, you could interpret section 90 as simply speaking metaphorically about when those who have taken treated the scriptures that were brought forth by Joseph Smith as a “light thing” are finally brought under condemnation and stumble and fall during the time of storms, winds and rains. And yet, if you look at this concept of the storms in the context of how Isaiah describes the return of the One Mighty and Strong, the same theme is found in Isaiah as well;
“Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a atempest of hail and a destroying bstorm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet… Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a afoundation a bstone, a tried stone, a precious ccorner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
What exactly constitutes a sign in the heavens that should be taken seriously? We know that everything that takes place is ultimately done under the direction of God. All things bear witness of him and his mighty works in the earth. What about the lightning that struck that recently struck agraven image of an angel on the top of a building? Is something like that a sign or is it a random event that means nothing? http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12595131
“Just as the Savior was born and sacrificed on special Hebrew calendar days, so was the Prophet Joseph Smith. His birth on Monday, 23 December 1805 coincided with the Hebrew day marking the winter solstice, leading to the suggestion that it symbolized the return of the light of the gospel to a dark world.[Note 12] Moreover, Thursday, 27 June 1844, the day on which the Prophet went “like a lamb to the slaughter” (D&C 135:4), was one of four Hebrew “days of atonement.” The Law of Moses actually required priests to sacrifice two lambs every day: one in the morning and one in the afternoon (Num. 28:3-8). Because the Hebrew day begins about sunset, the morning sacrifice was near the meridian of the 24-hour Hebrew day, and the afternoon sacrifice was near the end of the day. The morning sacrifice appears to have represented Jesus Christ, who would come in the meridian of time, and the afternoon lamb might well have symbolized the Prophet Joseph Smith, who came in the latter days and did “more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3).
He reminds us of Joseph’s prophecy regarding the coming sign of the Son of Man; “The Prophet Joseph Smith described another sign: “[T]hen 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, etc.” ( Teachings , pp. 286-287). Thus, we should be aware that eclipses and comets are not just random events, but are sometimes given as signs of the times.”
“Thus said The ETERNAL CREATOR, ‘The gate of the inner court which faces East shall be closed on the six working days; it shall be opened on the (weekly) Sabbath day, and it shall be opened on the day of the new moon (Ezekiel 46:1
H2320 Chodesh (kho’-desh)- New Moon OR New Month).‘”
I frankly love full moons. I sit and stare at the full moon every chance I get. I feel light and energy coming into my soul when I do that.
Recently I have been reading some interesting articles about the significance of the full moon in prophecy. I had previously discounted it as a significant sign in prophecy since the term does not appear to show up in the King James version of the bible, however, some scholars are claiming that the term “time appointed” is synonymous with “full moon”;
“Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.” But if you look at the Hebrew, which you can check for yourselves at http://www.blueletterbible.org, the word for “in the time appointed” (“kece”) means “full moon.” And the Hebrew word for “on our solemn feast” (“chag”) also refers to the Feast of Tabernacles in the Talmud, 2 Chronicles 5:3 and 1 Kings 8:2.) “take up the song sound the timbrel the melodious lyre and harp blow the horn on the new moon on the full moon for our feast day for it is a law for Israel a ruling of the Mighty One of Jacob” (Psalms 81:3-5 Tanakh)
It is interesting how some other religions put a huge emphasis on the full moon. I found the following about Buddha interesting; “The Buddha was born on a full moon day. His renunciation took place on a full moon day. His Enlightenment, the delivery of His first sermon, His passing away into Nibbana and many other important events associated with His life-span of eighty years, occurred on full moon days.”
“November 13 About 4 o clock am I was awakened by Brother Davis knocking at my door and The stars calling on me to arise and behold the signs… I arose and to my great joy beheld the stars fall from heaven like a shower of hailstones a literal fulfillment of the word of God as recorded in the holy Scriptures and a sure sign that the coming of Christ is close at hand.
In the midst of this shower of fire I was led to exclaim How marvelous are Thy works O Lord i thank Thee for Thy mercy unto Thy servant save me in Thy kingdom for Christ’s sake Amen. The appearance of these signs varied in different sections of the country in Zion all heaven seemed enwrapped in splendid fireworks as if every star in the broad expanse had been suddenly hurled from its course and sent lawless through the wilds of ether. Some at times appeared like bright shooting meteors with long trains of light following in their course and in numbers resembled large drops of rain in sunshine. These seemed to vanish when they fell behind the trees or came near the ground. Some of the long trains of light following the meteoric stars were visible for some seconds these streaks would curl and twist up like serpents writhing. The appearance was beautiful grand and sublime beyond description and it seemed as if all the artillery and fireworks of eternity were set in motion to enchant and entertain the Saints and terrify and awe the sinners of the earth. Beautiful and terrific as was the scenery it will not fully compare with the time when the sun shall become black like sack cloth of hair the moon like blood and the stars fall to the earth ((Documentary History of the Church, 1:439 see also Rev vi 13)”
Interestingly, the above mentioned signs in the heavens were later published in the Times and Seasons suggesting that this display may have been either a literal or typological fulfillment of the prophecy of the “falling figs” as contained in Matthew 24;
“The appearance of these signs varied in different sections of the country: in Zion, all heaven seemed enwrapped in splendid fireworks, as if every star in the broad expanse, had been suddenly hurled from its course, and sent lawless through the wilds of ether: some at times, appeared like bright shooting meteors with long trains of light following in their course, and in numbers resembled large drops of rain in sunshine. Some of the long trains of light following the meteoric stars, were visible for some seconds; those streaks would cut and twist up like serpents writhing. The appearance was beautiful, grand and sublime beyond description; as though all the artillery and fire works of eternity were set in motion to enchant and entertain the Saints, and terrify and awe the sinners on the earth. Beautiful and terrific as was the scenery, which might be compared to the falling figs or fruit when the tree is shaken by a mighty wind.” (Times and Seasons, 6[9]:898
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:e0ICnd1uWigJ:eyring.hplx.net/Eyring/Notes/leonids.html+%22The+appearance+of+these+signs+varied+in+different+sections%22&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a)
“In July, 1836, while lodging at the house of brother Joseph Fielding, the voice of the Lord came unto me in a dream, saying:
“Parley!”
And I answered:
“Here am I;”
for I was in a vision of the Spirit and knew that it was the Lord who spake unto me. And he said:
“When did I ever reveal anything unto you in a dream and it failed to come to pass?”
And I answered:
“Never, Lord.”
“Well, then,”
He continued,
“go unto this people and cry unto them with a mighty voice that they repent, lest I smite them with a curse and they die; for, notwithstanding the present fruitfulness of the earth, there shall be a famine in the land; and not only a famine for bread, but a famine for the Word of the Lord; for I will call my servants out from their midst and send them to the nations afar off.”
Having heard these words I took courage, and I continued to lift up my voice in the congregations, both in town and country, testifying of the gospel and warning the people of things to come. Many repented and were baptized, while many hardened their hearts and were filled with a contentious and lying spirit. But the Saints were filled with faith, joy, and love; and they met together oft, and had great union and peace, and were happy in the society of each other. In the autumn of the same year — I think in September — I had preached on Sunday in the chapel, on the subject of the coming of the Son of Man and the signs which would precede his coming. I prophesied that they would see signs in the heavens very soon, such as were spoken of by Jesus Christ in the New Testament; and that when they should begin to see them they might know for themselves that His coming was nigh at hand. After thus preaching I returned in the evening to the house of brother and sisters Fielding, at the hour of 9 p.m. ; we sat up for an hour or two conversing on these important things and rejoicing, when, on going out at the door and looking abroad, we beheld a most wonderful scene in the heavens, and, as it continued for some time, we finally went to some of the nearest neighbors and called them out to behold it. A wave of white light extended like a rainbow from east to west over the entire horizon, a little south of the meridian. It was in appearance about twenty feet wide, and seemed agitated in its motions like a wave of the sea; at length it removed like the motions of a great swell of the sea towards the south and disappeared; when lo! another similar light appeared immediately in the place of the former, and, after remaining stationary with agitated motions for some time, it rolled away to the south and disappeared like the former, and was replaced by a third. Thus the
same scene was renewed and continued for hours. We finally all retired to rest, while it yet continued to be exhibited.”
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a afamine of bread, nor a bthirst for water, but of hearing the cwords of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall arun to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. They that aswear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O bDan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.” http://scriptures.lds.org/en/amos/8/11#11
Amos saw that in the latter days God would send a famine of hearing the word of the Lord upon this, e the hypocritical nation of America for rejecting the fulness of the gospel. From other prophecies and statements from Joseph Smith, it is apparent that after the gentile nation rejected the fullness of the gospel, the preparatory gospel was then sent to the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah scattered among the gentile nations. Shortly after the prophecy and associated signs by Parley P Pratt, section 112 was given declaring that
“darkness covereth the whole earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face”
During the last few years the Saints lived in Kirtland, particularly after they failed to redeem Zion on September 11th 1836, at the appointed time, there was a very gross darkness that overcame the Saints! Many members and even some leaders of the Church apostatized. The Church seemed to be passing through a time of crisis.
“In this state of things,” the Prophet wrote, “God revealed to me that something new must be done for the salvation of His Church.” This “something new” was a revelation to send missionaries to England to preach the gospel. http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:HtZCMDAqCMMJ:www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp%3Fvgnextoid%3Dda135f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD%26locale%3D0%26sourceId%3D1028b00367c45110VgnVCM100000176f620a____%26hideNav%3D1%26contentLocale%3D0+%22something+new+must+be+done+for+the+salvation%22&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us It is interesting to me that the two grand signs that shown in the heavens during Joseph Smiths ministry seem to happen just as the Saints are getting expelled from Jackson and just as they are failing to meet the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.
Contemporary Signs
Perhaps some clues are in “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” a song sung in 1969 by The 5th Dimension which was written for the musical ‘Hair’. The single held the number one position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and was certified Platinum. The song listed at #57 on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of all time.
The song was based on the astrological belief that the world would be entering the Age of Aquarius, an age of love, light and humanity, unlike the then current Age of Pisces. This change was presumed by some, to occur sometime close to the end of the 20th century, however astrology is not an exact science and major astrologers differ over this.
It is claimed by some that the song was inspired in part by a Nostradamus prophecy:
‘Mars and Jupiter will be in conjunction, Soon after a new king anointed Who for a long time will bring peace to the Earth.’ (Nostradamus Prophecies C6 Quatrain 24)
Here are some of the words of the song;
“When the Moon is in the 7th house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius The Age of Aquarius Aquarius! Aquarius!”
Apparently some astrologers believe that 2009 is the target year to begin the Age of Aquarius. The events in the transition to the Aquarian Age, according to some astrologer include:
) The Feb 17 th stellium in Aquarius, ‘Jupiter aligns with Mars’
2) Simultaneous Spring Equinox on Earth, Saturn and Uranus
3) New Venus Mar 27, ‘Morning Starshine’ beginning April 1st
4) The ‘most powerful solar eclipse of the century’ on July 22nd
5) The heliacal rising of Sirius, Venus and Orion in mid-August
6) The Saturn Ring Plane Crossing / Saturn Equinox on Sept 4 7)
The appearance of the 7 th Moon in the 7 th House Sept 19 – 20 According to some planet watchers associated with the belief that the age of Aquarius is being ushered in, the last time Spring Equinox happened on Saturn and Uranus at the same time was over 2500 years ago!
They claim this is particularly meaningful at this time because Saturn and Uranus are the planetary rulers of Aquarius, the New Age we are now supposedly entering. Also, Saturn and Uranus will be in an opposition tango all this year while their equatorial planes align with each other, with the Sun and the Earth they tell us! This dynamic opposition alternately highlights and eliminates the rigid forms of the past while building anew the forms of the future world.
The Aquarian Equinox continues while Saturn and Uranus align throughout 2009. Another comment I found on the net is as follows;
“On February 17th 2009 the Moon appeared in the 7th House as mars and Jupiter were conjunct in Aquarius with the north node, a symbol of our evolutionary direction. Five planets and the Sun gathered in Aquarius for this new world beginning. In addition, Mercury in Aquarius was in ‘mutual reception’ with Saturn in Virgo while Neptune in Aquarius was in mutual reception with Uranus in Pisces so the energies of the twin rulers of Aquarius were drawn into the mix. The February gathering of planets in Aquarius signaled the beginning of a New Age that begins to flower as Venus rises before the Sun.”
I am frankly clueless as to what any of the above alignments of the planets and astrology chat means.
It is interesting to me that many of the dates, time lines and astrological signs in the skies have as much significance to those involved in witchcraft and the occult as to the children of light.
I have spoken in a previous past about how the scriptures identify America and her leaders, in the end times, as being heavily involved in witchcraft and the occult.
It is no secret that the Reagans and others who have inhabited the Whitehouse and other political positions were up to their eyeballs in superstition the occult and astrology.
Recently there have been some who have keyed in on an interesting recent statement made by President Obama, which was given in jest;
“I would like to talk about what my administration plans to achieve in the next 100 days. During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days. I believe that my next 100 days will be so successful, that I will complete them in 72 days – and on the 73rd day I will rest.”
According to one observer;
” The inference of deity here is obvious, but why the 73rd day? The 100th day of Obama was April 29th, 2009. Seventy-two days added to that brings us to July 10th, 2009. Obama intends to rest from his creative labors on Saturday, July 11th…. What is this man planning? Time will tell! It is also interesting to note that on March 31st, 2009, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported a story out of Washington stating that a new $3.5 billion laser has just been completed and is now ready for use. The word laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This laser was developed by the National Ignition Facility of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. This laser is capable of simulating the energy force of a hydrogen bomb and the sun itself! (5) I am reminded of Revelation 13:13, regarding the second beast, which reads as follows: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.”
Some are calculating July 10th as the beginning of the 3 ½ year period leading up to the end of the world as we know it according to the Myan calendar which they calculate to be December 3 2011; “Three and a half years (3.5 x 360, or 1260) days after summer
solstice 2008 is 3 December 2011, not winter solstice 2012 (p.329), and it seems to have been this timing that led to the placing of 2008 as the impact of Leviathan, working back from 2012; working back from the winter solstice of 2012, would put the impact at 10 July 2009.”
[Editorial Note: It is now confirmed that Obama will be meeting with the Pope on July 10th http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jun/09062315.html ]
Speaking of signs in July, here is an interesting blurb about a new book that points out that we have a triple eclipse coming up;
“The book titled `Will History Repeat Itself? Triple Eclipse of July 2009. Ominous? Promising?’ takes a look at the possibilities that could follow astronomical event of a lunar eclipse on July 7, 2009 followed by a solar eclipse on July 22, 2009 and another lunar eclipse on August 6, 2009.
Talking to media, the authors DK Hari and D Hema Hari, a couple, founders of Bharath Gyan (that attempts to collate and disseminate information on India over the ages) said “The first recorded triple eclipse in 3067 BCE (Before the Common Era) coincided with the Kurukhshetra war”.
“Another triple eclipse in 3031 BCE coincided with the destruction of the ancient city of Dwarka. More recently, the first half of the 20th century saw the occurrence of a series of triple eclipse between 1910 and 1945, which coincided with the World Wars I and II, the holocaust and the nuclear bombings in Japan”, said Hari.”
Others however who believe that the Mayan Calendar is pointing to December 21, 2012 as the time of the end are targeting June of 2009 as the beginning of a significant 3 ½ year period’
” In the above it is said that the judgment is over as Saturn rises on December 21, 2012. There is another option. One of the ancient documents suggests there is to be three and a half years of “tribulation.” This would be the period of judgment. For this to be over on December 21, 2012, the tribulation needs to start in June of 2009″.
Another interesting observation pertaining to July of 2009 is the solar eclipse that is scheduled to take place on July 22nd;
“The solar eclipse that will take place on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 will be a total eclipse of the Sun with a magnitude of 1.080 that will be visible from a narrow corridor through northern India, eastern Nepal, northern Bangladesh, Bhutan, the northern tip of Myanmar, central China and the Pacific Ocean, including the Ryukyu Islands, Marshall Islands and Kiribati. Totality will be visible in many cities such as Surat, Varanasi, Patna, Thimphu, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Shanghai, as well as over the Three Gorges Dam. A partial eclipse will be seen from the much broader path of the Moon‘s penumbra, including most of South East Asia and north-eastern Oceania. This solar eclipse is the longest total solar eclipse that will occur in the twenty-first century, and will not be surpassed in duration until June 13, 2132. Totality will last for up to 6 minutes and 39 seconds, with the maximum eclipse occurring in the ocean at 02:35:21 UTC about 100 km south of the Bonin Islands, southeast of Japan. The North Iwo Jima island is the landmass with totality time closest to maximum.”
[editorial note and update: Over 2000 members — the political, corporate, cultural and military elite of the world — will be gathered for Satanic rituals, possibly including human ritual sacrifice. They have been meeting here since the 1880’s.
According to “Treee,” a young Las Vegas woman who claims to have contacts inside the secretive club, a ritual sacrifice of Mary Magdalene takes place Tuesday July 21; and the ritual sacrifice of Jesus Christ takes place Wednesday, July 22.
A corresponding D&C date would be July 23 which is the date that section 112 came on, warning of the time when the wrath of god would begin at his house]
I have rambled now long enough… Is any of the above information accurate or relevant?
Possibly.. but only to those who are being led by the spirit and are watching.
They say that “liars figure, but figures never lie.” It is not my intent to pass on lies as if they are truth. I am only watching and observing and trying to understand how to watch and understand the significance of the planets and the associated signs in the skies. As a watcher, that is what I do, I am always watching and figuring, I openly acknowledge I am not speaking as a prophet, I am simply trying to pay attention and understand to the best of my ability what many of the past and future signs mean… and which ones are important. I am making no predictions and telling no lies.…
Keep Watching
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Many Latter-day Saints are unfamiliar with the three watches doctrine and the need for a future dispensation and a Marvelous Work that will do away with false doctrines and religious contentions.
For this reason, many have been conditioned to read the prophecy about the Seer and the Spokesman in 2nd Nephi 3 in the context of what took place during the 2nd watch, otherwise referred to as the LDS restoration movement in the 1830’s. It is only natural that one would assume the events of this prophecy were fulfilled back then.
However much of this prophecy actually addresses events pertaining to a future work, even a Marvelous Work that is to take place in the 3rd watch.
One of the most revealing segments in this prophecy is the following passage about how the Seer will ultimately convince the seed of Joseph of Gods word and also how, as a result of his efforts, the stick of Joseph and the stick of Judah would grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of doctrinal contentions;
“But a aseer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give bpower to cbring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall awrite; and the fruit of the loins of bJudah shall cwrite; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the dconfounding of efalse doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing fpeace among the fruit of thy loins, and gbringing them to the hknowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.
13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.”
At the time of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith there was much confusion and contention within the church and within the leading quorums of the Church about many doctrines. Obviously, the doctrine of succession was so confusing and contentious that it split the church into several fragments.
Perhaps one of the most poignant examples of doctrinal confusion however has to do with the doctrine of adoption and sealing.
If you are familiar with the Nauvoo period you will recall that during that period of time men were sealing other men and their families to themselves, as well as other women in order to build their personal priesthood kingdom. There was a kingdom building zeal wherein people were frantically recruiting others to be sealed into their priesthood line.
Some LDS historians claim women were leaving their husbands to be sealed to other men with higher priesthood authority in hopes of gaining a greater position in this world and a higher exaltation in the next. How’s that for demonstrating the quality of a Zion people where all are equal in both temporal and spiritual blessings?
A cult-like religious zeal was manifested that rivaled the modern day recruiting techniques found in network marketing. A celestial pyramid marketing scheme of ginormous proportions was taking place in the name of the sealing principle.
Naturally there was a huge amount of pressure on Brigham Young to oversee the doctrine of adoption and sealing as he claimed to have been mentored and authorized by Joseph to oversee this principle and the Temple endowment through which it would eventually be administered. This gave President Young an enormous amount of power in the new Utah kingdom of the saints since he could largely orchestrate, when desired, who could enjoy the higher sealing ordinances and with whom.
In hindsight, we can see that over a period of time, the saints began to refine the practice of sealings and adoption. It is hardly recognizable now when compared to the time of Brigham Young.
Interestingly, Brigham had great anxiety over the particulars of how this very strange new doctrine that originated in Nauvoo, was to be practiced. So much so that he actually asked the deceased Joseph Smith about it when visited by Joseph Smith in a dream that he had in 1847,
In the dream Brigham plead with Joseph to explain the doctrine of adoption and sealing doctrine. He said to Brother Joseph;
“The Brethren have a great anxiety to understand the law of adoption, or sealing principles; and if you have a word of council for me, I should be glad to receive it.”
Of all of the questions that Brother Brigham might have felt compelled to ask the Prophet Joseph Smith, it is interesting that this is what he chose. I believe the question reveals two very important things;
First, Brigham Young was getting lots of questions from his brethren about this goofy practice of sealing everyone and their dog to the elite priesthood leaders at the top of the celestial food chain. doctrine and lots of pressure to provide authoritative answers.
Brigham was being pressured to provide authoritative answers. to annoying but justifiable questions about the details of such a strange practice.
Second, Brigham Young didn’t have the answers. He was in desperate need of guidance. The unexpected visit from the Lords anointed provided him the opportunity to ask the most pressing question on his mind.
Although one might expect the following response from Joseph Smith to be filled with important details about ordinances, rituals, robes, aprons, garments, signs, tokens, grips, special verbiage, who gets to have lots of spiritual wives and who must become a Celestial Eunuch, etc., etc., the reply that Brigham got from Joseph is almost unnerving in it’s simplicity:
“Joseph stepped towards me, and looking very earnestly, yet pleasantly said”,
“Tell the people to be humble & faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord & it will lead them right. Be careful & not turn away the still small voice, it will teach you how to do & where to go, & it will yield the fruits of the Kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it.
They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other Spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their Souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the Kingdom of God.
Tell the Brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world. Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized in great confusion.”
Joseph then showed me the pattern, how they were in the beginning. This I cannot describe but I saw it, and saw when the Priesthood had been taken from the earth, and how it must be joined together, so that perfect chain from Father Adam to his latest posterity.
Joseph again said “Tell the people to be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and follow it and will lead them just right.”
As you can see, Joseph completely disregards the question about how to practice the law of sealing and adoption in the context of how Brigham Young and the apostate saints were practicing it.
We learn in Ezekiel 14 that when an elder of Israel approaches God and asks a bullshit question, God will give them a bullshit answer.
Luckily, Brigham was not petitioning the Lord on this issue, he was asking Joseph who appeared to him in a dream.
Instead of giving instructions about sealing as many people as possible into your priesthood “downline”, or how to properly construct an outward Masonic ritual with secret handshakes and blood oaths, his response was so simple and to the point.
Joseph states no less than seven times that the principle of adoption and the sealing powers have to do with seeking and following the Spirit of God!
Some of his remarks have to do with emphasizing the importance of the Spirit, some have to do with how to recognize the spirit and some have to do with identifying the fruits of the Spirit.
Lets itemize the seven point response that Joseph gave to Brigham regarding his request to receive council regarding the most sacred and important doctrine of adoption and the sealing powers;
1- “…be humble & faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord & it will lead them right.”
2- “Be careful & not turn away the still small voice, it will teach you how to do & where to go, & it will yield the fruits of the Kingdom.”
3- “Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it.”
4- “They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other Spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their Souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the Kingdom of God.”
5- “Tell the Brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right.”
6- “Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world.”
7- “Tell the people to be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and follow it and will lead them just right.”
I find the response of Joseph Smith to be rather remarkable in contrast to Brigham Young’s world view of the restored gospel in 1847… for that matter, it’s simplicity and profundity stands out even with the back drop of modern Mormonism.
My son asked me the other day to show him the original scriptural justification for the “families are forever” mantra and associated sealing ordinances of the LDS Church.
His question and the apparent confusion associated with it reminded me of a recent reply someone made to one of my posts;
“it is amazing to me how far contemporary interpretations and teachings have strayed from the original scriptural basis of Malachi’s prophecy (turning hearts of children to fathers, etc.).
It was always strange to me that the ultimate power to turn/bind/seal in earth and heaven was given by the Lord himself (or by his voice) to select prophets, e.g., to Nephi in Helaman 10, yet nowadays is parceled out across the world by men. Moreover, this sacred power was hardly ceremonial, but rather was used to control the elements, move mountains, curse/bless the earth, destroy/create.
Only now, we claim to use such a power to ambiguously “seal” mom, dad, and kids, and we give the whole process the catch-phrase “families are forever” (with nice alliteration to make it roll off your tongue). I feel like my Kool-Aid has been diluted one million-fold.”
After pondering the above observation and my son’s question for a few days I have reflected on the scriptural bases for past and current LDS beliefs pertaining to the sealing powers.
So… how did we begin with the building up of personal priesthood kingdoms via the “sealing power” during the time Brigham Young and the twelve took over leadership of the Church and finally arrive at the “Families are forever” belief that has become the mantra of modern day Mormonism?
I tend to agree with the observation of the short commentary above.
The basis for all of these beliefs pertaining to the sealing powers appears to begin with the prophecy of Malachi 4, along with the inspired interpretations from the Prophet Joseph Smith;
“Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
to bind, or seal the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
This is perhaps the most powerful scriptural force behind the law of adoption and sealing principles that has evolved in the Church including the “families are forever” doctrine.
The New Testament provides greater clarity to the sealing doctrine spoken of by Malachi and reveals that after a person hears the word of truth and believes and accepts the gospel of salvation, they are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise;
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the agospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Eph. 1: 13,14
Paul informs us that it is the Holy Spirit of Promise that seals us up to eternal life. This seems consistent with Joseph Smiths response to Brigham Young.
The key to being sealed has to do with the Holy Spirit.
Modern Revelation is also consistent with the New Testament in teaching that it is the Holy Spirit of Promise that seals us up to eternal life, but provides a little more clarity, revealing that the gate through which one must enter before being sealed up unto eternal life is the ordinance of baptism wherein we die in the likeness of Christ’s death and are buried in the water in his name.
In the following passages, we are given the TESTIMONY of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST concerning those who come forth in the resurrection of the JUST.
And we heard the voice, saying: aWrite the vision, for lo, this is the end of the vision of the sufferings of the ungodly.
And again we bear record—for we asaw and heard, and this is the btestimony of the cgospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the djust—
They are they who received the atestimony of Jesus, and bbelieved on his name and were cbaptized after the dmanner of his burial, being eburied in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given—
That by akeeping the commandments they might be bwashed and ccleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the dhands of him who is eordained and sealed unto this power;
And who aovercome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father dsheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
They are they who are the achurch of the bFirstborn. D&C 76: 53
One might interpret the “commandments” that pertain to the portion of the gospel that is for those of the Church of the Firstborn who come forth in the resurrection of the Just as;
1- Receive the Testimony of Jesus (which requires personal revelation with a spiritual witness of the holy ghost)
2- Continue Believing on his name after receiving the spiritual witness
3- Be Baptized after the manner of his burial, being washed and cleansed from their sins
4- Receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power
5- Overcome the world by FAITH and be SEALED by the Holy Spirit of Promise
One of the things revealed in section 76 is that God uses his anointed servants to dispense the ordinances of the Gospel. One must actually be ordained and sealed unto the power of being able to bestow the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can seal one up to eternal life once they have overcome the world by faith.
It appears that although the preparatory gospel can be administered by those given authority, even if they are not sealed up to eternal life, and even if they are not justified and cleansed by the gospel, the fullness of the Gospel requires those that dispense the gift of the Holy Ghost to have first been cleansed and sanctified and sealed up to eternal life before they can begin administering the sealing powers.
For this reason, it is essential that God has identified who his servants are that have received the Holy Spirit of Promise.
Notice the following event that took place with certain individuals in 1833 as identified in section 88;
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you who have assembled yourselves together to receive his will concerning you:
2 Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels arejoice over you; the balms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of cSabbaoth, and are recorded in the dbook of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
3 Wherefore, I now send upon you another aComforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of bpromise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
4 This Comforter is the apromise which I give unto you of beternal life, even the cglory of the celestial kingdom;
5 Which glory is that of the church of the aFirstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son— D&C 88: 3
(This remarkable scripture is just one of many that proves that the fulness of the gospel which is composed of faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, as practiced anciently and in 1833, provided everything necessary to sanctify people and seal them up to eternal life. No additional covenants, ceremonies or rituals were needed. No secret handshakes, no secret ways of taking life, no additional spiritual wives, etc. )
Over ten years later, shortly before the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, the Lord provides even more clarity about who is “to hold” the sealing blessings of the Church when the Marvelous Work comes forth;
Verily I say unto you, I now give unto you the aofficers belonging to my Priesthood, that ye may hold the bkeys thereof, even the Priesthood which is after the order of Melchizedek, which is after the order of mine cOnly Begotten Son.
124 First, I give unto you Hyrum Smith to be a apatriarch unto you, to hold the bsealing blessings of my church, even the Holy Spirit of cpromise, whereby ye are dsealed up unto the day of redemption, that ye may not fall notwithstanding the ehour of temptation that may come upon you. D&C 124: 124
Section 77 gives a great key in identifying an event pertaining to the great sealing powers that will come forth in the end times;
“Q. What are we to understand by the angel aascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse?
A. We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of bIsrael; wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their cforeheads. And, if you will receive it, this is dElias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and erestore all things.” D&C 77: 9, 14
It should be remembered that Joseph and Sidney and Hyrum all held the same priesthood powers.
And so, it becomes even more obvious and important to realize that the promises and prophecies pertaining to the Seer and the Spokesman bleed over into the 3rd watch, for it is necessary for the Seer, the Spokesman and the other first laborers of the last kingdom to convince the loins of Joseph that the scriptures are true and to the confounding of false doctrines and the laying down of all contentions;
“…unto the dconfounding of efalse doctrines and laying down of contentions”.
After this is done, those servants will go forth sealing up the righteous unto eternal life by giving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.
The sealing power of the Holy Ghost administered by those who have the spirit and power of Elijah will enable the patriarchal family of God to be reconstructed back into the same order it was created in during the spiritual creation.
At the end of the dream that Brigham acknowledges that the human family has been disorganized and is in great confusion. He acknowledged that the priesthood had been taken from the earth and that it needed to be joined together again between Father Adam and the patriarchal fathers and their latest posterity on the earth.
Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit fo the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before the came into the world. Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are [currently] all disorganized and in great confusion. Joseph then showed me the pattern, how they were in the beginning. This I cannot describe, but I saw it, and saw where the priesthood had been taken from the earth and how it must be joined together, so that there would be a perfect chain from Father Adam to his latest posterity.
The take-a-way from the dream Brigham had, the admonitions Joseph gave, and the observations made by Brigham, is that the sealing power had been taken from the earth.
Joseph’s admonition was congruent with what the Lord had told the saints in Sections 104, 105 and 124.
Since the saints of the restored church had rejected the fulness of the gospel and broken the everlasting covenant, they were no longer allowed to have the saving ordinances or the sealing power of the priesthood. They must wait for a little season of chastisement and learning. The heavens were closing. As Isaiah observed in his prophetic overview of the LDS apostasy in Isaiah Chapter 8, the saints fell backward and were snared and taken. Following that he hid his face from them. His face will once again be revealed to his elect when the servant return and the final restoration takes place.
Joseph did not acknowledge how to administer the law of adoption and sealing when he appeared to Brigham because the saints did not have the sealing keys. He simply gave them the best counsel possible for the time of chastisement and learning. He told them to seek the spirit and following it.
The prophetic warning given by the Lord early on had come true. God had delivered the saints over to Satan because they hardened their hearts.
In Nauvoo the Lord declared in section 124 that the saints were practicing abominations before him.
Clearly, the Nauvoo period is a very dark period in LDS church history.
The secret spiritual wife doctrine and been introduced into the church along with a Satanic masonic temple endowment. The pure and simple principles of New Testament Christianity and the true doctrine of Christ that had been restored through Joseph Smith were being corrupted.
The Lord was delivering the saints over to Satan for a little season. Part of that deliverance was a very perverted form of the law of adoption and sealing principles that had originally been established among the New Testament Saints and briefly re-established among the Saints of the restoration.
Praise the Lord God that he will send his servants to confound all false and goofy doctrines and put to rest all contentions. They will restore the priesthood and the ordinances of salvation and take away the existing confusion pertaining to the sealing power spoken of Elijah the Prophet, spoken of by Malachi.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
“This is the testimony last of all that WE give of Him..”
Tribute to Sidney Rigdon by Onewhoiswatching 4th & Last Part
You are highly encouraged to read the first three parts of this series BEFORE reading this final part. You can view them on my other blog at the following links-
This is the 4th and last part of my tribute to Sidney Rigdon. Since his role cannot be understood without understanding the role of Joseph Smith, we will be addressing some critical issues pertaining to the life and calling of Joseph Smith as well. It has become painfully obvious that this paper is far from finished and will continue to be a work in progress.. feel free to check back for updates..
I have delayed this part if the tribute in part because I have so much information I want to put into it and I keep finding more that needs to be put into it.. it just always seems to be unfinished and incomplete. I have finally decided to simply post it in its current state and I will keep updating it until Sidney is here to make any necessary corrections and finish it himself.
If you have not read the previous three parts of this tribute and/or are not familiar with the information that I have previously provided concerning the 3 watches and the Marvelous Work and a Wonder that is about to come forth, to get the most out of the final part of this article, I strongly encourage you to first read the following things:
1- Read, ponder and believe every word contained in the Lectures on Faith. (which was probably authored by Rigdon) It is an inspired document. The information contained therein contains essential keys to understanding the nature of God and how his unconditional promises always come true because he knows all things and has already seen the future. It contains information about faith that was taught in the school of the prophets. It is the foundational information upon which some of the participants actually saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ.
2- Read in chronological order every numbered scriptural evidence provided on www.threewatches.blogspot.com along with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd parts of this tribute to Sidney Rigdon. The foundation laid in those articles is foundational to what is covered in this last part of the tribute.
If you have held Brother Ridgon and/or Brother Joseph in anything other than high esteem I suggest you repent speedily before they return. They are the Lords anointed servants of the last dispensation. As will be documented and explained later in this post, they have provided a temporal atonement for you and your forefathers as well as for the Kirtland Temple, the holy place and the altar. The Church would not be in existence today and the Saints of the restoration movement would probably have been swept off the face of the earth had it not been for their intercessory sin offerings.
3- Read the following articles. They are sprinkled with bits and pieces of doctrinal and historical information that will provide additional context for this final part of this tribute:
A Mystical Look at the LDS Restoration Movement
Why have ye transfigured the Holy Word of God?
The Unrestrained Ponderings and Pontifications of a Heretic
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine
This last portion of this tribute will cover several general topics that all interrelate to the complex calling and life of Sidney Rigdon… and again, you cannot understand Sidney Rigdon without understanding Joseph Smith.
We will first review the astounding PROFILE that God provides in his Holy Word of Sidney Rigdon, the Spokesman from the Tribe of Judah that we uncovered in part 2 & 3 of this tribute. It provides a much different view of Sidney Rigdon than the official history of the church does.
Secondly we will review what the scriptures and the traditions of the Jews have to say about the two anointed messengers of the end times. We will compare the different gifts and callings that they both had.
Joseph the Seer from the loins of Joseph and Sidney the Spokesman from the loins of Judah are the two last witnesses spoken of in ancient prophecy working in concert with each other to bring to pass Gods Marvelous Work. In Jewish tradition they are sometimes referred to as Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben Judah.
Thirdly we will solve the mystery of Joseph Smith. We will use ancient prophecy to identify the missing pieces of the prophet puzzle and identify why he became such a stumbling block to so many people. We will do this by providing a Biblical PROFILE of the Davidic Witness of the 2nd & 3rd watch. The profile we undercover may not seem logical but it is clearly presented in Gods Holy Word.
This profile will provide compelling scriptural evidence that Joseph Smith was exactly who he claimed to be, the last and final witness.
According to the profile contained in the holy word of God, the Davidic Witness of the Lord would obtain his calling and election and stand before God as a sanctified offering without blemish and then act out the sins of the apostate people he is providing an intercession for.
Like Moses of old, the one like Moses offered himself as an atonement for the sins of apostate Israel causing their sins to be artificially put upon him. In Joseph Smith’s own words, he sinned outwardly yet he contemplated the things of God.
According to the Biblical profile that we shall review, ancient prophecy foretold that the latter day descendent of David would commit iniquity before the Lord and be chastened by the rod of men AFTER he appointed a place for Gods people, establish his kingdom and build an house of God. According to the Holy Word of God, despite the fact that he committed the iniquities of apostate Israel, the Lord’s mercy shall not depart away from him.
Embedded within the Davidic Servant Profile we will review the literal interpretation of the Atonement Statute containing the Intercessory Scapegoat Doctrine. The Atonement Statute and the Intercessory Scapegoat doctrine will provide a second witness and in depth explanation for the Profile of Joseph Smith, the Davidic Witness as it solves the mystery behind the strange actions and seemingly contradictory actions of Joseph Smith.
It will shed light on why Sidney and Joseph became estranged. It will explain the enmity they had between them. It will explain why the Spokesman from the loins of Judah vexed the Seer and why the Seer envied the Spokesman.
It will explain why Joseph and Hyrum had to die a violent death and why Sidney became silenced and was rejected by the Church.
The Atonement Statute will show the principles of Sacrifice and Atonement were reinstated in the last dispensation through the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, leaving Sidney Rigdon as the living scapegoat sin offering. (that takes the sins of Israel upon his own head)
The Atonement offering provided by Joseph, Hyrum, Sidneyand possibly others was in some ways similar to the atonement provided by Moses Aaron and Joshua when Moses was able to stay Gods hand in wiping the apostate Children of Israel from off the face of the earth.
It is revealed within ancient prophecy that Joseph & Sidney were able to stay Gods hand in wiping the apostate Saints of the latter days from off the face of the earth after they defiled the temple, failed to redeem Zion at the appointed time and broke the everlasting covenant.
We will review what section 124 tells us about the role of Sidney Rigdon in the 3rd watch and how his health problems will be healed by the Lord, his silence will be broken and he will once again raise his voice upon the mountains.
I separated section 124 from the first twelve sections that we reviewed in previous parts of this article because they were all given before the Kirtland Temple was defiled and the attempts to redeem Zion by the appointed time had failed. Section 124 was given several years after the breaking of the covenant, after the prophesied blessing and cursing at the Kirtland Temple had taken place.
Fourth- After having a better understanding of the roles of Sidney and Joseph through the eyes of prophecy, we will review many troubling events of the history of the church that have baffled discerning gospel scholars for four decades. We will review the apostasy of latter day Israel that Sidney Rigdon testified of and see if the ancient prophets agree with the Lords Spokesman that the Lord’s Vineyard became corrupt. We will analyze the potential causes and events relating to the estrangement that took place between Sidney the Spokesman and Joseph the Seer.
We will review the reasons for the silencing of Gods Spokesman and how it led up to and interrelated with the martyrdom and the great succession debate. We will show that the real underlying issue of succession actually had to do with the spiritual wife doctrine and the law of common consent, not priesthood right of succession.
Even though the Seer and the Spokesman became temporarily estranged from each other in the 2nd watch and Joseph envied Sidney and Sidney vexed Joseph, they will return in the 3rd watch united and will complete the mission to which they have each been called.
Fifth, we will highlight and in some cases extract some fascinating information from a few obscure historical documents, some of which have been suppressed by people in high places. It is hard to believe that people would suppress the word of God and the words of his anointed servants but the scriptures reveal that in the last days “the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.“
These controversial documents that have been suppressed shall be brought to light and they will shed an amazing amount of light on Ridgon and the succession issue. The first is the speech that Sidney Rigdon gave in the April Conference just two months before the martyrdom wherein he was the primary speaker. Second we are making public, for the first time, the minutes of the speech made by Rigdon and taken down by Thomas Bullock in some kind of modified pitman shorthand…. thirdly, we will highlight some of the amazing things that took place in the trial of Sidney Rigdon and we will review a revelation purported to have been given by JS… a revelation that was apparently rejected by virtually everyone, even those who fulfilled their mandate to bring it forth.
Lastly, we shall review what God’s word tells us about the roles of the Seer and the Spokesman in the 3rd watch. We shall also briefly touch on the intriguing passage: “He whose right it is” as it may inter-relate to a descendant of King David that reigns over Israel.
The Profile of the Spokesman from the loins of Judah
In part 2 and 3 of this tribute we have reviewed what the Lord said about Sidney Rigdon in the following 12 sections of the D&C.
35 36 42 52 58 63 71 76 90 93 100 104
We have used the content within the above sections and the key words they produce to identify other scriptures with associated themes.
Using all of the information contained therein, we have created a detailed profile of Brother Sidney.
Having focused on what the Lord has said to and about Sidney Rigdon and having now used the information in those sections to point us to other scriptures that were identified via key word, key phrase and key topic searches, we now have a rather extensive profile of Brother Sidney.. and it is nothing short of amazing.
Please scroll down to see a brief, incomplete summary of the profile that we have created for the Lords Spokesman from the loins of Judah. Notice that his role carries over from the 2nd watch to the 3rd watch-
Viewing Sidney Rigdon through the Eyes of God’s Infallible Word
Prior to joining the restored church and receiving baptism and the priesthood, Sidney Rigdon was inspired by the Lord to do a great work in preparing the hearts and minds of hundreds of people to live the Law of Consecration and accept the restoration of the Church and Gospel.
The Lord appears to have accepted the Baptisms performed by Sidney Rigdon prior to his receiving the priesthood that had been restored to the earth by John the Baptist. Apparently had the right by lineage to provide at least a preparatory baptism and a preparatory gospel.
Through the principle of divine possession Christ laid his hands on Edward Partridge through the hands of Sidney Rigdon.
According to the words of Jesus Christ, those embracing the calling and commandment to preach the gospel needed to come before BOTH Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to be ordained and sent forth.
Sidney is the one who is commanded to “Watch Over” Joseph Smith that his “faith fail not”.
Sidney is commanded to write for Joseph and to tarry and journey with him.
Sidney Rigdon is the great scriptorian and theologian of the restoration movement who was commanded to scripturally prove the validity of the revelations brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith .
The Lord gives Sidney Rigdon the honor of consecrating and dedicating the Land of Zion and the spot for the Temple of the Lord.
Joseph and Sidney are both blessed with the privilege of “laying the foundation” for the future Marvelous Work and bearing testimony of the things which are to come to pass in the 3rd Watch.
Sidney and Joseph are both blessed with the gift of being able to expound the mysteries out of the scriptures.
The Lord made Sidney Rigdon equal with Joseph Smith in holding the keys of the kingdom.
Sidney and Joseph jointly held the keys of the School of the Prophets for the purpose of perfecting the Elders in their ministry for the salvation of Zion to take the gospel to those who believe among the nations of Israel and the Gentiles. Sidney was the principle instructor of the school and is probably the primary if not exclusive author of what is known today as the Lectures on Faith.
Sidney Rigdon was given the honor and privilege of proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord in the 2nd watch and shall do it again in the 3rd watch thereby bringing the elect who repent to salvation and those that reject the Servants of the Lord and fail to recognize the day of visitation under condemnation.
The Lord identified Sidney Rigdon as the great latter day spokesman ( possibly identifying him as coming from the loins of Judah) that Joseph of Egypt and Nephi prophesied about. This latter day spokesman was to minister with the latter day Prophet that is a Seer from the loins of Joseph of Egypt. In this calling the Lord blessed Sidney with the power to testify and expound all scriptures. The Lord acknowledged in 1841 after Sidney had spent years in the First Presidency and been silenced for a significant period of time that he would again lift up his voice upon the mountains and be a spokesman before the face of the Lord at a later time… in the 3rd Watch.
The Lord designated Sidney Rigdon as the defender of the faith commanding him to call upon the inhabitants of the earth and to confound his enemies both in public and in private to manifest their shame
Sidney was one of only a small select group of individuals during the LDS restoration movement who had a promise conferred upon him and his seed after him similar to the promises made to Noah, Abraham, and Jacob.
The Lord compares Sidney Rigdon to John the Baptist. The JST informs us that John the Baptist was the transmigration of Elijah the Prophet. Christ declared John to be the greatest prophet that ever lived.
God looked upon the works of Sidney Rigdon and heard his prayers. He promised Sidney Rigdon that he had been prepared to do even greater things than the first work he had already done.
The Lord calls Sidney to be an Apostle and to bestow the Holy Ghost like unto the Apostles of old
Sidney is promised that the greater work that he is to perform will take place during the Marvelous Work and a Wonder when the abominations of the Gentiles shall be manifest in the eyes of all people. He will cast out devils and heal the sick. It appears that when the Book that came forth from the mouth of the “Jew” comes forth for the last time in its purity, containing the vision of John, bound together with the stick of Ephraim, it will be the Spokesman from the loins of Judah that is taking it to the ends of the earth. The Book proceeds from a Jew ( probably refering to the historian and prophet, Moses who authored the first five books of the Bible) and finally in the end times is sent forth by Sidney Ridgon. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” – (Zechariah 8:23).
He is the one spoken of by Ezekiel who has the priesthood right to reign as the Davidic Heir in the 3rd watch. He appears to be the one that holds the “key of David” and the sealing powers mentioned in Isaiah 22 and Revelation 3:7
Sidney beheld the glory of the Son of God on the right hand of the Father and received of his fulness (Joseph and Sidney are the only ones documented in modern revelation that received of the fulness of the Son and their calling and elections during the 3rd watch
Sidney was given the privilege of having the vision in concert with Joseph Smith that is contained in section 76. He is the one that was foreordained to declare the last testimony in concert with Joseph Smith to the world before destruction befalls the wicked.
There is an interesting chronology if you do a key word search of the word “kingdom” in modern revelation. Notice how the keys are at hand just prior to Sidney joining the Church. This was what John the baptist said referring to Jesus’ ministry, not his own;
D&C 27: 4, 13 The keys of the kingdom for the last times and the fulness of times are held by Peter, James & John
D&C 29: 5 I am in your midst.. It is my pleasure to give you the kingdom… eventually
D&C 36: 2 I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of Sidney Rigdon- the spirit will teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom
D&C 42: 7, 65, 69 The kingdom is synonymous with the keys of the church
Praise the Lord God of Israel for Sidney Rigdon the Spokesman and Joseph Smith the Seer.. Gods two anointed ones! (Zech 4:14)
Messiah Ben Joseph & Messiah Ben Judah
JUDAH’S SCEPTER AND JOSEPH’S BIRTHRIGHT
As the profile of the Spokesman (from Judah?) unfolds it becomes apparent in the context of his calling and his reciprocal relationship with the Seer from the loins of Joseph that these two individuals had been identified in the traditions of the Jews as what has become known as the two messiah doctrine. Here is a fascinating commentary from Malabim
“Our Sacred Sages had a tradition that in the beginning [of the End Times] there would arise a Messiah [i.e. Anointed Saviour] from the house of Joseph who will reign over the Ten Tribes… all of Israel will be gathered together under his banner. [This will continue] until later on, a descendant of David will appear and he will reign over them….
..A transformation will take place. The Ten Tribes and the stick of Joseph will draw themselves closer unto the stick of Judah, and this too, will be through the agency of a Prophet and by miracles.. The Commentary of “Malbim” on Ezekiel 37:15
Here is another interpretive view of the two messiah doctrine reprinted from “Light of the Nations
Reprinted from The Restoration newsletter, September, 1995 (Tishrei, 5756)
The Messianic Era: Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David – Introduction
In our last issue, we began to speak about the concept that in reality, there are two Messianic figures which are described in the written and oral traditions of Judaism: for the forerunner and harbinger of the final deliverer, the Messiah from the house of David, is the Mashiach ben Yosef… the Messiah from the house of Joseph. Belief in the appearance of the Mashiach ben Yosef is derived from Scripture and tradition, just as Mashiach ben David, who is descended from Judah. But what is the relationship between these two Messiahs, and how do they complement each other? Why is one Messiah not enough? What are the differences between them, and the similarities they share?
In the last “Restoration,” we mentioned the war which is prophesied to take place around Jerusalem – the war of “Gog and Magog.” There is a tradition, supported by Scripture, that in the end of time – when good and evil have their ultimate confrontation – that the enemies of Israel will only fall to a descendant of Joseph. So it is Mashiach ben Yosef who will lead Israel to victory in the final war for G-d’s honor, the war of Gog and Magog. This is the true meaning of the verse, “The house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble. They will set them ablaze, and consume them; there will be no survivor of the house of Esau, for G-d has spoken (Ovadiah 1:18).
“Ephraim’s envy will depart and Judah’s adversaries will be cut off. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim” (Isaiah 11:13)
The verse we see above was declared by the prophet Isaiah concerning the special relationship between the two Messiahs – the initial Messiah, ben Yosef, and the final Messiah, Mashiach ben David.
The simple meaning of this verse is that each figure has a specific role to play, and each one will eventually perform his task without jealousy.
According to tradition, this initial Messiah will lead the fight against the hostile forces of Gog and Magog, and he will be killed in battle. He will be mourned by all Israel, as it is written: “They shall look to Me because they have thrust him through, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his firstborn son” (Zech. 12:10).
Of course, there is so much depth to the holy Torah, the word of G-d, that there are many interpretations to Biblical verses on ever-increasing levels of depths, and all are essentially correct, though varying interpretations may disagree.
In this light we would mention that there is also another tradition, well-known to many of our readers, that these two verses also apply not only to the two personalities of the Joseph and Davidic Messiahs, but also to the reconciliation of Judah and Joseph/Ephraim on a national level as well… for it is widely held that the ten “lost” tribes (collectively known as ‘Ephraim’, and ‘Israel’ as opposed to ‘Judah’) who were exiled prior to the destruction of the First Temple were not really lost at all, but assimilated amongst the nations to such an extent that they totally lost their identity as Jews. There is overwhelming evidence throughout the Scriptures which substantiates this beyond any doubt, and it is particularly clear throughout the book of Hosea (“Ephraim, he has mingled himself amongst the peoples…” – 5:8). One of the major themes of every prophet of Israel is the fact that eventually, G-d will help these people to regain their identity, cleanse themselves from the twin sins of pride and idolatry, and reconcile with Judah, thus effectively re-uniting Ezekial’s “two sticks” and becoming one again with the Jewish people. “…and I will sift the House of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least grain shall fall upon the earth” – Amos 9:9″
The concept of the Messiah is derived from the definition of “Mashiach.” “Mashiach” means “anointed one” in Hebrew. A person could be anointed in order to be consecrated for a special purpose.
The idea of an anointed savior, of a “Mashiah” i.e. Messiah, is contained in the Prophets. The “Messiah” was to be descended from King David. He was to be the “Messiah, son of David.” In addition to the MESSIAH SON OF DAVID, a tradition existed that there would also be a “Messiah, son of Joseph” who would come shortly before the “Messiah, son of David.” The MESSIAH, SON OF JOSEPH was to be a descendant of Joseph, from the Tribe of Ephraim.
According to the Biblical Commentary known as the Malbim (1809-1879), the MESSIAH, SON OF JOSEPH, was to head the Lost Ten Tribes in the latter days in the period leading up to the return of the Lost Ten Tribes and their eventual re-unification with Judah. (The full name of the MALBIM was Meir Leib ben Yechiel Michael [Weiser], but he is called “MALBIM” for short. He lived in 1809-1879 CE.)
Zechariah refers to the two messianic messengers as the “two olive trees…. two aanointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth” Zech. 4: 14
Having just reviewed the amazing profile we have created of Sidney Rigdon showing how he is to work in concert with Joseph Smith, and viewing this profile in conjunction with the two messiah tradition of the Jews and the acknowledgement by Zechariah that there will be two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth in the end times, let us now recall what the Lord told Edward Partridge about how ALL MEN that want to accept the same calling and commandment to preach the gospel at the time of the sounding of the trump in the 3rd watch;
“..SHALL COME BEFORE MY SERVANTS SIDNEY RIGDON AND JOSEPH SMITH, JUN.,” to be ordained and sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel to all nations..
Please remember that anciently, King David had a seer who worked in concert with him;
“All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office. “
Are we seeing a pattern here? The priests had to come before King David and Samuel the Seer to be ordained. Remember how the Lord said in the D&C that all those who would go forth to preach the gospel much come before Sidney and Joseph.. the Spokesman and the Seer?
Now lets review a most remarkable scripture in D&C 6 that we highlighted in a recent blog;
“And now behold I give unto you (O. Cowdery), and also unto my servant Joseph, the keys of this gift, which shall bring to light this ministry.”
Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith were told that they had the keys of this gift which should bring to light this ministry. The Lord was revealing that an existing ministry would be identified by Joseph and Oliver.
We have already established the fact from previous parts of this tribute that Sidney had been called as a minister of Jesus Christ BEFORE ever meeting Joseph Smith!
He held a special priesthood by right of lineage. His existing ministry was acknowledged and endorsed by the Lord God of Israel!
Joseph and Oliver were given the privilege of finding and identifying Sidney Rigdon as the one who held priesthood by right of lineage.
“Thou was sent forth even as John to prepare the way,”
Notice the scripture does not give Joseph and Oliver the right to begin the ministry but to identify it and participate in it. This actually reveals that it was Joseph and Oliver and their small little congregation that is joining with Sidney rather than Sidney joining with Joseph and Oliver.
This is really significant. Joseph and Oliver were given the gift and the calling to bring to light an existing ministry that was already in existence and separate from their own. They were joining with Sidney as much if not more than Sidney was joining with them.
Joseph and Oliver were to identify the ministry (and minister) that was currently doing a work! And then they were to assist in that ministry… in both the 2nd and 3rd watch!
What happens next?
1) Oliver Cowdery and his missionary companions take a Book of Mormon to Sidney Rigdon who declares it to be a revelation from God.
2) Oliver Cowdery baptizes Rigdon.
3) Rigdon visits Joseph Smith during their first meeting… the first time they ever met, Joseph pronounces a blessing upon Sidneys head and the Lord identifies Sidney as the one like John the Baptist who had previously been sent forth doing a work that was a preparatory work. He was preparing the way before Elijah and the Lord.
4) Shortly thereafter the Lord identifies (through the Prophet Joseph Smith) Sidney Rigdon as the Spokesman from the loins of Judah prophesied about in the Book of Mormon.
What is a ministry?
According the Webster-
Ecclesiastical function; agency or service of a minister of the gospel or clergyman in the modern church, or of priests, apostles and evangelists in the ancient. Acts 1. Rom.12. 2 Tim.4. Num.4.
Did Joseph and Oliver use the keys of revelation Oliver had been given and the keys of Seership Joseph had been given to bring to light the existing ministry and the existing minister who God had previously called to do a preparatory work?
YES! (BTW Section 90 identifies Joseph and Sidney as having two completely separate ministries that work hand in hand when the Marvelous Work begins. )
Are we seeing a pattern here? The priests had to come before King David and Samuel the Seer to be ordained. Remember how the Lord said in the D&C that all those who would go forth to preach the gospel much come before Sidney and Joseph?
Is it beginning to make a little more sense why Joseph Smith was “partly” a descendant of King David but Sidney was a full blooded descendant of King David? The King and his Seer.
The Jewish legends pertaining to messiah ben Judah are shrouded in mystery as are all of the legends having to do with the mysterious lineage of the Davidic Bloodline. From this we get the legend of the Holy Grail.
There is something peculiar about the fact that the Lord sends Oliver Cowdery and others on a mission for the specific purpose of taking the gospel and the Book of Mormon to the Lamanites yet the mission to the Lamanites appears to be a complete failure while it results in the conversion of Sidney Rigdon and, ultimately hundreds of people that he has prepared to receive the gospel.
The promise was that if the Lamanites received the book of Mormon, the Lord would establish his church among them… now think about it, the mission appears to be a total failure as far as the perceived group of Lamanites is concerned, yet the very person who is to ultimately take the gospel to the Lamanites in the 3rd watch is converted during and as a result of that mission!
Consider the possibility that Sidney Rigdon is a full blooded descendent of King David and consider that the Book of Mormon reveals that the right to the Davidic throne migrated over to America via Mulek, the son of Jewish King Zeddekiah and mingled among the posterity of Lehi!
By the time the 1830’s comes along the blood of the Book of Mormon peoples has mingled among many of the Gentiles. Is it possible that Sidney Rigdon has Lehite/Mulekite blood flowing through his veins?
The Book of Mormon begins its story of the Mulekites where the Old Testament story of Zedekiah ends. Amaleki writes that Mulek, the son of Zedekiah and heir to the throne of David, came “out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.” (Omni 1:15.) Amaleki continues: “And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.” (Omni 1:16; italics added.)
The people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon. And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters. (Omni 1:15—16)
The people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek, and those who came with him into the wilderness . . . (Mosiah 25:2)
The sons of Zedekiah were . . . slain, all except it were Mulek [and] . . . the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem. (Helaman 8:21)
The scriptures above are the only three references to Mulek in the Book of Mormon. The reference in Mosiah 25:2 is of interest because it specifically identifies Zarahemla as a descendant of Mulek. In other words, a direct heir to the throne of Jerusalem, Zarahemla, was ironically found in ancient America and no doubt exists today. Does it exist in the form of one Sidney Rigdon?
“the people of Zarahemla came out [not “were driven out”] from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.” This would place the departure from Jerusalem of at least some of Mulek’s party, perhaps the bulk of it, sometime in late 586 BC, more than a year after the point suggested for teenage Mulek himself to have gone to Egypt.
According to the Book of Mormon, when Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon during the reign of Zedekiah, perhaps sometime around sometime in late 586 BC, all of the sons of Zedekiah were killed except Mulek. Along with “as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord,” Mulek escaped into the wilderness and traveled “across the great waters” to the Americas, founding a new nation. The Mulekites establish their capital at Zarahemla, north of where Lehi and his people landed.
What are the chances that Sidney Rigdon could possibly be a descendent of King Zedekiah through the loins of Mulek? Would in not be poetic justice for someone of that bloodline to be the one to hold the keys of the ministry to that people?
I realize this seems bizarre, but anything is possible in the Lord. speculating further, is it possible that the bloodline could have been in many of the people in the congregations that Sidney had prepared for the restoration movement?
How odd that the promise was that God would establish his church among the Lamanites if they received the Gospel and the next thing that happens is that the Church of Christ that was organized by Joseph Smith is commanded to migrate from New York over to Kirtland where it will be established among Rigdons congregation. One would think that the Lord would have the converting congregations move to where the existing newly, legally established church was in New York.
Of course this is all speculation and doesn’t necessarily matter one way or the other how Rigdon got his divine bloodline. However the Lord seems to test people by hiding a divine bloodline and having it crop up in the most unusual and disguised ways in order to test people.
It appears that the Lord revealed this about Joseph and Sidney’s priesthood while they were working on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible;
Look at how Rigdon’s real identity was so hidden and even the process of bringing his calling to light was very veiled in the 2nd watch so that a great test could take place in the 3rd watch. Realizing that many of the Latter day Saints are of the loins of Judah as well as many of the Lamanites, this give greater meaning to the following scripture which may have multiple types and fulfillments;
“Which is my word to the Gentile, that soon it may go to the Jew, of whom the Lamanites are a remnant, that they may believe the gospel, and look not for a Messiah to come who has already come.“
It is amazing how closely some scriptures seem to speak of Christ and his servants in such a close parallel that it is hard to distinguish whether the literal event in the scriptures is actually speaking of Christ or his servant. compare the following verse to Isaiah 11 wherein it appears to be referring to God’s Servant the root of Jesse;
Perhaps this is why we are told that whether it is by his voice or the voice of his servants it is the same… and why we are told that Christ laid his hands on someone via the hands of Sidney Rigdon… divine possession?
“The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up ajealousy like a man of bwar: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” (Isa 42)
Again, the important thing to remember is that all who desire to preach the Gospel for the last time in the 3rd watch must come before the Spokesman and the Seer.
Are you going to accept the calling to preach the everlasting gospel to all nations when the 3rd watch opens up? The only way you can be ordained to do it is to come before the two anointed ones and be called and ordained by them.
You have probably noticed by now that this tribute is really to the Lord God of Israel and how he can take people like Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon and use them in mysterious ways to bring about his purposes.
This is a tribute to the holy and infallible word of God. It is a tribute to how God takes mortal fallible men and sanctifies them and makes them holy men and uses them to make intercession for their brethren…. sometimes covering the eyes of his holy Seers and making fools and fops out of them in the eyes of the world to bring to pass his glorious work.
He did a preparatory work with them in their state of weakness and he will bring them forth in power during the 3rd watch.
Is not Joseph Smith hated and despised by the world in general? Is not Sidney Rigdon held in derision in the eyes of most members of the Church? Yet God is going to use the weak things of the world to break down the mighty and strong ones.
It is interesting to note that all 12 of the above mentioned revelations and the wealth of information they contain about Sidney Rigdon were all given within about 3 1/2 years after he joined the church.
Section 76, also known as “The Vision” took place in February 1832, just a little over two years after he joined the church.
After reviewing the profile created from the 12 sections of the D&C, other related scriptures and related events in the LDS history, it may seem almost overwhelming just how many honors and callings and privileges the Lord heaped upon his servant Sidney Rigdon the spokesman from the loins of Judah.
With the exception of Joseph Smith, no one comes close to Sidney in the role he played in laying the foundation for the Marvelous Work that was to come forth four generations later. and the promise he has of the role he will yet play in the Marvelous Work is hard to comprehend.
If you are LDS you may be scratching your head and wondering how you grew up in the Church without realizing that Sidney was virtually equal with Joseph Smith in both priesthood and the leadership responsibilities.
In fact he was probably a mentor to Joseph in many ways in the early years of Joseph’s ministry including biblical scholarship.
His efforts in preparing hundreds of people in Ohio to accept the restored gospel, teaching the school of the prophets, using the Bible to prove the accuracy of the modern revelations being brought forth through the Seer, giving sermons, dedicating and consecrating sacred places, defending the faith, doing missionary work, giving blessings and priesthood ordinations makes him arguably every bit as important in the LDS restoration movement as Joseph Smith was.
Yet it is remarkable that many Latter day Saints know precious little about the role Rigdon played, not to mention the future role he will play. The knowledge of Sidney Rigdon in the eyes of many Latter day Saints has been reduced to a handful of disparaging remarks that various individuals have peppered throughout histories and lesson manuals.
Later in this tribute we will review how Sidney Rigdon fell from his esteemed position and became a maligned and virtually insignificant personality according to the sanitized version of the official history of the Church.
Solving the Mystery of Joseph Smith
Finding the missing pieces of the Prophet Puzzle
The Reinstitution of Blood Sacrifice in the last dispensation
The Intercessory Scapegoat Atonement
“I am ready to be offered a sacrifice for this people… Greater love hath no man than that he should lay down his life for his friends. You have stood by me in the hour of trouble, and I am willing to sacrifice my life for your preservation.” [George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1907), p. 498]
“… I was in the Grand Council and was chosen and ordained to this office to be the last and greatest prophet to lay the foundation of God’s work of the last or seventh dispensation“
This rather bold proclamation was rather indicative of Joseph Smith Jr., during the last years of his ministry. Many of his loyal followers believed, as he apparently did that he was the Davidic Servant spoken of in ancient scripture through which God would restore again the kingdom to Israel. (The scriptures seem to differentiate the Davidic Servant of the 2nd watch and the Davidic King of the 3rd watch)
He was the last great prophet who was to reinstate Gods Law, gather Gods people and establish Zion preparatory for the Second Coming. In him the promises made to King David and the prophetic utterances of virtually all of the Old Testament prophets were being fulfilled. He declared that the testimony of Christ that he and Sidney Rigdon gave to the world would be the last testimony.
Smith believed that he exclusively held the key of knowledge–
“I have the whole plan of the kingdom before me, and no other person has”
“I understand the fullness of the Gospel from beginning to end. I can teach it and also the order of the Priesthood in all its ramifications. ..”
“ I testify that no man has power to reveal it but myself… things in heaven, in earth and hell…”
This is consistent with his profile wherein God calls him to reveal things while Sidney is to Expound on them.
He saw himself as much more than just a teacher or prophetic instrument in the Lords hands. He saw himself as a protector of the people.
“If I were not in your midst to aid and counsel you, the devil would overcome you”
Toward the end of his ministry when the flow of revelation through him to the general church membership had all but been turned off and he was being accused by many of his own followers as being a false prophet his response was;
“My enemies say that I have been a true prophet Why I had rather be a fallen true prophet than a false prophet When a man goes about prophesying and commands men to obey his teachings he must either be a true or false prophet. False prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones“
He also made statements to the effect that he had been seal up by the Holy Spirit of Promise and could not fall in the ultimate sense;
“ Earth and hell have opposed me and tried to destroy me but they have not done it and they never will”
“I prophesy and bear record this morning that all the combined powers of earth and hell shall not and cannot ever overthrow or overcome this boy, for I have the promise from the eternal God.”
Acknowledging the Mysterious Prophet Puzzle
In “The Prophet Puzzle” essay, religious historian Jan Shipps states that:
“The mystery of Mormonism cannot be solved until we solve the mystery of Joseph Smith”.
Shipps is one of a number of scholars, researchers, and even some members of the LDS and other various restoration churches who appear to be troubled by much of the historical evidence pertaining to Smith and the restoration movement yet they can’t bring themselves to completely write him off either.
Many struggle to accept Smith as a prophet because of the unexplainable contradictions in his life
As I have pointed out before, his teachings and personal life towards the later part of his ministry vs his teachings, his personal life and the scriptures he brought forth during the first six years of his ministry present a dichotomy that many have not been able to reconcile and virtually nobody has been able to adequately explain.
His life and teachings during the first six years of his public ministry seem to be incongruent with the last eight years of his public ministry. The incongruency presents a challenge to those who see the light in the revelations he brought forth but cannot reconcile some of his personal actions later in his life. Coupled with the fact that the heavens appeared to be closing on the Seer, the inconsistencies become problematic.
Despite these inconsistencies, or perhaps because of them, a few, serious religious scholars and historians seem be drawn to the continuous study of his life. It appears they cannot attribute his life and accomplishments to that of a true prophet yet they cannot dismiss him as a fraud or charlatan either.
When a holistic view of his dichotomous life and its impact on the church and world is taken into consideration, and the realization that he became a stumbling block to the very work God had called him to do, it is hard to find an adequate logical explanation.
There are numerous anti-Mormon groups and individuals dedicated to challenging the claims of the LDS restoration movement. As a result, the field of Mormon apologetics has also grown and become more prevalent and sophisticated as well. Both areas of scholarly research have become thriving past times if not quasi industries. In part of this paper, I am going to challenge the faulty premise upon which both groups build there case.
The life and work of the Prophet Joseph Smith creates a polarization among those who study it. At one end of the spectrum his disciples accept him as God’s latter-day servant who cannot commit any grievous sins, at the other end of the spectrum his accusers reject him as a false prophet who never had anything but evil intentions.
Joseph Smiths life seems to be filled with so many extreme contradictions that it seems strange that a world wide religion growing out of his religious experience could attract so many passionately loyal followers, weather the test of time and become one of the fasted growing and wealthiest in the world.
One contributing reason for this phenomenon is the Book of Mormon, the foundational book of scripture upon which Mormonism rests. Many Mormons who cannot reconcile or find peace in the personal life of Smith resiliently defend the faith based largely on the merits of the Book of Mormon.
Ironically, the Book of Mormon itself is one of the greatest critics of many of the actions taken by Smith and the Saints of the restoration movement, including his involvement in polyandry and masonry.
Those converted to the faith through the Book of Mormon usually become staunch defenders of Smith and categorically reject the charges of his accusers or simply shelf the questions about the incongruence found in his personal life and some of the events of the restoration movement in hopes that it will all be worked out some time in the future or in the hereafter.
Critics steeped in traditional Christianity who’s religious and ethical foundations cannot tolerate Smith’s involvement in masonry and polygamy and numerous other actions inconsistent with his own original teachings become zealous in refuting all of the fruits of the restoration movement including the Book of Mormon and the revelations received by Smith contained in the Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants.
In addition to these types of issues, his ability to attract such a wide range of extremely talented and prolific disciples is a wonderment in and of itself. The skeptic must add to these accomplishments his ability to get three men of above average intelligence and character and standing in their respective communities to conspire with him about seeing an angel with plates and hold to that story their entire lives even after two of the three eventually apostatized from the church and became critics of Smith.
It is no wonder that many researchers continue to struggle to understand this man and the work he was involved with.
Is there a biblical explanation for the life of Joseph Smith?
One of the problems with the way that most critics and defenders of Joseph Smith view him and the restoration movement is that they do it through their own religious world-view and human logic which is seldom in sync with the word of God.
The missing pieces of the prophet puzzle cannot be identified and Smith cannot be demystified unless he is weighed in the balance by the many ancient and modern scriptures that profile the Davidic Servant of the last days. Once the scriptural profile of the Davidic Servant is catalogued, a timeline of events that took place in Smiths life should be analyzed to see if the clothes fit the man.
Understanding and acknowledging the mysterious Biblical relationship between God and his people, the role of the last Davidic Servant and the mysterious doctrines pertaining to reconciliation and atonement are essential to understanding and judging any man claiming to hold that office and position.
Until we do, we are ill equipped to judge the man. We need to identify the prophetic model of the Davidic Servant that is given in the scriptures and use that to measure the life and accomplishments of anyone claiming to be that person.
The scriptures provide many keys to God’s relationship with his people Israel that both Mormons and traditional Christians either reject or sweep under the carpet because they are either to painful, illogical or to incomprehensible for the finite mind of mortal man to feel comfortable with.
Certainly there are numerous biblical doctrines that have been scrubbed from the sanitized versions of contemporary Christianity and are not often preached over the pulpit in our Sunday sermons. These obscure teachings of the Bible remind us of God’s declaration in Amos-
“My ways are not your ways, neither are my thoughts your thoughts sayeth the Lord”.
Before one can put the life of Joseph Smith up against a biblical profile of the Lords last messenger, to see if there is a place for him in the prophecies concerning the last days, one must first understand and accept the above-mentioned truths found in the scriptures.
Throw out human logic, throw out the false traditions of your fathers, throw out the way you think things should be and accept the fact that Gods ways are not your ways.
Something that most Mormons and Anti-Mormons have in common is the all or nothing mentality in judging Smith, the Book of Mormon and the divinity of the LDS Church. Both LDS defenders of the faith and critics usually want to have a package deal. They want it to be all true or all false. Ironically, both groups use the same all or nothing logic in reaching their opposing conclusions. The LDS Church prefers that investigators use this premise as they approach the conversion process because they want the entire decision to be based on the emotional and spiritual impact of the Book of Mormon, not on the somewhat disconcerting life of Joseph Smith or the incongruent events within the LDS restoration movement.
They teach that if the Book of Mormon is true, one can categorically accept the divine calling of Joseph Smith, the truthfulness of the restored church and the current truthfulness of the position of the corporate LDS Church without further research or investigation.
In conjunction with this analysis this paper questions the soundness of the “all or nothing” premise and presents another scenario that our culture has been conditioned to rule out, one that is strongly supported by ancient and modern scripture, one that has been a historically repetitious event.
It is the premise that the Latter-day restoration movement was endorsed by God in the beginning and the Saints were originally given the fulness of the Gospel but that the rejection of God’s Law by the Saints led to an apostasy.
It will be shown through scripture that latter-day Israel’s group rejection of God’s Law played an integral part in the actions of Joseph Smith because he was an intercessor, as such he either needed to lead his people out of sin or enter into with them.
This paper will provide scriptural documentation that accepts the challenge thrown out by Jan Shipps. It will demystify Joseph Smith and provide the missing pieces of the prophet puzzle from God’s Holy Word.
We are actually going to view the schizophrenic life of Smith and the events of the “restoration movement” through the literal interpretation of scripture. Through this process we shall indeed demystify him. We shall show that the lack of congruency in his life is completely congruent with God’s word and with the prophecies pertaining to him in the role of the prophesied messianic figure that was to come.
This paper, will demonstrate through ancient scripture, modern scripture and LDS church history that God actually used Joseph Smith to do good and bring forth much light. Then, as a result of the refusal of an apostate world to respond to God’s Law and the breaking of the everlasting covenant, God sent cursings along with the blessings just as was prophesied by Moses.
God used his servant to deliver his people over to darkness then, as an intercessory offering God put the sins of Israel upon his servants and had the servants offer an atonement for Israel. As we dissect this incredible prophetic enactment from Lev 16, we shall see that Hyrum was also offered as a sacrifice and Sidney was offered as a living scapegoat sacrifice. All three made an offering and all three took the sins of Israel upon them.
The Lord warned the Saints that if they hardened their hearts he would deliver them up unto Satan;
“And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old. And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, for he reigneth and hath power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them. Behold I tell you these things even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem, and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified..” (Book of Commandments Chapter 4)
This paper will provide a biblical explanation for the general findings of Mormons and Anti-Mormons alike with regard to the general historical accuracy of the good and evil things Smith is accused of.
Then it will provide scriptural documentation to challenge the final conclusions of both groups. Joseph Smith was not an evil charlatan as the anti-mormons would have us believe nor was he outwardly, without sin as many of the loyal later day apologists would have us believe.
Indeed we shall show that as an intercessor, the sins of Israel were put upon him artificially, not because he was inwardly evil. He acted out the sins outwardly yet he retained the mercy of God, just as ancient prophecy foretells.
Before we proceed-
It is critical to understand that Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith both had their calling and election made sure… probably on or before the day the vision known today as section 76 took place.
On that day they both stood before the Lord in a sanctified state and received of his fulness, being prepared to offer themselves as sin offerings without blemish.
The Reinstitution of Blood Sacrifice in the Latter Days
When Jesus Christ appeared to the Nephites he taught them that their animal sacrifices and burnt offering had been done away;
“And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.”
Some have supposed it a contradiction when Joseph Smith taught that sacrifice had not been done away with;
“..it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice … was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in [the] future: but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood, or with the Prophets.. These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built,… be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings (History of the Church, vol. 4, p.211).“
Did that not constitute a blood sacrifice that was reinstituted during the last dispensation? Certainly the above words of John Tayor dance around the theme that Joseph and Hyrum were offered as a blood sacrifice!
First we need to acknowledge that those offered as an offering for sin were originally clean and pure when they first offered themselves. I personally believe that Sidney and Joseph had both become sanctified and probably received their calling and election early in their ministries during the 2nd watch. (Section 88 tells us they had their names enrolled in the Book of the Sanctified)
It was necessary for them to have previously received their calling and election so that they could be clean before the Lord to be offered as a sacrifice and to perform the work that God has for them.
Interestingly, I recently got a response on this blog by someone calling themselves NEPT who had come to the conclusion on his own after reading part 3 and pondering section 76 that Joseph and Sidney both must have had their calling and election made sure, entered into the rest of the Lord and been sealed up to eternal life.
His observation included how he key word searched the topic to arrive at his conclusion. Here is his response:
“The other day I followed a scripture chain which might help to extract some kind of answer to the question you asked above, “Do we even comprehend what it means to behold the glory of the Son and receive of his fullness?”
In Moroni 7 we have part of a sermon Mormon gave on faith, hope, and charity. Verse 3 states…
“Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.”
One of the scriptures that comes up if you search for “rest” in D&C is verse 24 of section 84:
“But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.“
A simple search for “fulness” and “glory” brings up, lo and behold, section 76. Here it is used to describe those who are part of the first resurrection, and who are made priests and kings.
Is it me, or does it seem that those who “receive of His fulness” have their calling and election made sure? I always thought of this as a very rare event, which made me wonder at Peter’s admonition to give diligence to this very thing (2 Peter 1:10). But in Alma 13, the prophet says,
“Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.“
Makes you wonder why this doesn’t seem to happen so frequently anymore.
I suppose my point is, poor maligned brother Sydney, in the eternal, omniscient view of the Lord, seems to have entered into the rest of the Lord while yet on earth, long before most of us will probably attain it…“
We have been commanded to search the scriptures. I love to see people unlocking the deeper meanings in the scriptures by doing key word searches! What a great example of how to take a topic, identify key words in the primary scripture and use it to begin connecting more dots..
So why is it important to understand that Joseph and Sidney were holy, sanctified men in 1832 when they had the vision and bore the last of all testimonies?
Because their state of purity, before the Lord, through the grace of God, was necessary to qualify them to offer themselves as an intercessory offering without blemish in behalf of the Children of Israel, the tabernacle, holy place and alter.
Let us now review a mystical doctrine that will lay the foundation for the rest of this tribute and explain the very strange things that happened following the Vision which is now known as section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. I refer to this doctrine as the scapegoat doctrine. It is also known as the atonement statute and it is contained in Leviticus 16.
It is important to understand that the statutes God gave Israel are enactments of future events.
Preparatory to our dissection of Lev 16, will begin profiling the Davidic Servant as contained in the Holy Word of God. The Scapegoat doctrine will be embedded within.
As mentioned before, members of the LDS Church typically ruthlessly deny or justify Joseph Smith’s involvement with the Danites, masonry and polyandry. Even when the inner light within them tells them something isn’t right, they defend the honor and actions of the Lords anointed servant. Because to them, it needs to be a package deal. Everything about the restoration movement is true or false and Joseph was either without malignant sin or he could not be a true prophet.
Conversely, critics of Joseph Smith, see evil intent in virtually everything he did. Despite the revelations he brought forth that are overflowing with light and intelligence, and the many good thing he accomplished, they focus on the evil things he did and they force themselves to ignore the good fruits he brought forth.
I am now going to suggest that Gods word and the prophesies contained therein challenge both views of the issue. There is another scenario depicted of Joseph Smith in the Holy Word of God.
I am now going to attempt to summarize the profile that the scriptures provide of the Davidic Servant and within this profile we will also analyze the literal fulfillment of the Atonement Statute that God commanded ancient Israel to keep and the associated Scapegoat Doctrine.
The following profile of the Davidic Servant will show that if Joseph Smith did commit iniquity, it was prophesied that it would take place and it provides proof that he was exactly who he claimed he was.. the unblemished, perfect sacrifice offering who, after attempting to redeem an apostate people, offered to take their sins upon himself to prolong their days upon the earth.
THE DAVIDIC PROFILE
The Sin Offering & Servant of the Lord
Who become a Stone of Stumbling to the Work he was Called to do.
The following six evidences provide proof that the Davidic Servant of the 2nd watch was to commit iniquity as well as righteousness during his ministry in the 2nd watch.
1- KNOWN FOR GOOD AND EVIL: Early in his ministry, the prophet Joseph Smith was visited by an angel from the presence of God. In the words of Joseph Smith, this is what the angel said:
“God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all nations”
I realize that defenders of the faith interpret that statement to mean that Joseph was to be without sin but that evil people would choose to misinterpret his actions as being evil.
I am going to challenge that interpretation and suggest that what Moroni was really prophesying was that Joseph would do some of the greatest, most righteous things and manifest some of the greatest spiritual gifts of anyone that had ever lived, however, he would also, like Moses of old commit iniquity and sin before God as a result of the atonement and acceptable offering that he would make.
We shall discover from the word of God that he has the transgressions of Israel artificially placed upon his head causing him to act out the sins of apostate Israel after they reject the gospel and break the everlasting covenant
2- THE DAVIDIC PROPHECY: It is clear from many of Joseph’s statements and from the scriptures that he was to be the primary servant over the last dispensation and that he was the Davidic Servant of the 2nd watch spoken of in many of the Old Testament prophecies, while it appears that Brother Sidney was to become the Davidic King of the 3rd watch.
As part of this calling Joseph needed to be a descendent of Jesse and David as well as an Ephramite, hence, the declaration in D&C 113:4 that reveals that he is of mixed lineage and claims the birth right of a descendent of King David.
Hidden in the following verses in 2nd Samuel is perhaps the most incredibly revealing yet incredibly unnoticed secret in unlocking the mysterious profile of Joseph Smith, the Davidic Servant of the 2nd watch;
“Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them.. I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.”
Now lets see if Joseph can fit the profile of the latter day servant who is a descendent of David that we just read about
a)He is involved in the work of gathering Israel to their appointed place.. which in the 3rd watch they will return to and be planted in.
b)He restores the Kingdom of God to the earth (see Acts 1:6-7 D&C 29:5, 35:27, 38:9,15, 42:69, 62:9, 78:18,
c)He becomes one of the Sons of God by becoming sanctified and getting his calling and election made sure.
d)He successfully completes the House of God and it is accepted by God
e) He commits iniquity
f)God has him chastised and slain by the rod of men because of his transgressions
g)The mercy of God remains with him despite the fact that outward appearance would dictate that Gods mercy should be withdrawn from him just as it was withdrawn from Saul who sinned
I would suggest that Joseph Smith is the only prophet in the latter days that fits the bazaar profile contained in 2nd Samuel. The only other prophet that comes close to it is Moses who prolonged the days of the apostate children of Israel on the earth by providing an atonement for them, hence, Joseph the Seer is like Moses.
This remarkable prophecy indicates that if all of the horrible things are true that anti-mormons accuse Joseph Smith of, their documentation of unsavory historical events simply provide an even greater testimony that he was the intercessory prophet of the end times!
3- THE ATONEMENT OF MOSES: the above profile from 2nd Samuel is perhaps the most accurate and succinct summary of the life of Joseph Smith but we need to drill down further in the scriptures and get additional witnesses of this very strange thing.
As we do so, we will get a better understanding as to why Joseph committed iniquity and better understand how it is possible for the Lords holy anointed servant to outwardly commit iniquity and be chastised by the rod of man while staying within the mercy of a just God.
One of the things revealed in the JST Inspired Version of the Bible and also the book of Mormon and also section 103 is that Joseph Smith was to be LIKE MOSES! Could there be a clue in this?
Too often we have the tendency to focus on the obvious and miss other important details when reviewing a scriptural type.
Yes, Joseph was like Moses in that he delivered the law to Israel and will play a major role in leading the Children of Israel out of bondage during the 3rd Watch, but there is another event in the Life of Moses that we need to acknowledge and understand in order to comprehend the ministry and sacrifice of Joseph the Seer.
After the children of Israel refused to receive the higher law and committed Idolotry instead, God in his wrath decided to consume them from off of the face of the earth. As a sanctified servant who had spoken to God face to face, Moses pled with the Lord to spare them and he offered himself as an ATONEMENT for them.
“Ye have sinned a great sin and now I will go up unto the Lord preadventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.” (Exod 32:30)
Please note, he was not offering an animal sacrifice, this is the first recorded instance of a human atonement offering that actually took place in the Bible. He was acting as an intercessor between them and God.
This was not the infinite and eternal atonement for the eternal salvation that Christ would eventually offer, nor was it the sacrificing of Moses blood for the remitting of sins. It was a different type of temporary atonement to provide a temporary temporal means of escape from the wrath of God. It prolonged their life upon the land and enabled their posterity to come forth in later generations.
God rejected Moses suggestion of having his own name blotted out of the book of life but did in fact accept him as an offering.
The consequences of Moses’ atonement is that the sins of Israel were artificially put on Moses head and he eventually acted out their sin of idolatry when he took credit for bringing the water out of the rock at Meribah. The consequences of acting out that sin were that he was not allowed to go into the promised land but rather he had to die because of his disobedience.
The consequences of his sin cost him his life and prevented him from entering into the promised land, yet, the scriptures and the Lord continued to refer to Moses as a justified servant of God and in fact, Moses has appeared as a ministering angel several time since his death. Moses remained in the grace and mercy of God because he only sinned outwardly, not inwardly.
We have now established a strong pattern from the prophecy of Moroni the amazing prophecy in 2nd Samuel and the type of Moses Atonement in behalf of the Children of Israel.
Hopefully an adequate foundation has been laid for you to appreciate the incredible prophecy contained in the atonement statute.
4- THE ATONEMENT STATUTE: How did Moses understand the principle of atonement that allowed him to intercede for the children of Israel and temporarily take upon himself their sins in an effort to prolong their days upon the earth.. and all this without causing the mercy of God to depart from him?
The answer is the atonement statute. Read Leviticus 16 very carefully. Once you comprehend who the latter day players are, the contradictory events of the restoration movement will make perfect sense to you. It explains in vivid detail what the mission and offering of Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith and Sidney Ridgon was.
Statutes are enactments of future events. The atonement statute given to Moses and Aaron explained a very important principle but also provides the details of a future event.
The atonement statute involves, among other things, two goats without blemish. One was to be killed as a blood sacrifice for a sin offering. Virtually all Christian theologians agree that this goat represents Christ.
Typologically that is true, however it is literally referring to an intercessory prophet in the latter days. A separate Bullock was also to be killed as a blood sacrifice as well.
The second of the two goats that were jointly doing a sin offering and jointly doing an atonement, was to be the scapegoat. The scapegoat was to have the sins of Israel placed upon his head.. then he was to be led out into the wilderness by a fit man. All of this for the purpose of providing a means of escape for the children of Israel.
Theologians have been arguing for years over who this scapegoat represents. Some for lack of a better explanation say it must also represent the Savior, others speculate that it must be an evil servant of Satan or Satan himself. Perhaps the Anti Christ, etc.
Ancient and modern scripture reveals that both speculations are wrong.
I could go on and explain why both of these explanations are equally inept but I will leave it up to you to put the atonement statute into the proper context.
Yes, Moses, Aaron and Joshua were typological fulfillments of the atonement statute, but as we have discussed before, there is virtually always a dual fulfillment to all prophecies. There was to be a prophet in the last days that would be like unto Moses! There would also be a latter day prophet that would be like Aaron and one that would be like Joshua.
Two prophets would die as sin offerings, while one would remain with the sins upon its head but would eventually be given great power like unto Joshua in the 3rd watch.
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the [goat that is to be offered unto the] Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him [unto the Lord] for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him [the first goat] and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, [Hyrum] which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself“
Without going into much detail, according to the atonement statute, there were to be at least three prophets in the last days who would all offer an offering unto the Lord according to the Atonement Statute.
The first two goats would be of equal status in that either could have been the blood sin offering or the living scapegoat offering. The Seer and the Spokesman were equal before the Lord. Hence, the casting of lots.
The fact that these two goats make a joint atonement tells us that neither one is the literal representation of Christ’s atonement because his was a singular atonement, yet the atonement statute speaks of an atonement made jointly by two individuals.
It is important to remember that Moses provided an atonement offering that resulted in him taking the transgressions of Israel upon himself and resulting in his death. The purpose of his offering was to provide a means of temporal escape for an apostate people who were about to be swept off the face of the earth by the wrath of God. He preserved them.
I am suggesting that Joseph Smith did the exact same thing that Moses did. Apparently he acknowledged he was do this as well.
“I am ready to be offered a sacrifice for this people… Greater love hath no man than that he should lay down his life for his friends. You have stood by me in the hour of trouble, and I am willing to sacrifice my life for your preservation.” [George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1907), p. 498]
The Seer who was chosen by lot to be the blood sacrifice goat is offered for 1) the people 2) for the tabernacle 3) for the holy place 4) the alter.
The blood sacrifice Bullock (Hyrum who was in the office of Patriarch and Priesthood) is offered for Aaron and his house.
“… shall lay both his hands upon the head of [My Spokesman ] the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of [the Spokesman or the scape] goat..”
It is not the purpose of this paper to document, itemize and find fault with all of the things Sidney Rigdon may have done and said after his excommunication, after being led away from the congregation of Israel into the wilderness, as the scapegoat.
Suffice it to say, just as Joseph Smith may have fulfilled prophecy by committing iniquity because the sins of Israel fell upon him as an intercessory sin offering, the same holds true for the Spokesman.
“..and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man, into the wilderness and the goat, shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness…“
According to the shadow enactment of a future event provided in the Atonement Statute a “fit man” would lead the scapegoat away from the congregation of Israel. One of the definitions one can derive from the Hebrew of fit man is “timely opportunist”.
According to the historical research done by Van Wagoner, the events that led to the derailment of the Lords Spokesman from leading the flock can only identify one man who acted as a timely opportunist in expelling the Lords Scapegoat away from the congregation with the sins of Israel upon his head.
“By 10:00 a.m. more than 5,000 Saints had gathered at the grove east of the temple in response to William Marks’s announcement. As Rigdon began speaking, a strong headwind muted his voice, so he relocated to the leeward side and climbed on top of a wagon box.
From that spot he addressed the Saints until 11:30 a.m. While some have painted Rigdon’s discourse as uninspired, others, including Orson Hyde, a longtime Rigdon critic, said he presented “his claims with all the eloquence and power that he was master of.”
Rigdon labored to gain a show of support from the throng of LDS faithful. Hyde reported that Rigdon was just “about to ask an expression of the people by vote; when lo! to his grief and mortification, [Brigham Young] stepped upon the stand … and with a word stayed all the proceedings of Mr. Rigdon.”
Young, recalling the event in 1860, stated: “when I went to meet Sidney Rigdon on the meeting ground I went alone, and was ready alone to face and drive the dogs from the flock.”
Jacob Hamblin’s recollection of the morning of 8 August indicates that Young’s booming voice and stunning display of brinkmanship caused the audience to turn in their seats and face his commanding presence on the stand.
“I will manage this voting for Elder Rigdon,” he bellowed. “He does not preside here. This child [meaning himself] will manage this flock for a season.”
Lonely and bereaved, more than a third of the Mormon faithful were middle and working-class British immigrants, converted by Young and his fellow apostles. These new arrivals, conditioned from their earliest years, were used to working under the direct guidance of a master’s hand in their homeland.
Young saw their dependency, their inability to provide for their own emotional and economic sustenance. Accustomed to following directions from Joseph Smith, and scarcely familiar with Rigdon who had been ill for years, being instructed what to do by Brigham Young was a relief.
Fully confident, tossing off platitudes and pronouncements, Young’s afternoon address on 8 August was a remarkable assertion of the Twelve’s right to govern as well as his personal claim to be shepherd of the Mormon flock. “For the first time since [I] became a member of the church,” Young began, “the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, chosen by revelation, in this last dispensation of the gospel for the winding up scene, present themselves before the saints, to stand in their lot according to appointment.”
Young, ever the strategist, then asked, “I now want to ask each of you to tell me if you want to choose a guardian, a Prophet, evangelist or sumthing els[e] as your head to lead you. All that are in favor of it make it manifest by raising the right hand.” No one did.
Assuming the authoritarian Mormon father role he filled so well, Young then responded, “I know your feelings–do you want me to tell your feelings?” Responding to murmurs and assenting nods of the compliant flock he continued: [H]ere [is] the 12 an independ[en]t body–who have the Keys of the K[ingdom] to all the whole world so help me God[, and] the[y] are, as the 1st pres[idenc]y of the church. … [Y]ou can[‘]t call a Prophet you can[‘]t take El[der] Rig[don] or Amas[a] Lyman they must be ord[aine]d by the 12. … God will have nothing to do with you–you can[‘] put any one at the head of the 12.
“Perhaps some think that our beloved brother Rigdon would not be honored, would not be looked to as a friend, but if he does right, and remains faithful, he will not act against our counsel, nor we against his, but act together, and we shall be as one.”
“Do you want a spokesman?” Young then asked. “Do you want the church properly organized, or do you want a spokesman to be chief cook and bottle washer?” Discussing Rigdon’s calling as spokesman to the prophet, Young agreed, “Very well, he was,” but he added, “If he wants now to be a spokesman to the Prophet he must go to the other side of the vail for the Prophet is there, but Elder Rigdon is here. Why will Elder Rigdon be a fool? Who knows anything of the [fulness of the] priesthood, or of the organization of the kingdom of God? [the Council of Fifty]. I am plain.”
At the trial, it was none other than Brigham Young, acting in the seat of judgment as the one who presides over the Church that turned Sidney Rigdon over to the buffetings of Satan-
“Elder W. W. Phelps moved that Elder Sidney Rigdon be cut off from the church, and delivered over to the buttetings of Satan until he repent.
Bishop Newel K. Whitney then presented the motion to the high council (who was trying the case) and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative. * * *
President Young arose and delivered Sidney Rigdon over to the buffetings of Satan in the name of the Lord, and all the people said, Amen.”
[Editorial Note: A viewer that goes by NEPT provided the following comment and associated research;
According to the prophecy contained in the Atonement Statute, both the blood offering goat, Joseph the Seer and the blood offering Bullock, Hyrum who was equal with Joseph and Sidney in the First Presidency and held the office of Priesthood and Patriarch have the transgressions of Israel placed upon them and to be killed BEFORE the sins of Israel are pronounced upon the head of the Sidney Rigdon, the scapegoat.
This is very significant. As we take a look at the events of LDS Church history, we will notice that the effects of the transgressions upon Joseph and Hyrum take place first. The effects of the transgressions of Israel upon the head of Sidney Rigdon do not actuate until AFTER the martyrdom.. when the “fit man” places the sins of Israel upon the head of the Scapegoat servant by turning him over to the buffetings of Satan. (definition of “fit”: timely, opportune..)
This explains why the Spokesman and the Seer became estranged shortly after the defilement of the Kirtland Temple, and the failure of the Saints to live consecration and to redeem Zion at the appointed time.
Hence, after being rejected by latter day Israel, having their transgressions placed upon him and being led away from the congregation in disgrace with the sins of Israel upon his head, poor brother Sidney, try as he might to rise to the calling he knew was his, was forced to wait out his time in the 2nd watch, to wander in the wilderness and became a hiss and a byword exhibiting erratic behavior and characterized by future generations as a delusional portrait of religious excess.
5- THE SUFFERING SERVANT : One of the amazing keys that Christ gave to the Nephites and us about how to understand the words of Isaiah is in the fact that every prophecy in Isaiah has a dual fulfillment;
“all things that he spake have been and shall be”.
They each had a fulfillment prior to his visit to the Nephites and they all have a fulfillment AFTER his visit to the Nephites.
This should cause us to look at Isaiah 53 in excitement and awe! How is it possible for someone other than Christ in the latter days to meet the following profile:
“He is despised and rejected of men”
“He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities”
“With his stripes we are healed”
“The Lord has laid upon him the iniquity of us all”
“for the transgressions of my people was he stricken”
“He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter” Is that not what Joseph Smith quoted when they took him to Carthage?
You will note that the Hebrew chapter actually begins in verse 13 of Isaiah 52. This reveals that the suffering servant in chapter 53 is the same servant with marred visage in Isaiah 52!
So the Davidic Servant described in section 52 that looses the bands of Scattered apostate Israel in the latter days is also the one that had previously been slain as an atonement for their sins in an effort to prevent the Lord from destroying them from off the face of the earth.
That is right, the latter day saints that rejected the higher law back in Kirtland and Jackson County deserved to be wiped off the face of the earth just as their forefathers deserved to be wiped off the face of the earth for their iniquity.
Joseph Smith and Sidney prolonged the life of the Latter- day Saints on the face of the earth by providing an atonement for them. All of this is of course made possible through the infinite and eternal atonement of Jesus Christ, the God of Israel and creator of the heavens and earth and all things that in them are.
It is interesting to note that the two atonement goats take on a secondary type in the relationship of Joseph the Seer and Sidney the Spokesman.
I don’t pretend to understand all of the ramifications and complexities of the intercessory act that took place pertaining to the fulfillment of the atonement statute that was fulfilled by Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney and possibly others. However, it does seem plain that;
1) as part of the intercession, those two atonement goats had to have the sins of apostate latter day Israel placed upon them and act them out.
2) Two of them had to provide a blood sacrifice for sin
3) One of them, the scapegoat had to provide a living sacrifice with the sins of Israel upon his head.
4) We learn from the account of Moses that the atonement provided a means of temporal escape for the children of Israel. It prevented God in his wrath from wiping them off of the face of the earth.
Again, as previously shown, the atonement statute clearly states that two people would jointly provide the atonement for Isreal, making a distinction between the singular eternal offering that Christ made vs the temporal and temporary offering that the two messiahs represented as goats were to make.
With this in mind, I would like to suggest the following interpretation of the following verses. I believe the following verses are referencing the results of the two separate offerings;
1) the eternal atonement of Christ that has the power to blot out sins and
2) The temporary atonement that stayed Gods judgment and enables a time of refreshing and the restitution of all things at the appointed time which is associated with the latter day prophet like Moses.
Yes, I realize that Christ was a type of Moses in the meridian watch but clearly there is to be another prophet like Moses in the 3rd watch.
“And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Lastly, it appears to me that there is a type of merging together between the atonement provided by Moses, Aaron and Joshua vs the one by Joseph, Hyrum and Sidney. from the beginning of the atonement that Moses made, to the fulfillment of the atonement Joseph made there appears to be a period of Seventy Jubilees. At which the transgressions come to an end;
“Seventy [Jubilees] are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins,[of Israel] and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy”
6- The Davidic Lamentation in Isaiah 49- The following lamentation proves that the Lords Servant fails in his first ministry and laments his failure to to gather Israel and establish Zion.
He feels he has “laboured in vain” and yet the lamantation goes on to acknowledge that the Lord miraculously restores him and enables him to complete his mission and ot raise up the tribes of Israel and restore them. He becomes a light to the gentiles and brings salvation to the world;
The above six evidences should be sufficient to show that the amazing profile of the Lords Davidic Servant of the 2nd would be righteous and then, after the rejection of the fulness of the Gospel by the Gentiles, he would take upon himself their sins and he would act out there iniquities. Furthermore, the Spokesman that he works in concern with would also take upon himself the sins of apostate Israel and become a living sacrifice.
There are many other scriptures that provide additional evidence of the Davidic Profile and also the scapegoat servant. They are to numerous to mention here. As you become familiar with this concept you will begin to see this unfold in other places in the scriptures. Here are a few you might want to reference;
“Woe is me… a man of strife.. and a man of contention.. why is my pain perpetual.. I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked..” (Jer 15)
“I have become vile..” (Lam 1)
“I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him..” (Micah 7)
” Behold my Servant whom I uphold; mine elect.. I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.. he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discourages, TILL he have set judgment in the earth and the isles shall wait for his law..” (Isa 42)
“Take away the filthy garments from him…I have caused they iniquity to pass from thee.. I will clothe thee with a change of raiment .. If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt judge my house..” (Zech 3)
With this understanding, all of the difficult parts of the history of the Church now make sense!
For much more detailed documentation about the amazing profile of Joseph Smith from the Old Testament prophets, click here
I would submit to you that if the allegations are true about Joseph Smith by his accusers and he did commit iniquity after having the Savior appear to him, grant him the promise of eternal life and accept the Kirtland Temple, that fact alone would become one of the most compelling evidences that he was who he claimed to be.. the David Servant spoken of by the prophets who was to do great things and then commit iniquity!
Now, with the foundational knowledge that Joseph and Hyrum were to offered as blood Sacrifices for the Sins of Israel and that Sidney was to become the living scapegoat sacrifice for the sins of Israel, all of them taking the sins of the people upon themselves as part of their intercessory offering we can now review some of the otherwise painful events of the History of the Church with much greater compassion and understanding.
As we do this, remember that the Atonement Statute clarifies that the sins of Israel fall upon the blood sacrifice goat BEFORE they fall upon the living scapegoat sacrifice.
Consistent with this you will notice in section 124 given in 1841 the revelation begins by acknowledging that Joseph had already begun his offering process, yet later in the section the Lord acknowledges that Sidney offering is yet future. This is a great key and 2nd witness to the fact that the sins of Israel had already begun falling upon the head of Joseph shortly after the Kirtland Temple Defilement while the sins of Israel would not be placed upon Sidney until after the martyrdom, the completion of the Blood Sacrifice of Joseph and Hyrum.
This is a great key in understand the enmity that began taking place between the Seer and the Spokesman during the end of the Kirtland Era.
Perhaps one reason why people are largely ignorant about the role Sidney plays is partly because many Latter day Saints don’t search the scriptures as we have been commanded to do.
As you not doubt noticed as we created the profile of Rigdon, much of the important information presented about Rigdon in this paper thus far has been hidden in plain sight in the Doctrine and Covenants and other standard works.
Perhaps another reason Latter day Saints are largely ignorant of who Rigdon really is has to do with the fact that the official history of the church has been altered..
Van Wagoner claims “The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, promoting it’s own agenda after Joseph Smith’s 1844 death, rewrote Mormon History so radically that Rigdon never again mattered” There is significant evidence to support the above presupposition by Van Wagoner.
Charles Wesley Wandell, an assistant church historian, was rather disturbed at these emendations. Commenting on the many alterations made in the historical work as it was being sanitized in the Deseret News, Wandell noted in his diary:
“I notice the interpolations because having been employed in the Historian’s office at Nauvoo by Doctor Richards, and employed, too, in 1845, in compiling this very autobiography, I know that after Joseph’s death his memoir was ‘doctored’ to suit the new order of things, and this, too, by the direct order of Brigham Young to Doctor Richards and systematically by Richards.”
It is amazing that while the spin zone reduced Rigdon to an insignificant flakey and un-valiant opportunist, the shortcomings of the Twelve were minimized and in some cases deleted or omitted altogether from the history of the Church.
For example, during the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society, Parley P. Pratt, one of the Twelve Apostles who would become, along with Brigham Young, one of the chief accusers of Rigdon, wrote a scathing letter to Joseph Smith accusing him and Rigdon of leading the people astray and being a false prophet:
“Having long pondered the path in which we as a people have been led in regard to our temporal management, I have at length become fully convinced that the whole scheme of speculation in which we have been engaged is of the devil.
I allude to the covetous, extortionary speculating spirit which has reigned in this place for the last season; which has given rise to lying, deceiving and taking advantage of one’s neighbor, and in short every evil work.
And being as fully convinced that you and president Rigdon, both by precept and example, have been the principal means in leading this people astray, in these particulars, and having myself been led astray and caught in the same snare by your example, and by false prophesying and preaching , from your own mouths, yea having done many things wrong and plunged myself and family and others well nigh into destruction…”
The rest of the letter goes down hill from there, becoming increasingly more belligerent.
I am not suggesting that Pratt was not without some justification in his frustration and wrath, Smith and Rigdon were far from perfect and many of the things they did were misunderstood.. even before the sins of Israel began falling upon the Seer he made human mistakes…..
I’m just pointing out that numerous things like this where members of the quorum of the twelve challenged and disobeyed the Prophet were left out of the official history while any negative items about Rigdon almost seem to be highlighted.
Parley’s brother Orson, also an Apostle brought charges against the prophets leadership before a Bishops Court condemning him for “lying and misrepresentations for extortion and for speaking disrespectfully against his brethren behind their backs..”
Orson Hyde, one of the apostles who appears to have had perhaps the strongest vendetta against Rigdon and made the most disparaging remarks about him at his trial.
As we review these events in history we need to remember that all of this works into God plan. The New Testament reminds us that blindness is come upon Israel until the fulness of times.
Hyde gave anti-Mormon lectures condemning the restoration movement after he initially read the Book of Mormon. After hearing that Sidney Rigdon, his old minister and others he had known had joined the restored church, he finally reconsidered, acknowledged the error of his ways and joined himself.
Hyde went on to stumble several times just as many of his brethren did. He seemed to struggle with doctrinal issues.
Upon returning from his mission in Britain, during a period of persecution and internal dissension, Hyde wrote that he felt God was no longer with the church.
As we have demonstrated from the prophetic enactment and associated timeline contained in the atonement statute, Hyde was probably spot on with that declaration.
Because of some of the troubling things he saw taking place in the Church, he left the church in October 19, 1838 with Thomas B. Marsh, the presiding member of the Twelve.
Hyde and Marsh explained their reasons for their dissent in an affidavit which he and Hyde signed on October 24, 1838 in Richmond, Missouri. These included their contention that the Mormons had organized into a company known as the Danites, “who have taken an oath to support the heads of the church in all things that they say or do, whether right or wrong” and that Mormon and Danite vigilantes had burned and looted non-Mormon settlements in Daviess County.
The testimony of Marsh and Hyde added to the panic in northwestern Missouri and contributed to subsequent events in the 1838 Mormon War.
Because he had signed the Richmond affidavit with Marsh, Hyde was disfellowshipped (disciplined, but not removed from membership) in 1838. On May 4, 1839, a church conference in Quincy, Illinois voted to remove Hyde and William Smith from the work of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The leadership of the church invited the two to explain their actions. On June 27, Hyde returned to the church and publicly explained himself, asking to be restored.
Sidney Rigdon questioned the sincerity of Hyde and did not feel he should be admitted back into full fellowship. Despite the concerns of Rigdon, the fall conference, October 6 to 8, 1839, voted to restore both Hyde and William Smith as apostles.
Some historians feel that from that time forward Hyde waited for the opportunity to settle the score with Rigdon.
After being reinstated into full fellowship into the Church, Hyde was sent on another foreign mission, his notorious mission to Jerusalem in the Old World.
“According to the minutes of the meeting on April 6, 1840, at which Hyde was dispatched he was;
“to visit the cities of London, Amsterdam, Constantinople, and Jerusalem; and also other places that he may deem expedient; and converse with the priests, rulers, and elders of the Jews, and obtain from them all the information possible, and communicate the same to some principal paper for publication, that it may have a general circulation throughout the United States.“
Despite the fact that Hyde was specifically commissioned to obtain information in behalf of the Church, but never commissioned to dedicate the land for the return of the Jews, he became a little confused about the role of the Old World Jerusalem in end times prophecy.
He took it upon himself to dedicate the land of Jerusalem and begin the gathering of the Jews at that time. We need to remember that the various revelations were not as accessable or as easy to search back then as they are now.
The scriptures and the Prophet Joseph Smith had taught that the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah were to gather to the promised land of America. A careful reading of section 133 reveals that “Zion” and “Jerusalem” would both be located in America in the last days.
Although his prayer did go unanswered, it is true that the illuminati did begin gathering the Ashkenazi Jews en mass to the Old World over 100 years after the dedicatory prayer. Nevertheless, that gathering if not the gathering spoken of in the scriptures that takes place under the direction of the Lords servants.
Hydes dedicatory prayer is filled with doctrinal disinformation. He clearly did not understand where the gathering of the Jews was to take place or where the kings of the earth were to bring their gold and silver….
It was not until he returned from the Old World Jerusalem to Nauvoo and read about the proclamation to the kings of the earth in section 124 that he realized that the Kings of the Earth were to bring their riches to the cornerstone of Zion in America, not Jerusalem in the Old World.
Several years after returning from the Jerusalem, On 1 April 1843, Joseph Smith, Orson Hyde, and William Clayton traveled to Ramus. After spending the night at the home of Benjamin F. Johnson, they held a meeting the next morning at ten o’clock. During his remarks Elder Orson Hyde taught some false doctrine about the second coming that the Prophet needed to correct.
It is in part, from these corrections that we now have the information contained in section 130 of the D&C.
The Irony of this is not only that Sidney Rigdon had baptized Hyde into the Church, but that the descendent of King David that would rule over Israel in the end times, that Hyde mentioned in his dedicatory prayer was indeed Sidney Rigdon, the one Orson Hyde would eventually put so much energy into casting out from among the Saints!
“…Let them know that it is thy good pleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel- raise up Jerusalem as it capital and constitute her people a distinct nation and government, with David thy servants, even a descendant from the loins of ancient David to be their king”
An interesting historical fact that has gone unnoticed is the fact that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as a quorum and as individuals fluctuated in and out of varying states of apostasy from time to time prior to the martyrdom.
At one point, Joseph Smith referred to them as a renegade quorum. Section 112 given in 1837 is actually a revelation that took place in part, because the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, Thomas B. Marsh, was concerned about the status of his apostate brethren of the Twelve… little did he realize that he, himself, would be excommunicated about two years later in 1839.
In the revelation the Lord lets Thomas know that:
“there have been some few things in thine heart and with thee with which I the Lord was not well pleased…“
The Lord then goes on in the revelation to acknowledge that the other members of the quorum were functioning in a sinful state and that he needed to pray for them that after much tribulation they would be converted.
I would submit that their ultimate conversion takes place just prior to or perhaps just after the opening of the 3rd watch when they are returned to the earth.
“Pray for thy brethren of the twelve, Admonish them sharply for my names’s sake, and let them be admonished for all their sins, and be ye faithful before me unto my name. And after their temptations, and much tribulation, behold I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them.”
This admonition from the Lord to President Marsh indicating that the quorum of the twelve had would become converted at a future time is remarkably similar to what Jesus said to Peter about himself and his brethren of the quorum:
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
The Lord continues with a warning to Marsh and his brethren
“Rebel not against my servant Joseph Smith..“
Clearly the Lord is prophesying a future rebellion of the quorum of the Twelve coming up within a few years of this revelation.
The following verses undoubtedly are referring to the 3rd watch wherein President Marsh and his brethren would be restored to the earth after their apostasy in the 2nd watch to fulfill their callings. It is critical to understand the intercession made by Gods two anointed ones that enables the other servants of the Lord to be restored to their callings in the 3rd watch.
Notice the unconditional promise to Marsh that he will be the one in the 3rd watch to hold the keys of the kingdom pertaining to the twelve to unlock the door of the kingdom in the mission field while the 1st Presidency will preside in Zion;
“Verily I say unto you, my servant Thomas, thou art the man whom I have chosen to hold the keys of my kingdom, as pertaining to the Twelve, abroad among all nations- That thou mayest be my servant to unlock the door of the kingdom in all places where my servant Joseph, and my servant Sidney, and my servant Hyrum, cannot come..“
It is Thomas Marsh that will lead the twelve in taking the gospel to the nations of the earth in the 3rd watch.
There are numerous similar promises concerning many of the early leaders of the Church prophesying that they will return in the 3rd watch to fulfill the missions they had been given.
Getting back to the topic of how the official history of the Church has been scrubbed to put the members of the quorum of the twelve in a favorable light, it is interesting to note that when the secret diary of William Clayton was accidentally unleashed to the public years ago after having been suppressed by people in high places, it contained an astonishing revelation that Joseph Smith had declared that Brigham Young had broken the covenant!
“Also B.Y. [Brigham Young] had transgressed his covenant & he pled with the Lord to spare him this end & he did so, other wise he would have died. B. denied having transgressed…” (pages 19-20)
Naturally, those kinds of things didn’t find their way into the sanitized history of the church.
Why is it that the many events like these and many others are curiously missing in the official history of the Church
How is it we are left thinking that various members of the quorum of the 12 Apostles didn’t really encounter significant problems with personal valiancy and with the filling of their stewardships when they clearly did?
In addition to deleting much of the historical significance of Rigdon and altering some of the events to place Rigdon’s character in a poor light and embellishing their own roles in the restoration movement, members of the quorum of the twelve actually changed doctrinal statements pertaining to priesthood leadership.
For example, in the original history of the Church Joseph Smith stated that “the 12 were not “subject to any other than the First Presidency, viz, myself, S Rigdon, and F G. Williams.”
When the 12 got done revising the history of the Church, it read: “The Twelve are not subject to any other than the first Presidency, viz. myself… Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, who are now my Counselors; and where I am not, there is not First Presidency over the Twelve.”
The original statement in the original History of the Church was simply mirroring the doctrine of the priesthood as taught in section 107 that states that the quorum of the twelve are to function under the direction of the 1st Presidency.
Obviously, this doctrine needed to be altered in order to move Sidney out of the way for the Twelve to claim their contention that he did not have authority over them and they had the right to lead the Church.
With this alteration in doctrine, it became possible to influence the leading councils and the body of the Church to actuate the principle of common consent and to first appoint the quorum of the twelve to preside over the church, secondly, 3 1/2 years later, Brigham Young would reestablish the 1st Presidency and again, via the principle of common consent, be elected President of the Church by the voice of the quorum and then by the voice of the Church.
The historical revisionism of the official history of the Church is easily demonstrable. This is because much of the History that Joseph Smith wrote was published in a variety of Mormon magazines and newspapers at the time. The revisions were made later, under the direct guidance of Brigham and were then collected and printed in their altered form beginning in 1902.
By comparing the “History of the Church” with these Mormons periodicals, it is immediately obvious that substantive changes have been made.
Another example of how history has been altered is the “Rocky Mountain Prophecy.” This was a prophecy made by Joseph Smith, but in fact was added in after the Saints migrated to the Salt Lake Valley.
It is not the purpose of this paper to extensively detail the alterations made in the Official History of the Church and other church publications. I simply mention it because you may be wondering how Sidney Rigdon could play such a major role in the restoration movement and yet be characterized in some parts of the history of the church and other publications as a relatively questionable and insignificant player, or one that had a high calling but fell through transgression.
I wonder how the Lord feels about intentionally changing historical documents and claiming that Gods anointed said something that he in fact did not say?
You will notice that the primary twelve sections of scripture we used to create the profile of Sidney Rigdon all took place prior to the dedication of the Kirtland Temple.
In order to better understand what took place in the great succession issue in Nauvoo in 1844 we need to make some amazing observations about events that took place during the 14 year timeline from the legal establishment of the church until the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
In the words of Wagoner, “The window of opportunity, during which Rigdon achieved co-equal billing with Joseph Smith, dated from 1831-39. During this era he and the prophet, both gifted visionaries, jointly developed the church’s infrastructure and its governing agenda”. During that period of time he notes that “they were virtually inseparable”.
Clearly, Van Wagoner, a skeptic, doesn’t acknowledge Gods hand in the work, but he nevertheless provides a valid timeline observation here. Namely, that Sidney Rigdon was a high profile leader in the work, working very closely in concert with Joseph Smith until approximately1838-9.
At that time, something significant happened to SILENCE Brother Sidney.
Another way of identifying this timeframe is to note the testimony of several of Sidney’s accusers at the time of the succession issue. They testified that Sidney had not been active in his calling as a member of the 1st Presidency during the last five years leading up to the Martyrdom. Again, this puts the silencing of God’s spokesman somewhere around 1838-9
While addressing the Saints on April 6th 1844 Sidney acknowledged that he had been silenced for the last five years and had not come before the Saints IN HIS TRUE CHARACTER because of SICKNESS and OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES:
“Elder Sidney Rigdon then rose and said It is with no ordinary degree of satisfaction I enjoy this privilege this morning. Want of health and other circumstances have kept me in silence for nearly the last five years.
It can hardly be expected that when the violence of sickness has used its influence and the seeds of disease have so long preyed upon me that I can rise before this congregation only in weakness I am now come forth from a bed of sickness and have enough of strength left to appear here for the first time in my true character.
I have not come before a conference for the last five years in my true character I shall consider this important privilege sacred in my family history during life I hardly promise myself lungs to make this congregation hear me I shall do the best I can and the greatest can do no more.” History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints By Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Henry Roberts
“Want of health and other circumstances have kept me in silence for nearly the last five years.”
Rigdons biographer, F. Mark McKiernan wrote that “During the five years he lived at Nauvoo Rigdon suffered the poorest health of his life. He contracted an unspecified disease (not malaria) which disabled him for months at a time”.
I want to address the two fascinating issues that Sidney referred to that suppressed his true character and silenced him for about five years. One had to do with “want of health” and the other had to do with “other circumstances”.
Let us first consider the health problems that Sidney had by spotlighting the 13th major section that provides clues about Rigdon…. section 124.
Unlike the 12 sections we used to create our profile of Sidney which all came before the defilement of the Kirtland Temple, the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by the appointed time and the scattering of the Saints from Kirtland, this revelation came many years after that.
It is interesting to note that in this revelation, God actually acknowledges and addresses Sidney’s health problems:
God is going to heal Sidney Rigdon
“And if he will offer unto me an acceptable offering, and acknowledgments, and remain with my people, behold, I, the Lord your God, will heal him that he shall be healed;
From the above declaration, the Lord is obviously aware of Sidney’s health issues. Sidney has not been making them up.
The Lord promises to HEAL Sidney if he will offer an ACCEPTABLE OFFERING. He reiterates that Sidney shall be HEALED.
In section 124 Sidney is commanded to help Joseph write the PROCLAMATION to the Kings of the earth.
I want to address some of Sidney’s remarks and the events in his life that may have to do with his health issues but first I want to highlight a most remarkable Book of Mormon Prophesy that appears to be referring to the Spokesman from the loins of Judah.
In the profile that we created using 12 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants we showed how it is the Spokesman from Judah that will PROCLAIM the gospel and DECLARE the word of God. It appears that Sidney Rigdon is the one that brings forth the Bible in its purity as it originated from the mouth of the Jew as spoken of in 1st Nephi 14:23..
THe Book of Mormon tells us that the Old Testament that proceeded out of the mouth of a Jew (Moses) contained the fulness of the Gospel. This of course provides a strong testimony of the Book of Moses which comes from the inspired version of the Bible as it reveals that Adam and his posterity had the gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them and Adam was baptized.
Sidney himself becomes a latter day Jew that helps to bring forth the stick of Joseph as well as the stick of Judah in its pure form. The two sticks become one with the stick of Judah.
Regarding God’s promise to heal Sidney in the 3rd watch, lets do a key word search to see of Gods promise to heal Sidney Rigdon in the 3rd watch shows up in any of the Book of Mormon Scriptures.
If you go to an LDS word cruncher and enter “will heal him” it will bring up section 124 AND 3rd Nephi 21. Notice the remarkable prophecy below and how it correlates with the prophecy above in section 124. Notice how the theme of being healed and the theme of proclaiming something to Kings both show up in both ancient and modern scriptural texts:
“And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall DECLARE it unto them.
But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.
Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant.” (3rd Nephi 21)
Remember my blog about the President Elect? Remember how I said that the Lord obviously was not talking about William Henry Harrison because he knew that the Old Testament prophesies regarding the Kings of the Earth in the last times were referring to the 3rd watch? As you can see, the kings of the earth will shut their mouths at the time that the Lords Marred Servant is healed and returns to the vineyard!
Of course 3rd Nephi 21 is an inspired rendering of part of Isaiah 52, speaking about the marred servant that ushers in the Marvelous Work… The Marred Servant in Isaiah 52 is also the suffering servant in Isaiah 53. (This is consistent with the Davidic Servant profile containing the Atonement Statute)
Sidney Rigdon was not a well man. Sidney Rigdon appears to have been in very poor health much of the time from 1838-9 up to the martyrdom in 1844… during the Nauvoo period.
Some have speculated that much of his illness was related to the brain trauma he suffered the night that local Cambellite mob got drunk and broke into Sidney and Josephs homes and beat them up.
Rigdon recalled that: “they broke into my house, dragged me out of my bed, out of the door my head beating on the floor. They dragged me over the wood pile. And on they went my head thumping on the frozen ground, after which they threw tar and feathers on me..”
His son Wicliffe recalled: “that by the time his 225 lb father was dragged by his heels to the place where he was tarred and feathered he was insensible yet is assailants pounded him till they thought he was dead and then went to get Joseph Smith”
Joseph Smith recalled: The next morning I went to see Elder Rigdon, and found him crazy, and his head highly inflamed, for they had dragged him by his heels, and those, too, so high from the ground that he could not raise his head from the rough frozen surface, which lacerated it exceedingly;
and when he saw me he called to his wife. to bring him his razor: She asked him what he wanted of it? and he replied, to kill me. Sister Rigdon left the room and he asked me to bring his razor. I asked him what he wanted of it, and he replied he wanted to kill his wife, and he continued delirious some days.”
We know that the Lord gives us challenges and weaknesses to make us strong after we finally overcome them. The Apostle Paul would make mention of the “thorn in his side” that the Lord had given him.
Before we evaluate the words of Paul, please remember section 63 when the Lord was displeased with Sidney Rigdon’s description of the land of Zion. Rigdon who had had many experiences in the spirit and was receiving revelations from the Lord along with great honors became prideful and “he exalted himself in his heart”.
Notice now how just after noting how he had been caught up into the third heaven, the Apostle Paul use the exact same term “exalted” to describe his weakness that the Lord used in describing Sidney Sidney’s weakness:
“Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (2 Cor 12)
Amazing.
It appears the Lord gave Paul a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble and to prevent him from becoming exalted. .
We don’t really know what the thorn in Paul’s side was. Some have suggested it was malaria, epilepsy, or a disease of the eyes. Others feel it was more of a mental or emotional problems exacerbated by being surrounded by unbelieving gentiles.
Regardless of what Paul’s thorn was, the question I want to pose is, did the Lord allow the mob to inflict an ongoing sickness upon Sidney to act as “a thorn in his side” to keep him humble like he did Paul?
Perhaps the Lord allowed the enemy to hurt Sidney and cause him prolonged illness to silence Brother Sidney for a period of time so that certain prophetic events could take place as the sins of apostate latter day Israel were falling upon the Seer.
Here is a fascinating bit of information about Sidney that really affected his life in a huge way-
It appears from credible documentation that Sidney Rigdon suffered not from one brain trauma, but from two! Additionally, these traumas appeared to have affected him both physically, and emotionally as well.
The first instance happened when he was a young boy and he got bucked off a horse. Here is the testimony of his brother Loammi who later became a physician:
“Loammi, a physician, reported that when Sidney was seven years old he had been thrown from a horse. His foot got caught in a stirrup and he was dragged some distance before the being rescued.
“in this accident he received such a contusion of the brain as ever afterward seriously affected his character, and in some respects his conduct. His mental powers did not seem to be impaired, but his equilibrium of his intellectual exertions seems thereby to have been sadly affected.”
“Alexander Campbell was the first to make public mention of Rigdon’s peculiar mental and corporeal malady, as he called it.”
“ … Newell K Whitney .. said of Rigdon..”I was well acquainted with Elder Rigdon a number of years before he came into this church… He was always either in the bottom of the cellar or up in the garret window…”
“Jedediah Grant confirmed in 1844 Rigdon’s mood swings: Elder R. would not only soar to the highest heaven in raptures of delight, but when dark clouds overspread his horizon he would also sink into the lowest state of despondency.”
How unusual it is that Sidney would have a brain trauma as a child and another one later in life… one that according to his brother, appears to have affected his moods and his outlook on life.
I personally believe that the Lord gave Brother Sidney this ailment to be a thorn in his side and possibly for other reasons as well. I believe this is the sickness the Lord was referring to when he promised Sidney that some day the Lord would heal him.
Rigdons son Wickliffe, provides… insight into his fathers eccentric nature. “Being of a bilious temperament, said Wicliffe of his father, he was sick most of the time in Nauvoo. Illinois: “for weeks at a time he would not be able to leave his bed”.
“Using modern clinical criteria to diagnose the illness of a historical figure is risky, but “bilious temperament” was a specific disease. In nineteenth-century America the malady was best known as melancholia, a syndrome encompassing dramatic mood changes and madness.
While the ailment today is usually designated manic-depression illness it has also been called mood disorder”, affective disorder,” “chronic bipolar disorder” and “bipolar affective disorder”. (Sidney Ridgon pg 116-117)
Perhaps one of the best examples of how Rigdon’s mood swings affected him is an experience that took place on On May 26 1832-
Sidney Ridgon had a virulent mood swing caused at least in part from worry over his daughter’s illness and that fact that his family had been shuffled around without a place of their own to live. It had been humiliating depending on the generosity of neighbors.
“A group had gathered into Joseph Smith Sr’s barn for a prayer meeting expecting to hear brother Sidney preach a sermon.
“We waited a long time before he made has appearance, , at last he came in seemingly much agitated. He did not go to the stand, but began to pace back and forth through the house.
My husband said, Brother Sidney, we would like to hear a discourse from you today. Brother Rigdon replied, in a tone of excitement,
“The keys of the kingdom are rent from the Church, and there shall not be a prayer put up on this house this day….
This greatly disturbed the minds of the many sisters and some brethren. The brethren stared and turned pales, and the sisters cried…. “The keys of the kingdom are taken from you and you never will have them again until you build me a new house”
“ When Joseph, who was out of town at the time returned, he assured the small group of Saints that the keys had not been taken and he “Smith took Rigdon’s license from him and said, The Devil would handle him as one man handles another- the less authority he had the better.”
Joseph then appointed council to try Sidney for “having lied in the name of the Lord”. In this counsel Joseph told him that he must suffer for what he had done and that he must be turned over to the buffetings of Satan.”
One account reported that:
“the devil did handle him by pulling him out of bed and other rough methods.”
Another account stated that:
“ Sidney was lying on his bed alone. An unseen power lifted him from his bed, threw him across the room, and tossed him from one side of the room to the other. The noise being heard on the adjoining room, his family went in to see what was the matter, and found him going for one side of the room to the other, from the effects of which Sidney was laid up for five or six weeks.”
Shortly after that Joseph Smith noted that Sidney had repented like Peter of Old and after a little suffering by the buffeting of Satan has been restored to his high standing in the Church of God.
Joseph and Hyrum re-ordained Sidney to the High Priesthood again and shortly after that Sidney did receive a church-provided home.
It is interesting to note that in recent decades it has been observed that “There is a thin line between genius and madness.”
Many of the great inventors, scientists, politicians and theologians seem to struggle, teetering on the line between genius and madness that manic depression sometimes enflames.
This phenomena of genius reminds me of the characterization of Rigdons ministry:
“No longer did he follow the old beaten track which had been traveled for ages by the religious world but he dared to enter upon new grounds called in question the opinions of uninspired men showed the foolish ideas of many commentators on the sacred Scriptures exposed their ignorance and contradictions threw new light on the sacred volume.
Particularly those prophecies which so deeply interest this generation and which had been entirely overlooked or mystified by the religious world cleared up scriptures which had heretofore appeared inexplicable and delighted his astonished audience with things new and old”
I believe the brain trauma/manic thorn in Sidney’s side was a blessing as well as a cursing. It may well have contributed to some of his wonderful attributes. Clearly he was a religious genius in addition to and of course, because of the inspiration the Lord blessed him with. Perhaps his manic fits of madness enhanced his subtle revelatory skills through which the Lord worked to have him do the preparatory work that he did in the Kirtland area.
Nevertheless, I suspect that only those who have suffered from long bouts of manic depression can begin to appreciate the burden being carried by Gods anointed servant in addition to the poverty and persecution that he suffered for the cause of Christ. Rigdon made several statements about the tremendous suffering he experienced.. it is easy for those of us in the peanut gallery to mock his statements without experiencing what he experienced.
Ok, that addresses the sickness that according to Rigdon was in part responsible for silencing him. Again, it is interesting to compare section 124 and 3rd Nephi 21 and the reoccurring themes of the servant being healed and proclaiming something to kings..
..but remember, Rigdon also made mention of the other circumstances that silenced him.
I am going to share with you my speculation on this issue as well.
I think that Sidney Rigdon felt that the Church was under condemnation and in a state of apostasy after failing to redeem Zion in Kirtland and Jackson County. And during that time when the church was in a darkened condition, various events took place that caused Sidney to become silent and to basically just shut down and observe what was happening to Joseph Smith and the Church.
There is one event in particular that may be indicative of other similar events that marked a pivotal point in Rigdon’s ministry. It was an event that greatly injured his spirit, offended him and disgraced him in front of the Elders of Israel.
As mentioned earlier, Sidney acknowledged in 1844 that “Want of health and other circumstances have kept me in silence for nearly the last five years.
If we go back approximately five years from the statement, it takes us to a very dark period in Mormon history. It was during 1838-9 that the Mormons were fleeing from Kirtland, migrating to Far West and Adam–ondi-Ahman and entering into skirmishes with the “gentiles” and fighting the Mormon Missouri War.
During this period of time leaders of the church established the dark secretive band known as the Danites. Again, please remember, the sins of apostate Israel had begun falling upon brother Joseph by this time… he did some of the dark things he did, not because those things were naturally in his heart.. he was sinning outwardly because of the sin offering that was upon him.
The Danites were a secret order that had sworn to protect the First Presidency regardless of whether they were in the right or wrong.
In some respects the Danite oath was not unlike the Jesuit Oath . The Jesuit Order was the front for an inner secret society which has been the secret military enforcement arm of the Catholic Church since it was first founded by Ignatius of Loyola of Spain in 1534 during the reign of Pope Paul III.
We probably have less information about this period of time during the Prophets ministry because many things were done that the Church wanted to down play. One of the few histories we have of this time period is one provided in John D Lee’s book, Mormonism Unveiled.
John was the adopted son of Brigham Young who ended up becoming the scapegoat for the Mountain Meadows Massacre. He provides a heart breaking account of an incident that happened between Joseph and Sidney Rigdon that I think was a pivotal point in the ministry of Sidney Rigdon:
“During the time that we were camping a Adam-on-Diamond, waiting to see what would be the result of the quarrel between our Church and the Gentiles, one Sunday morning (it had rained heavily the night before and the air was cold) the men were shivering over a few fire-brands, feeling out of sorts and quite cast down.
The Prophet came up while the brethren were moping around, and caught first one and then another and shook them up, and said, “Get out of here, and wrestle, jump, run, do anything but mope around; warm yourselves up; this inactivity will not do for soldiers.
Those words of the Prophet put life and energy into the men. A ring was soon formed, according to the custom of the people. The Prophet stepped into the ring, ready for a tussle with any corner. Several went into the ring to try their strength, but each one was thrown by the Prophet, until he had thrown several of the stoutest of the men present.
Then he stepped out of the ring and took a man by the arm and led him in to take his place, and so it continued – the men who were thrown retiring in favor of the successful one. A man would keep the ring so long as he threw his adversary.
The style of wrestling varied with the desires of the parties. The Eastern men, or Yankees, used square hold, or collar and elbow; those from the Middle States side hold, and the Southern and Western men used breeches hold and old Indian hug or back hold.
If a man was hurt he stood it without a murmur; it was considered cowardly and childish to whine when thrown down or hurt in the fall.
While the sport was at its height Sidney Rigdon, the mouth-piece of the Prophet, rushed into the ring, sword in hand, and said that he would not suffer a lot of men to break the Sabbath day in that manner.
For a moment all were silent, then one of the brethren, with more presence of mind than the others, said to the Prophet, “Brother Joseph, we want you to clear us. from blame, for we formed the ring by your request. You told us to wrestle, and now Brother Rigdon is bringing us to account for it.”
The Prophet walked into the ring and said, as he made a motion with his hand:
“Brother Sidney, you had better go out of here and let the boys alone; they are amusing themselves according to my orders. You are an old man. You go and get ready for meeting and let the boys alone.
Just then catching Rigdon off his guard, as quick as a flash he knocked the sword from Rigdon’s hand, then caught him by the shoulder, and. said: “Now, old man, you must go out, or I will throw you down.”
Rigdon was as large a man as the Prophet, but not as tall. The prospect of a tussle between the Prophet and the mouthpiece of the Prophet, was fun for all but Rigdon, who pulled back like a craw-fish, but the resistance was useless, the Prophet dragged him from the ring, bareheaded, and tore Rigdon’s fine pulpit coat from the collar to the waist;
then he turned to the men and said; “Go in, boys, and have your fun. You shall never have it to say that I got you into any trouble that I did not get you out of.”
Rigdon complained about the boa of his hat and the tearing of his coat. The Prophet said to him: “You were out of your place. Always keep your place and you will not suffer; but you got a little out of your place and you have suffered for it. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
Imagine how humiliated and demoralized Brother Sidney must have felt to be ridiculed in that manner by another one of the Lords anointed.
Anyone familiar with the life, history and character of the Prophet Joseph Smith during the early Kirtland years realizes that Joseph Smith was acting out of character when he publicly humiliated Brother Sidney.
The disrespect and cruelty he showed to Brother Sidney, the rejection of the teachings of the Lords Spokesman that day and the disregard for keeping the Sabbath day holy was one of many defining moments in a pivotal transition that the church was experiencing.
I believe it had a devastating effect on God’s Spokesman. I believe it is just one of many signs that the sins of apostate Israel had begun to fall upon our beloved prophet.
The Joseph Smith we know and love NEVER would have encouraged his elders to break the Lords Sabbath and he certainly would not have treated the Lords spokesman so disrespectfully.
I believe this and other similar events that took place during this darkened period played a part in the silencing of God’s anointed spokesman, Sidney Rigdon. I think this and other events really injured his spirit, hurt his feelings and destroyed much of his credibility among the Elders of the Church.
Many people of lesser character would have left the Church if treated that way after all they had suffered for the cause… in fact, many did… Not Rigdon he had been commissioned by the Lord to watch over Brother Joseph and counsel him. He had gazed into the heaven with Brother Joseph.. he knew the work was true although the Lord had covered his eyes as to what was taking place with brother Joseph.
Whether Joseph was willing to take council or not was out of Sidneys control but he stayed with the Church and quietly sat in the shadows watching for five years until the martyrdom.
It is important to realize that although Joseph the Seer and Sidney the Spokesman were inseparable during the first six or seven years after they united, there became a rift between them after that and they became estranged. The seer from the loins of Joseph would envy the Spokesman and the Spokesman from the loins of Judah would vex the Seer .
We have discussed that fact that Sidney became silenced as the Spokesman and according to his own words, it was due to health problems and other things. We have reviewed how his health plays into this scenario and I have show how his relationship with the Prophet became strained because Joseph was the first of the two anointed ones to take upon him the sins of an apostate people.
I now want to suggest that interrelating to the silencing of Sidney Rigdon is the possibility that Joseph took unto himself the calling of being the Spokesman when he had been told not to do so.
Please notice how the Lord wants to make it clear to Joseph and the Church that Joseph is limited in his stewardship;
“And he [Joseph Smith, Jr.] has a gift to translate the book [of Mormon], and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.” (Book of Commandments, Ch. 10)
Giving further foundation and clarification to this is the Spokesman prophecy in the Book of Mormon. Remember that Joseph the Seer was like unto Moses. He was given a spokesman just like Moses for the same reason as Moses.. therefore the following statement about Moses applies to Joseph the Seer;
Many historical accounts verify that Joseph Smith, like Moses was not eloquent like Aaron and Sidney. Sidney was a much better orator.. but as we drill down further into the scriptures, it becomes apparent that is not the only reason why Sidney was to be the Spokesman.
According to modern revelation, it was an integral part of Sidney’s role and Joseph’s gift was limited to other things… he was not supposed to take that honor away from the Spokeman unto himself.
In addition to the enmity between the Spokesman from the tribe of Judah and the Seer from the lions of Joseph, the church membership to this day experiences a similar enmity between two separate groups of differing in lineage within the Church… those from the dispersed of Judah and those from the outcasts of Israel. Catalogue that in your mind because we may return to this as we develop this theme in future posts.
At this point, let us observe that there seems to be a correlation between several changes taking place in the church after the Saints defiled the temple ad failed to establish Zion.
After the appointed time came and went and the Saints were forced to flee Kirtland; the lack of spiritual gifts, the closing of the heavens and drying up of revelations coming through Joseph Smith and the reversal in many of the teachings of the church took place.
Now the church was plundering and stealing from the “gentiles” as their forced migration began, they began entering into secrets oaths relating to the Danites and Masonry, and eventually committing adultery via the Spiritual Wife doctrine.
The public ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith can be divided in two general periods. The first period would be from the legal restoration of the Church in 1830 to the ministering of angels in the Kirtland Temple in1836. The second period would be from 1836 to the martyrdom in 1844.
It appears the revelations and the actions of the Saints and the events that transpired ALL seem to point to the fact that 1836 was the major apex or defining moment in the LDS restoration movement and that after the general time, the God of Israel began to withdraw his spirit from the Church.
The Lord had warned the Saints:
“If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness.” (D&C 95:12)
He had also warned;
if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, (Book of Commandments Chapter 4)
What is it about human nature that causes us to doubt that the Lord would actually deliver his Church over to Satan?
That ominous warning in contained in the orginal Book of Covenants was really just a latter day re-wording of a prophetic warning in the New Testament;
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thes 2)
God does turn his people over to darkness after they choose to pleasure in unrighteousness instead of believing the truth.
While instructing the Relief Society, Joseph Smith made the following statement-
The prophet Joseph Smith, too, taught that it is possible for the president of the church to lead the church astray. From the minutes of an address to the Relief Society in 1842, we read the following:
President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel — said the Lord had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church — that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls — applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall — that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves, envious towards the innocent, while they afflict the virtuous with their shafts of envy (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 237).
There you have it from the words of Joseph Smith, the minds of many had become darkened because they were depending on the prophet! Again, prophet worship is a form of idolotry. If you are blindly believing and obeying a true prophet without getting confirmation of what he is saying and doing via personal revelation through the Holy Ghost, you mind will become darkened.
As sobering and profound as those words are, you really need to read Ezekiel 14 to get the full impact of what Joseph was warning them about;
“.. Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will anser him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols”
Please continue reading the entire chapter in the privacy of your own inner sanctum.. it is hard doctrine, but true doctrine. it is the order of heaven. A true prophet becomes a cursing and a stumbling block to an idolotrous people who come before the prophet to enquire of the Lord with impure hearts.. and God DOES use his prophets to turn apostate Israel over to darkness.
It was ultimately the closing of the heavens and the fact that the spirit of the Lord was withdrawing from the Saints that silenced Sidney Rigdon and undoubtedly inflamed his depression.
This hypothesis is substantiated by the closing up of the heavens with regard to the revelations Joseph Smith was receiving as well as the corresponding events that took place.
If you have not read my previous post entitled “The Bridge Groom Tarried” you may want to do so to get a better understanding of just how critical September 11th 1836 was.
The Lord had identified that date as the appoint time for the redemption of Zion. Unfortunately, that time came and went, but the cause of Zion was put on hold.
Another extremely significant sign that 1836 was a turning point in the Church is apostasy that followed in 1837. One third of the members had left the church and many of Joseph’s friends had turned against him. In the midst of this crisis, Joseph received a revelation instructing him that;
“something new must be done for the salvation of the Church” (Smith, History of the Church 2:489).
That something was the Church’s first foreign mission, one that eventually took nine members of the Quorum of the Twelve to the British Isles.
Now that the Saints had broken the covenants they had entered into pertaining to consecration, failed to establish Zion at the appointed time and been forced to take the preparatory gospel from the Gentiles to the Jews, the prophecy of Isaiah was now ready to be fulfilled.
“For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.”
(Book of Mormon version of Isaiah 29:10)
The gospel had been rejected by the Gentiles and now, the Lord was having the lesser priesthood administer the preparatory gospel sent forth to the remnants of Judah that had been disperse among the gentile nations. The missionary efforts that began at this time would bring large numbers of foreign converts from the loins of Judah into Nauvoo.
It is interesting to note that over 100 published revelations came prior to the appointed time of September 11th 1836 while less that 10 came during the following eight years leading up to the martyrdom.
It is because of the closing of the heavens that some of the Saints began accusing Joseph Smith of being a fallen prophet:
“In mid 1837, many members living in Kirtland, including some who had been called to serve in the highest positions of responsibility, rejected the leadership of Joseph Smith, declaring that he was a fallen prophet. While Joseph was lying in bed with a debilitating illness in June, apostates circulated a rumor that he was suffering because of his transgressions”. (The heavens Resound 325)
Following the defilement of the temple in Kirtland and failure to redeem Zion by the appointed time the heavens began to close and revelation began to dry up.
From the last years in Kirtland through the Nauvoo era several people accused Joseph Smith of being a fallen prophet because he no longer brought forth revelation as abundantly as he one did.
“Some say I am a fallen prophet because I don’t not bring forth more of the world of the Lord. Why do I not do it? Are we able to receive it? No. He then chastened the church for there wickedess and unbelief“ HC 4:476
By the time we get into the Nauvoo years many of the Kirtland Saints had previously left the church because they believed that Joseph was a fallen prophet.
Finally in Nauvoo we have a repeat of the melt down that took place in Kirtland. William Law who had been one of the most loyal supporters of Joseph Smith declares that Joseph Smith is a fallen prophet along with many others. Even Brigham Young had this to say about Joseph’s decision to go to Carthage.
“If Joseph Smith, Jun., the Prophet, had followed the Spirit of revelation in him he never would have gone to Carthage…and never for one moment did he say that he had one participle of light in him after started back from Montrose to give himself up in Nauvoo.
This he did through the persuasion of others. I want you all to understand that…But if Joseph had followed the revelations in him he would have followed the shepherd instead of the shepherd’s following the sheep... he did not have one particle of spiritual light in him“
Of course Joseph was mainly following the advise of his brother Hyrum who was the acting prophet of the Church.
The following chart illustrates how the heavens began closing shortly after the defilement of the Kirtland Temple and the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by the appointed time of Sept 11 1836-
(Click on the graphic to enlarge)
This is not to minimize the fact that the Saints were continually being chastised by the Lord prior to 1836 as well.
In section 84 the Lord had informed the Saints that the whole church had been brought under condemnation and in section 104 the Lord declared that some of the Saints had broken the covenant of consecration through transgression by covetousness and feigned words
The crowning event that seemed to be the tipping point upon which the heavens began to close was the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion at the appointed time by rejecting the law of consecration which is an appendage of the baptismal covenant.
Few Saints know about this event because it is minimized in the official histories of the church.
Following the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by the appointed time, the Lord declared in Section 112 that;
“darkness covereth the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people”
Clearly indicating that the cleansing and sanctifying ordinances of the gospel had stopped being effective in the lives of the Latter day Saints. The salt had lost it’s savor.
The Lord went on to acknowledge that when the time comes for the Judgments of God to fall, “upon my house shall it begin and from my house shall it go forth. First among those of you who have professed to know my name and have not known me and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house saith the Lord”.
Finally, in Nauvoo, the Lord revealed that the priesthood had been lost as a result of the defilement of the Kirtland Temple;
“for there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fullness of the priesthood.” (124:2)
With what we have learned, it all begins to make sense why the latter day Saints no longer show forth the fruits of the spirit.. the salt had lost its savor.
The above declaration was a wake up call to the Saints.. it appears they had lost the fulness of the priesthood and been reduced to the preparatory gospel. Perhaps this is the significance of Abrahm bringing the Gospel of Abraham at the appointed time that the Saints should have been establishing Zion?
Could it be that the exact type of what had just happened to the Latter Day Saints had happened to the Children of Israel when they rejected the fulness of the Gospel and Moses was taken out of their midst;
For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live. Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthoom also; And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels andthe preparatory gospel;
Notwithstanding the fact that the Saints had failed to be obedient multiple times.. the Lord in his infinite mercy gave the Saints one more chance to repent and build another Temple with the ominous threat that they would be rejected as a church with their dead if they did not complete the temple by the appointed time:
“But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me. And during this time our baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church with your dead, saith the Lord your God” (124:31-32)
As hard as historical revisionists have tried to rewrite history and make it appear that the Temple was finished shortly before the Saints fled Nauvoo, it was clearly not finished. The following is an entry in the personal journal of Brigham Young;
“I met with the council of the Twelve in the southeast corner room of the attic of the Temple. We knelt around the altar, and dedicated the building to the most high.
We asked his blessing upon our intended move to the west; also ASKED HIM TO ENABLE US SOME DAY TO FINISH THE TEMPLE, AD DEDICATED IT TO HIM…” (HC 7:580)
Even if the temple had been finished as some historical revisionists claim, it is clear that latter day Israel was disobedient in Nauvoo because the Lord had promised the Saints that if they were obedient, they would not be moved out of their place;
“And if my people will hearken to my voice and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, THEY SHALL NOT BE MOVED OUT OF THEIR PLACE. (124:45)
To this end Joseph Smith had warned them;
“Don’t deny revelation, If the Temple and Nauvoo House are not finished you must RUN AWAY.” Words of JS 179
The sad fact of the matter is that the Saints were moved out of their place… they did run away.
In summary, the Lord had revealed to the Saints that he would use Kirtland as a stronghold for five years after which the hedge (priesthood protection) would be removed. The goal was to redeem Zion in Jackson County by the appointed time.
In conjunction with that declaration, Joseph Smith told the Saints that God had revealed to him that the appointed time for the redemption of Zion would be September 11th 1836.
Unfortunately, the Saints failed to redeem Zion at the appointed time. Once that time frame expired, a veil of darkness came over the Saints in Kirtland. Their minds became darkened and the love of the Father was withheld as promised.
After the appointed time, instead of focusing on consecration and having all things in common, they were trying to establish a banking system. The Kirtland Safety Society became one of the primary issues upon which the unraveling of Kirtland took place.
The simple and undisputable fact is that the revelations that Joseph Smith brought forth warned the Church that their salvation was contingent upon 1) Building the temple in Kirtland, 2) publishing the Joseph Smith Translation, 3) living the law of consecration and 4) redeeming Zion.
The Saints failed on three of the four mandates from the Lord. The one success they had was the completion of the Kirtland Temple but they defiled it within a few month and had to flee, ultimately loosing possession of it and resulting in the loss of the higher priesthood.
Here are some of the warnings the Lord had given the Saints through Sidney and Joseph during the 14 ministry.
1-“that we should use every effort to accomplish this building [Kirtland Temple] by the time appointed…and on it depends the salvation of the church and also of the world.
2-“except the Church receive the fulness of the Scriptures that they would yet fail.”
3-“The first great object before us, and the Saints generally, is to [complete] the [Nauvoo ] Temple… to secure the salvation of the Church”
4-“The Lord would seek another people if Zion did not purify herself” AND “If Zion was not delivered the Church would be destroyed and persecuted” AND“if we don’t exert ourselves to the utmost in gathering up the strength of the Lords house that this thing may be accomplished behold there remaineth a scourge.”
We normally consider the completion and acceptance of the Kirtland Temple and the visitation of Christ and three ministering angels as a positive event even though, strangely enough the Lord apparently commanded Oliver and Joseph to keep it secret from the Saints for a generation.
There is apparently much more to this event than what was recorded in section 110. I would submit that the acceptance of the Kirtland Temple became the beginning of the Blessing and the Cursing in the 2nd watch that will eventually open the 3rd watch when the Lord descends suddenly upon his temple with a curse to judgment as was prophesied by Moses.
The importance and significance of the Kirtland Temple cannot be overstated. Brother Sidney had warned that the salvation of the Church depended upon it.
The Lord had chastised them in section 95 for not taking the commandment to build the temple seriously and then warned that the Saints did not keep the commandments to build the Temple, the Love of the Father shall not continue with the Saints and they would walk in darkness.
“..verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to those whom I have chosen with power from on high;
For this is the promise of the Father unto you; therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem. Nevertheless, my servants sinned a very grievous sin; and contentions arose in the school of the prophets; which was very grievous unto me, saith your Lord; therefore I sent them forth to be chastened.
Verily I say unto you, it is my will that you should build a house. If you keep my commandments you shall have power to build it. If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness.”
If the Salvation of the Church was dependant upon the completion of the temple, it stands to reason that the defilement of the temple within months after it’s completion would also put the salvation of the Church in jeopardy.
The Church would fail if they did not receive the Inspired Version of the Bible
Having read in part one how the Spokesman from the loins of Judah was to bring forth the Bible in purity containing the vision of John, it is no wonder that Joseph Smith made the following statement about the importance of the Saints giving financial support so that they could receive the fullness of the scriptures. The consequences of the failure of the Saints to do this is that the Church would fail!
“Brother Joseph Smith, Jr. said … that the promise of God was that the greatest blessings which God had to bestow should be given to those who contributed to the support of his family while he was translating the fulness of the Scriptures… that God had often sealed up the heavens because of covetousness in the Church … and except the Church receive the fulness of the Scriptures that they would yet fail.” (Far West Report, p. 16, quoted in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1938, p. 9.)
We are reminded of the importance of the JST Inspired Version
“Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen….
and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—
I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.” 1st Nephi 13
The scriptures prophecied that the Saints of the 2nd watch would stumble. But they also reveal that the day would come when they would get the plain and precious parts of the scriptures restored to them.
Strangely enough, even though the relationship between Sidney and Joseph had been strained for several years, the Lord continues to give Sidney to Joseph as a Counselor in the 1st Presidency as shown in section 124 given in 1841
The Lord gives Sidney to Joseph as a Counselor
“I give unto him for counselors my servant Sidney Rigdon and my servant William Law, that these may constitute a quorum and First Presidency, to receive the oracles for the whole church. I give unto you my servant Brigham Young to be a president over the Twelve traveling council; Which Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after that to send my word to every creature.“
“And again, verily I say unto you, if my servant Sidney will serve me and be counselor unto my servant Joseph, let him arise and come up and stand in the office of his calling, and humble himself before me.“
According to the 1828 Websters Dictionary. a Counselor is 1. Any person who gives advice; but properly one who is authorized by natural relationship, or by birth, office or profession, to advise another in regard to his future conduct and measures. Ahithophel was Davids counselor..
Why is it that even though the office of Counselor in the First Presidency seems to have been a revolving door, having been filled by various and sundry people such as Oliver Cowdery, Jesse Gause, Fredrick G. Williams, Hyrum Smith and William Law, Sidney filled his position as a member of the first Presidency for the entire 13 years until the Martyrdom?
Yet one of the charges that would be leveled against him at his Church Court would be that he had not been faithful in his calling in the 1st Presidency.
If Sidney was percieved as unvalient by Joseph and the Lord, one must wonder why he had been chosen as Joseph Smiths running mate for the Presidency of the United States and why he had been the primary orator at the April conference just two months prior to the martyrdom.
It is true that Joseph and Sidney had been estranged and that Joseph did try to kick Sidney out of the 1st Presidency. Because of the profile of the Davidic Servant contained in the scriptures, we now understand why the Seer and the Spokesman were not working in harmony. The sins of Israel fell first on Joseph’s head.. later they would fall on Sidney’s head, in the interim, they would have a little enmity between them.
The following point which was published in the Messenger and Advocate in 1844s is well taken;
“And as for Joseph saying he would have him no longer for counselor, it was not his prerogative to shake him off;
he did not call and consequently could not reject him,
but at any rate we all know when he was tried before the conference last October, every thing was there disposed of, and Elder Rigdon was sustained by the people and honorably acquitted of all charges against him…”
Sidney will once again lift up his voice
as the Spokesman
…and he shall lift up his voice
again on the mountains,and be a aspokesman before my face.“
After all the incredible experiences Sidney went through, after all he did to build up the kingdom, after being chastised and forgiven several times and then after being silenced for several years, God assures Sidney and the church that Sidney is a KEEPER!
He will once again lift up his voice on the mountains in the 3rd watch.
The other thing that surfaces again from this verse if the fact that Sidney Rigdon is the anointed spokesman.
There is so much history I would love to cover pertaining to Nauvoo and the succession issue but I need to stay focused. I suspect I have already lost most of my readers with the length of this post… which is probably meant to be
Let us now fast forward a little to the Nauvoo period.
A few years prior to the martyrdom when Sidney heard about the secret practice of Spiritual Wifery, a perverted form of Biblical Polygamy, which incorporates polyandry and allows the unrestrained passions of a married man to court his neighbors wife in the hope of a higher exaltation.
When it became apparent that Joseph Smith was involved in this practice and leading others into it, Sidney’s assessment of the doctrine was simple and to the point:
“Joseph has contracted a whoring spirit”.
You will recall that it was the responsibility of Sidney Rigdon to use the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the previously accepted revelations brought forth by Joseph Smith to prove all new revelations.
Naturally, it would be the responsibility of Gods Spokesman from the loins of Judah to endorse and prove the spiritual wife doctrine if it was true…
By virtue of his calling and the spiritual gifts pertaining to it, Sidney understood the Spiritual Wife doctrine as a heresy. He was excersized in the word of God.
The sins of Israel had not begun to descend upon him and he still had the spirit of discernment… remember, the sins of apostate Israel do not begin falling upon him until after the blood sacrifice has been completed and the fit man places the sins of Israel upon him and leads him away from the congregation.
Sidney Rigdon knew beyond doubt that the heresy known as section 132 in the current Doctrine and Covenants was a blatant contridiction of previous revelations. He also understood that it was contrary to the order of God to send an angel to FORCE somebody upon the penalty of death to do something they don’t want to do.
More importantly, he remembered the veiled warning that Lord gave to the Saints within days after he met with Joseph Smith for the first time. The following commandment is in section 38 given way back in January of 1831.
“but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old“. (38:39)
Do you understand what the Lord was warning the Saints about? Do you remember why God destroyed the wicked Nephites from off the face of the earth instead of the wicked Lamanites?
It was because the insidious sin of polygamous adultery had invested the Nephites because of the pride that had over taken them. Their pride and their sin was even greater than the pride and sin of the Lamanites! Carnal men who practice unrighteous dominion want to have dominion over as many people as possible and to let their lustful desires go unchecked while building up their domain.
Just prior to giving the veiled warning, the Lord said:
The above commandment should be helpful to those who don’t have enough discernment to realize what the veiled warning was about….. you are not showing your brother the type of esteem you want to be shown if you are coveting his wife and committing adultery with her.
This veiled warning was actually not the first time this most important moral law had been revealsed in modern revelation. In section 19 the Lord had said;
“And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife; nor seek thy neighbor’s life“..
But as if sections 19 and 38 were not plain enough to get the point across, the Lord revealed in the higher law of consecration contained in section 42 that monogamy in Marriage is actually part of the higher law and the higher covenant with God!
There is no law or covenant greater than the law given in section 42. The celestial consecration or oneness with God that takes place in the baptism of water and followed by the baptism of fire requires a Godly monogamous sealing between a man and a woman!
But, as if sections 19, 38 & 42 are not plain enough, in section 49 a great mystery is alluded to pertaining to the purpose of the earth and the progression of the Gods. We don’t have time to go into the mystery other than to point out yet another witness to the law of marital monogamy;
Finally, as if four testimonies within modern revelation heaped upon the very clear statements in the New Testament and Book of Mormon are not enough, the Lord had Oliver Cowdery pen the “Article on Marriage” which states;
“Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.“
The article on “Marriage” was accepted by a special General Assembly at Kirtland and adopted by unanimous consent in the 1835 Edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.
It became binding upon the Saints according to the law of common consent. In this way it became the official law of the Church on the subject of marriage. It was included in all editions of the LDS Doctrine and Covenants until it was removed in 1876 and replaced with what is now known as section 132 under President Brigham Young’s administration.
There was a definite reason that the article on “Marriage” was inserted in the Doctrine and Covenants in 1835. Church missionaries began converting Cochranites in Maine and other eastern states as early as 1832, some of whom gathered to Kirtland and brought their polygamous concepts with them. Therefore the “Marriage” article was included in the Doctrine and Covenants to make certain that the Church was strictly monogamous.
Oliver was a member of the committee of four chosen to select revelations and articles which became a part of the Doctrine and Covenants. The committee included Oliver, Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams. Even though Oliver may have written or helped write the “Marriage” article, Joseph definitely approved it. In fact, Joseph used it extensively in Nauvoo in 1842 to prove that Dr. John C. Bennett’s polygamous assertions were untrue.
It is just a little bit ironic that in section 19 the Lord forbids the Saints from committing the two sins that King David had a struggle with…. and yet a Davidic Prophet in the last days appears to be struggling with one of those sins.. does history repeat itself?
Well, we know from the Atonement Statute that Joseph was not committing this sin because he was inherently evil, rather, the Lord was using him as a sin offering and he was making good on his promise that he would turn the people over to Satan if they were not faithful and obedient. The Lord used Brother Joseph to test people. This same test is probably going to raise its ugly little head again, so now is the time to deal with it.
If the Lord chose to turn his people over to Satan as a result of their disobedience, wouldn’t he use his prophet to do it?
Why did the Saints follow the Lords anointed prophet into a sin so obvious and blatant as that one?
Because they were involved in idolatry, and prophet-worship is a form of idolotry. The Saints were functioning at a terrestrial level at best… instead of worshipping every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God, they were putting their faith in the arm of flesh.
Those who are into blind obedience will blindly do anything they are asked to do ESPECIALLY if it is something that appeals to their carnal desires!
Let me again remind you from what we have demonstrated in the Atonement Statute that Joseph was in the process of suffering from the weight of the sins he had taken upon himself as a result of the intercessory atonement offering he was making.
He was not doing what he would normally do… remember, he had previously past through the carnal temptations and become sanctified and made his calling and election sure… he was now acting as one of the sacrificial goats without blemish as mentioned in Lev 16. Part of his offering required him to take upon himself the transgressions of Israel. Had he been a God with perfect blood, the sins placed upon him could not have caused him to act themselves out.. like Christ, he would have remained sinless. But he was not a God, he was human, hence his atonement offering caused him to act out the sins of those he was providing the atonement for.
Sidney had not yet had the sins placed upon him. According to the atonement statute, Sidney was not to have the sins of apostate Israel placed upon his head until after the martyrdom and after the Saints rejected him.
Although Sidney can clearly observe that Joseph was entangled in iniquity, his eyes were no doubt blinded as to why this darkness had descended upon the prophet. He was no doubt as baffled as most people are when they read about these events.
Sidney could see prophecy that backed up what was happening in Nauvoo, but the Lord had covered his eyes from understanding the deeper reason for why Joseph himself was doing what he was doing. It appears the Lord needed to cover his eyes that prophecy could run its course… it would only be a matter of time before Sidney would get those sins placed upon him as well…
It appears that he did not go out of his way to confront the prophet publically on this issue of the spiritual wife doctrine although he and the prophet had heated words with each other in private after Brother Joseph was accused by Rigdon’s daughter of trying to seduce her into the practice.
After the prophet left the Rigdon’s house Sidney reinforced his position with his family:
“Smith could never be sealed to one of his daughters with his consent as he did not believe the doctrine” 297
Many people have wondered why Joseph Smith did not make his revelation on the spiritual wife doctrine public. Why didn’t he openly preach about it in public? Why didn’t he publish it in the D&C? Why was it that the section known to day as 132 did not replace the section renouncing polygamy until 1876?
Why did Joseph Smith and the others involved in the spiritual wife doctrine sneak around doing it in secret and deny living it in public?
Sidney Rigdon was a very important reason why Joseph Smith did not openly preach the doctrine of Spiritual Wife Polygamy.
We know this because we have used the infallible word of God to develop a profile of Sidney Rigdon and we realize that as the Spokesman appointed by the Lord, it was his responsibility to prove the revelations received by Joseph Smith according to the Bible and to expound upon them.
Sidney Rigdon played a very important part of the checks and balances that the Lord had put into place to avoid false revelations and false doctrines from entering into the Church.
It would have been difficult for Joseph Smith to publicly preach and publish the revelation on Spiritual Wife Polygamy if Sidney refused to endorese it and use the Bible to prove it was a true doctrine.. even more difficult if the Lords Spokesman was declaring it to be a false doctrine.
Rigdon was unable and unwilling to prove it to be a sound doctrine from the scriptures because it was clearly a false doctrine. Nowhere in the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon or modern revelations that had been proven and endorsed by the Spokeman does it teach that you need to be sealed to multiple wives in order to inherit a greater salvation.. clearly that is another gospel than the one taught by Peter James and John. Clearly it is another gospel than the one taught in the Book of Mormon!
Here not the infallible and eternal word of God pertaining to this matter as revealed through the apostle Paul;
Eventually when it was becoming increasingly difficult for those involved in this practice to keep it secret, Joseph, the twelvites and others decided to do an end run around Sidney by getting the high council to vote on the practice of it.
They realized that if they could use the law of common consent to endorse it, they could circumvent the road block put up by the Lords Spokesman.
Interestingly, Rigdon was not the only one grounded in the word of God.
When Hyrum Smith read the revelation on polygamy to the High Council on August 12th 1844 and a vote was taken, three extremely courageous men on the high council refused to sustain it stating that they knew it to be a false doctrine… The three brethren that opposed it were William Marks, Austin Cowles, and Leonard Soby.
Considering the secrecy of polygamy, it is remarkable that Hyrum would announce it even to the high council. It is also remarkable that Marks, Cowles, and Soby would openly reject it. This was a watershed moment in Latter-Day Saint history that prevented the heresy of spiritual wifery to be publically sanctioned and sustained by the Church at that time.
Despite the public practice and acceptance of the doctrine by the Church shortly after the martyrdom, the article on marriage in the D&C which had been written by Oliver Cowdery and which proclaimed polygamy to be contrary to the laws of the Church, was not replaced by what is now known as section 132 until 1876, one year before the death of Brigham Young!
Those three brethren along with others such as Sidney Rigdon and William Law (Law is an other historical figure who has been seriously maligned) made it impossible for polygamy to become a publically endorsed and accepted practice at that time.
Few people realize just how important the spiritual wife doctrine was in the succession issue.
You need to realize that the principle of spiritual wifery had been enthusiastically embraced by Brigham Young and most of the quorum of the Twelve yet Sidney and several other high ranking leaders of the Church opposed it because they were steeped in the scriptures and they understood sound doctrine.
Despite their failed efforts to get the doctrine accepted publically by the Church, several high ranking leaders of the Church including members of the Twelve became blatant in their promotion of this doctrine after the martyrdom.
One of the many amazing examples had to do with Willard Richards shacking up with Orson Hydes wife while Orson was on a mission.
“Willard Richards nailed down the windows, and fired off his revolver in the street after dark, and commenced living with Mrs. Nancy Marinda Hyde.” (Letter from Ebenezer Robinson page 294)
Richards of course considered himself to be doing a noble thing. In his mind he was living a higher law. This emboldened him in what he was doing.
In a sarcastic letter regarding the actions of Elder Willard Richards the Lords Spokesman wrote:
“If Richards should take a notion to Hyde’s wife in his absence all that is necessary to be done is to be sealed. No harm done, not adultery committed, only taking a little advantage of rights of priesthood.
And after Richards has gone the round of dissipation with Hyde’s wife, she is afterwards turned over to Smith and thus the poor silly woman become the actual dupe to two designing men, under the sanctimonious barb of rights of the royal priesthood” pg 294
If you drill down deep enough into the real history of the church, it will become apparent that the real underlying issue at the time of the succession crisis was the spiritual wife doctrine not priesthood authority. Note the interesting statement by Joseph Newton;
“I was at Nauvoo during all the time that Elder Rigdon was there on his last visit to that place, and am well acquainted with the cause of all the difficulties that existed, and now exist between him and the twelve and their adherents. It was said to me by many that they had no objection to Elder Rigdon but his opposition to the Spiritual Wife System.”
Although the sanitized history of the Church really downplays it, the central theme of the leadership controversy in Nauvoo was centered around the spiritual wife doctrine. Here is another revealing segment of an article written in the November 1st 1844 edition of the Messenger and Advocate published in Pitsburg;
“There has been taught in the church a doctrine, which to a man with the revelations of God in his hand may be deemed the most daring and damning that could be imagined to exist among any people, because it is the prolific parent of every vice, and the whole catalogue of crime follows in its train as naturally and necessarily as water will find its level.
Need I say I allude to the spiritual wife system; to cover up this system, lying was taught to be justifiable, and a sermon was publicly preached, to inculcate the idea and establish the tenet, that under certain circumstances, it was rather meritorious to lie.
Be it remembered, that there is no sin, which has called forth the signal wrath of Almighty God, more fully than the sin of adultery; and therefore the Lord declared he would “cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush in one day. The ancient and honorable (que. Patriarch) he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed.” Was Joseph Smith cut off for transgression? I answer, if the Lord is to be believed, he was; for he expressly promises that if Joseph abided in him, he should stand in the office in which he was placed, until the coming of the Son of Man. If Joseph is not living, and the Son of Man is not come, he must, admitting the word of God, be cut off for transgression.
Admitting this fact, we must conclude, that he transgressed the law of God; the question then arises, how did he transgress the law of God? I answer, he taught the doctrine that a man could have ten wives; the Lord has declared “thou shalt have one wife, and cleave unto her and none else.” Joseph taught that David did not sin in having many wives, only in the case of Uriah.
The Lord declares, Book of Mormon, Book of Jacob, 2d chapter, “David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.”
But do these men who have arrogated to themselves the authority, who have at one fell swoop blotted the first presidency out of existence, laid violent hands on the reins of government, and delivered over to the buffetings of the devil him whom God has placed in the stead of Joseph Smith –
do these men preach and practice the doctrine of polygamy? They do. And coupled with Sidney Rigdon’s uncompromising hostility to that doctrine, gives us the key by which we can understand the otherwise incomprehensible fatuity, which could lead them to set at complete defiance the order of heaven….
Sidney Rigdon declared: “I shall feel it my duty to publish the transactions of the secret chambers, and a faithful history of the works of darkness.” Oh here lies the gist of the whole matter; treason to the cause of spiritual-wife-ism, to that accursed doctrine which makes a man’s glory depend upon the number of his wives; which makes that a stepping stone to exaltation which God has a thousand times declared is the high road to hell….
give heed to that servant whom the Lord has planted in the stead of Joseph Smith, and turn away from those who teach and practice doctrines contrary to the law and the holy commandments delivered unto us.
Your brother in the new and everlasting covenant.”
SAMUEL BENNETT
The following statements from the Lords Spokesman published in a paper provide a good explanation of how he felt about the spiritual wife doctrine;
Pittsburgh, Oct. 15, 1844.
Br. J. Gregg — Dear Sir: – Yours of the 14th inst., was received per mail this morning… I have been informed, since Mr. Page published his Bull, and subsequent departure from this place, that he had attempted to teach the doctrine of spiritual wives in this city some time since. This will account for his sudden departure from both this place and yours.
It would seem almost impossible that there could be found a set of men and women, in this age of the world, with the revelations of God in their hands, who could invent and propagate doctrines so ruinous to society, so debasing and demoralizing as the doctrine of a man having a plurality of wives…
Those who read the New Testament with care, cannot avoid seeing that the apostles have declared that a corruption like that we complain of, was to make its appearance in the last days. See Second Timothy, 3d chapter, from the 1st to the 9th verse inclusive.
These sayings which the apostles, at Nauvoo, have applied to the professing world, are as applicable to themselves as to any others now living, or any others who have lived since the days of Paul. In the 6th verse we are told that “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.”…
That the Twelve and their adherents have entered into houses and led silly women astray, is a fact susceptible of the highest proof; and we are authorized by Paul to apply all the rest he has said to them.
“For if this sort enter into houses and lead astray silly women,” what sort? we ask; the before described religionists, for says Paul,”they have a form of godliness.” The conclusion then is, that they effected the ruin of silly females by, or through a form of godliness…
It is a fact, so well known, that the Twelve and their adherents have endeavored to carry this spiritual wife business in secret, that I hardly need mention it here, and have gone to the most shameful and desperate lengths, to keep it from the public.
First, insulting innocent females, and when they resented the insult, these monsters in human shape would assail their characters by lying, and perjuries, with a multitude of desperate men to help them effect the ruin of those whom they had insulted, and all this to enable them to keep these corrupt practices from the view of the world…. No falsehood too great and no perjury too darying, in order to conceal these heaven-daring abuses of mankind…
SIDNEY RIGDON
Brigham and his brethren of the Twelve (with the exception of Apostle William Smith who also rejected the spiritual wife heresy) knew that if Rigdon were to preside over the church, those who had embraced the spiritual wife doctrine would be forced to repent and give it up or be cast out of the Church.
Nauvoo Stake President William Marks was one of the noble brethren that rejected the principle and believed it to be a false doctrine.
He testified in 1853 that Smith came to have doubts about polygamy before his death:
“When the doctrine of polygamy was introduced into the church as a principle of exaltation, I took a decided stand against it; which stand rendered me quite unpopular with many of the leading ones of the church…
Joseph, however, became convinced before his death that he had done wrong; for about three weeks prior to his death, I met him one morning in the street, and he said to me, “Bro. Marks, we are a ruined people.”
I asked, how so?
He said, “this doctrine of polygamy, or Spiritual-wife system, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow. I have been deceived,’ he said, ” in reference to its practice; it is wrong, it is a curse to mankind, and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down and its practice stopped in the church..
Now Brother Marks, you have not received this doctrine, and I want you to go into the high council, and I will have charges preferred against all who practice this doctrine; and I want you to try them by the laws of the Church, and cut them off, it they will not repent, and cease the practice of this doctrine…
I will go into the stand and preach against it with all my might, and in this way, we may rid the Church of this damnable heresy.” (Zion’s Harbinger and Baneemy’s Organ, Vol. 3 (July 1853), pp. 52-53)
During the succession crisis when Sidney was in the process of being rejected by the majority of the church through the law of common consent he made several statements that did not endear him to the Saints. Among other things he said;
“he had known for some years that Joseph had not been led by the spirit of God [and gave this] as the reason why he did not attend with him as his counselor”
As mentioned previously in this article, the spokesman from Judah vexed the Seer from Joseph while the Seer from Joseph envied the Spokesman from Judah… the two had grown apart. The reason they grew appart is explained in the atonement statute, the sins of Israel began falling upon Joseph shortly after the failure of the Saints to live consecration and redeem Zion. They did not begin to fall upon Sidney until after the martyrdom, so naturally the two of them became estranged.
Sidney shared the belief that others had been more bold about stating, namely, that Joseph’s eyes had been covered. He felt that Joseph had not been led by the Lord for quite some time.
This is quite an indictment upon both the church membership and Brother Joseph our beloved prophet of the last dispensation.
Let us remember Sidney’s statement about why he had been silenced and then lets hold the Spokesmans feet to the fire and see if there are any other prophets throughout history that will stand by the ominous declarations that Sidney made.
As mentioned before, at the April Conference two months prior to the martyrdom Sidney was quoted as saying;
“Want of health and other circumstances have kept me in silence for nearly the last five years.”
After the martyrdom he said;
“he had known for some years that Joseph had not been led by the spirit of God [and gave this] as the reason why he did not attend with him as his counselor”
Clearly, according to his own words, the apostasy of the restored Church contributed to Sidney’s silence. Notice his statements again:
“Elder Sidney Rigdon then rose and said It is with no ordinary degree of satisfaction I enjoy this privilege this morning Want of health and other circumstances have kept me in silence for nearly the last five years.
It can hardly be expected that when the violence of sickness has used its influence and the seeds of disease have so long preyed upon me that I can rise before this congregation only in weakness I am now come forth from a bed of sickness and have enough of strength left to appear here for the first time in my true character.
I have not come before a conference for the last five years in my true character I shall consider this important privilege sacred in my family history during life I hardly promise myself lungs to make this congregation hear me I shall do the best I can and the greatest can do no more.” History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints By Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Henry Roberts
Rigdon felt that his reputation and general visage in the eyes of the world had been distorted and marred by the acusations made about him.. sadly, after he became officially rejected and cast out by the Church, the sins of Israel would fall upon him and he would become perceived by Mormons and Non Mormons alike as a deluded religious fanatic, a would be usurper and a portrait of religious excess.
Of course, if Rigdon was correct about Joseph not being led by the Spirit for a long time, this would explain why the teachings and actions of the Church membership changed so radically after 1836 when the Saints failed to establish Zion at the appointed time, defiled the Temple and had to flee Kirtland.
The contrast between the first six years of the church and the last 8 years of the church is pretty glaring.
Prior to September 11th 1836 The major focus of the Church was on the gifts of the spirit, the law of consecration and laboring for the redemption of Zion. After that period of time, the Church put their faith in money by trying to establish a banking system.
Prior to the appointed time, leaders of the Church preached against secret organizations, in fact the Book of Mormon had become known as the anti-Masonic Bible. Yet after the defilement of the Temple, leaders of the Church organized a secret organization called the Danites built on the foundation of secret oaths and penalties and began encouraging it’s members to participate in Masonry.
The Church established four Masonic lodges during the Nauvoo years when they were supposed to be putting all of their efforts and resources into financing the publication of the inspired version of the Bible and the building of the temple and the Nauvoo House.
Prior to the defilement of the Kirtland Temple, the Church taught and lived the higher law of monogamy as specified and required in the higher law of consecration contained in section 42 and reiterated in section 49. The Book of Mormon had also been thought of as the anti-polygamy bible as well since it takes such a hard line against it.
After the failure to establish Zion and the defilement of the Kirtland Temple, the insidious practice of spiritual wifery infected the leading quorums of the Church.
Praise the Lord God for men like Sidney Rigdon, William Marks, William Smith, William Law and others who knew unsound doctrine, perversion and abomination when they saw it.
According to Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith contracted a whoring spirit and had not been led of the Lord for many years.
Again, that is quite and indictment. Brother Sidney was declaring that the Church had been in a darkened state of apostasy for some time leading up to Nauvoo.
It is a serious things for someone to accuse Joseph Smith, the Seer of the Lord, of transgression.
I would suggest that we call upon the prophets to prove or disprove the claims of Sidney Rigdon. We know that all of the great prophets looked upon the events of the restoration movement and prophesied about it. Lets see if the prophecies of the prophets prove or disprove the claims of Sidney Rigdon
Lets take a few minutes and see if Brother Sidney has the endorsement of any of the prophets and apostles in the Bible and the Book of Mormon that prophesied about the LDS Restoration Movement.
Was Sidney Rigdon correct when he declared that Joseph and the Church had not been led by the spirit and was in apostasy?
Who stands with God’s Spokesman in this issue?
If indeed all of the ancient prophets had prophesied about the latter day Saint restoration movement surely they would either prove of disprove the accusation of Sidney Rigdon. Let’s check to see if any of them can validate the claims of God’s Spokesman Sidney Rigdon-
Daniel observed that the horn would prevail against the latter day Saints UNTIL the ancient of Days returns:
“I Beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them Until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was given to the saints of the most High and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom” Dan 7:21-22
That prophecy from Daniel is hard to refute. The Saints were to be overcome sometime before the Ancient of Days returns to the earth, and they would not possess the kingdom until that time. The D&C tells us that the Saints were given the kingdom, yet Daniel verifies that the Saints would be overcome and not possess the kingdom again until the return of the Ancient of Days. The prophet Daniel appears to stand with Brother Sidney on this issue.
The following promise in the D&C confirms the prophecy of Daniel. The Kingdoms of the world began overcoming the Church back in 1834;
“But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour unto the counsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them.
Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour.
Jeremiah notes that prior to the final restoration in the 3rd watch, the Saints will “defile” the promised land because of their “detestable” and “abominable” things and because they put their trust in the arm of flesh.
Therefore the Lord will “reject” them and “cast” the Saints out of the promised land and they will inherit “parched places” in a “salt land” not “inhabited” where they will have a false sense of security claiming “temple of the Lord, temple of the Lord, Temple of the Lord”.
Modern Revelation provides a 2nd witness that the Saints were practicing “abominations” in Nauvoo and that they would be “rejected” if they did not repent. All of this leads up to the day of “Jacobs Trouble” he will not leave the Saints “unpunished” in the day when he “makes an end of all nations”
The Prophet Jeremiah stands by the Lords Spokesman Sidney Rigdon.
Ezekiel Prophesied about the same things that Daniel and Jeremiah did. The Latter day Saints become polluted after the manner of their fathers (the children of Israel) they commit “whoredom and abomination” and are polluted in their gifts.
All of this leads them into spiritual and temporal bondage. When the 3rd watch comes God will needs to deal with the “false shepherds” and God people will need to finally be led out of with a “mighty hand” and a “stretched out arm”… yet, modern revelation confirms the words of Jeremiah that the Moses-Pharaoh scenario must be repeated in the latter days. Stretched out arm (D&C) strangely enough, the latter day descendant of pharaoh who oppresses the latter day children of Israel well be established in the promised land and be referred to as the “honorable President Elect”.
The Prophet Ezekial stands with Gods Spokesman Sidney Rigdon.
Isaiah see the same things that Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Sidney saw.
We have the words of Daniel, Jeremiah Ezekiel and Isaiah that all seem to be congruent with what Sidney Rigdon was saying… but what about Hosea?
Hosea Perhaps one of the most cryptically profound things that Sidney uttered was that Joseph had “contracted a whoring spirit”.
Remember, Sidney was a walking bible. When he spoke he would often paraphrase or use similar phrases as the the ancient prophets.
The words he uttered were carefully chosen. Go to the LDS word cruncher and punch in those two words “whoring spirit” and it will lead you to two references.. one of them is found in the book of Hosea.
“My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the bspirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God… therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.. for the spirit of whoredom is in the midst of them” (Hosea 4:12)
This is the perfect description of what was happening in Nauvoo. A lustful spirit of whoredom overcame the Saints as they entered into adulterous relationships.
As hard as it is to believe that latter day Israel could become so corrupted after having been given so much light, they had done exactly what the ancient children of Israel had done. How can this happen? The answer is in this same chapter:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt beno priest to me; seeing thou has forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children“
Hosea provides one of the more clear and concise commentaries on the Latter day Saints. I strongly urge you to read the 13 chapters of Hosea. We don’t have the time to spend anymore time on it other than to share this little tidbit;
““They have set up kings, but not by me…. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples...” That pretty much says it all.
Hosea, just like all of the others notes that in the 3rd watch, a remnant of the Saints will “acknowledge their offence” when the trumpet sounds against those who have “transgressed my covenant and trespassed against my law”
The entire Book of Hosea is a commentary on the Nauvoo era of the restoration movement. It is absolutely heart breaking to compare the LDS history with the commentary in Hosea. .sso and so shacked up with Hydes wife while he was on his mission. Elder Smith, another leader who rejected the spiritual wife made the following observations…
I realize that Brother Sidneys accusations against brother Joseph are very offensive. However, we have documented from the biblical profile of the Davidic Servant and from the Atonement Statute why and how it all happened.
The Spokesman from the loins of Judah was right when he declared that the Church had not been led by the Spirit for a long time.. and he is in good company with the likes of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah Hosea.
I have provided similar witnesses from the Book of Mormon, the New Testament and the D&C in other articles and posts.
We have addressed the two reasons that Sidney gave for being silenced, poor health and his feeling that Joseph and the Church had not been led by the spirit for a long time.
Obviously, in light of the prophecies we reviewed pertaining to the Davidic Servant PROFILE and the ATONEMENT STATUTE, it all makes perfect sense. The sins of apostate latter day Israel had fallen upon Joseph, preparing him to offer up a blood sacrifice for sin.
As part of the sin that was placed upon Joseph, it appears that another more specific reason that Sidney was silenced in fulfilling his role as the Scapegoat is because Joseph overstepped his bounds and began fulfilling the role of the Scapegoat himself. Notice the very clear warning the Lord gives regarding his limitation put on his :
During the first six years leading up the Kirtland Temple dedication Sidney was clearly the Spokesman. Shortly after that things began to change.. Joseph began to be more comfortable speaking and giving gospel orations.. as he began doing this, Sidney’s role began to fade.
Here is another similar admonition in the D&C;
“And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished.” D&C 5: 4
There is not revelation ever given after this restriction was put on Joseph wherein God commanded Joseph to begin acting as the Spokesman..
Four Obscure Historical Documents “the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.”
August 8th 1844 was the pivotal day in history on which the succession issue was settled. For an interesting expose by Van Wagoner on why he thinks the transformation of Brigham Young into the image of Joseph Smith is a myth, click here.
To me it is not an issue, the Lord gave the law pertaining to priesthood succession in section 43 and other places an not of the succession laws that he gave state that the anointed person becomes transformed into the likeness of someone else.
According to Van Wagoner;
“Several sets of minutes of the afternoon meeting, each in the hand of a different scribe, make it clear that they saw no mystical occurrence during that gathering. Furthermore, virtually all retrospective accounts mention that Young was “transfigured” when he began to speak after Rigdon had spoken.
Rigdon only addressed the congregation in the morning session, he did not speak in the afternoon. While minutes of the morning gathering do exist, in stenographer Thomas Bullock’s shorthand, they have never been transcribed. By order of the current LDS Quorum of the Twelve Apostles they remain unavailable “for public scrutiny.” Nevertheless, several other accounts of the morning’s events survive.”
It is almost incomprehensible that people in high places would try to suppress the Thomas Bullocks account of the morning session wherein Sidney Rigdon spoke to the Saints and declared himself to the the Lords spokesman and successor to the Prophet Joseph Smith. I fully believe that people will be held accountable for such acts.
I have in my possession what is purported to be hand copied copies of the un-transcribed notes taken by Thomas Bullocks in the pitman shorthand.
I have decided to make them public, to my knowledge, for the first time in history.
At this time, I want to provide a graphic of part of this document that has been suppressed for approximately 166 years.
I question what right anyone has to deprive me or the rest of the world of the opportunity to know what God’s Spokesman had to say in a public meeting on that most important occasion!
I believe the notes taken by Thomas Bullock rightfully belong to the entire Church and to the entire world. It is a travesty that they have been suppressed.
What kind of a message does it send when the brethren feel a need to hide and suppress historical documents that reveal the facts about important religious events?
It is heart breaking to me that the words of Sidney Rigdon continue to be silenced even after his death and don’t appear to have any importance to those in high places, or even worse they may feel the content would be a threat. It is also disconcerting that those in high places would feel a need to protect me from the facts… and to prevent me from making my own determinations.
We have all been given the agency and power of discernment to determine what we want to believe, so why cover up historical documents?
I am now making a portion of it available to public scrutiny.
Anyone that has the ability to transcribe these documents and provide them to me to post in this article is welcome to the rest of the notes.
You may be wondering, what is the purpose of releasing this document since it cannot be read by the average person?
1- I am hoping that by making it public, that it will find it’s way into the hands of someone capable of transcribing it. I am hoping that my readers will think of anyone they may know, that may know someone who can transcribe this document.
Perhaps you know someone that works with historical documents or publishers, etc. If necessary, I am hoping that this article will become viral in order to get this transcribed..
If you are a professional Pitman transcriber please provide me with a bid. I may be able to raise the funds for your services. The following graphic contains approximately 1/3 of the document in questions. I will provide the rest of the document to anyone able to transcribe it for the use of the general public.
2- Secondly, I believe that there is a very real, specific, definable power associated with written documents, regardless of whether they can be read and understood or not.
By making this document public, I am sending a statement into the universe. Symbolically this represents the fact that brother Sidney is not going to remain silent. His voice will be heard again.
Sidney, can you hear me? There is a remnant that cares about what you have to say. Your voice is important, it needs to be heard. It is going to be heard! I realize you will be back very soon and that your voice will be heard upon the mountains again, this gesture simply represents my desire and the desire of others to hear the voice of Gods Spokesman.
Having released a document having to do with what God’s Spokesman had to say just before he was rejected by the voice of the Church, I now want to share with you segments of another document that has been obscured for many years.
We often hear about how Sidney did not act in his calling during the last few years of the Nauvoo era while Joseph was alive but you might be surprised to realize that Sidney was the principal speaker at the April Conference held on the 6, 7, 8 and 9th in 1844 just two months prior to the martyrdom.
According to Van Wagoner, “The Clayton and Bullock reports of the Conference were amalgamated and began to appear serially in the Times and Seasons, commencing with the May 1st Issue, which was prior to the Prophet’s death. However, before all of Rigdon’s discourse was published, the Prophet was murdered, and the Succession problelm between Rigdon and the Twelve developed, which resulted in the remiainder of Rigdon’s remarkes at the Conference being deleted from the published account of the minutes.“
In Sidney’s remarks during several days on which the conference convened he acknowledged that-
“it was with no ordinary feelings he arose to speak- a privilege which he had not before enjoyed in the same capacity for five years..“
He began recounting various events in the early years of the Church and acknowledged that;
“Had we told openly and talked openly of the things of God that he and will come to pass our blood would have been shed. We should not have been here this day. But we hid ourselves up in secret. There we talked, wept, and prayed and the Angels administered unto us and the Spirit of God was with us and the heavens opened unto us.
But we should now be in our grave had we proclaimed unto the world what God showed unto us; notwithstanding it was for the benefit of man, and for his salvation, and not for evil….Have I not seen God’s glory by the visions of Heaven? Yea, I have…. those were the beginning of good days- shut up in a little shop with nothing to eat but a little jonny cake and mild and water, only as we would occasionally shoot a squirrel and we lived in an old smokey house.
Still we rejoiced in the things God was revealing unto us….I have seen the time when the Presidency of the Church sitting now before me, were locked up with them in secret practices waiting upon God.
We did not go out at all but to eat and etc. But it was soon found out, and a mob came saying God damn you to hell, and threatened our lives. It was at this time that we sat for hours in the Visions of heaven abound the throne of God and gazed upon the scenes of Eternity.
One evening a Mexican called upon us and he went out armed to see a dozen armed men in the corner of the fence. He wanted to shoot them. Afterwards the mob came in and broke the door, took me and dragged me out through the streets by my heels and with my head pounding over the frozen ground.
Another company took President Smith, and tarr and feathered him. They tried to turn aquiphertos down our throats. This is the reason why we were in secret under lock and key.
Now if you will let us work openly we will not work in secret. We will work openly as much as you want. I think I have said enough already to show that the Church has come up through great tribulation. Let this suffice then upon this subject.
There is men standing in your midst who are not afraid of men or devils and men whose mouths cannot be stopped unless you take their lives. For they will speak in defense of the innocent of virtue and truth while they live.
there is men in your midst who have learned there is a great God who can do as He pleases- He can take up the hills as a little things, and such men do not fear death. they know about heaven. They have seen it and know all about it.
There is men in your midst which you must sustain or go to Hell.
Save them and you save yourselves.
Reject them and you go to Hell..
You have just men in your midst…”.
Those are pretty sobering words.
Later in Rigdon’s sermon he makes some very curious statements in light is the fact that he was currently running for the Vice Presidency of the United States and he probably had at least some degree of understanding pertaining to his priesthood right through the loins of Judah to eventually rule on the throne of Israel;
“God teaches his servants to respects kings, Governors, Presidents and men in authority,
But I have a right to proclaim myself a King and a Priest unto the Most High God.
Yet I will not transgress your laws….
I don’t want any office in this government,
for I am determined to be a King in the Kingdom of God.
What, be a King in Heaven and quarrel about the office of constable on Earth?
Rigdon then gives the great key in identifying where the Kingdom of God is… namely that it is with those who hold the power over death, plagues, sickness and miracles;
“Then one of the main things in the Kingdom of God is to let a man know what to do, what glory kingdom and power he can gain. Man is taught a principle so that when it enters the mind if has the power over death, plagues, sickness. The gift of miracles, this is one great evidence of the work the power of God. This then is the Kingdom of God“
Rigdon then points out that all religions that have anything less than the power over life and death and miracles can only bring hurt instead of doing good;
“All religions then that there is in the world that has not these tings, has a tendency to do hurt instead of doing good, for it teaches those things are done away.“
Hence, if a religion looses the fulness of the priesthood and is left with the preparatory priesthood administering the preparatory gospel it becomes a cursing to the people rather than a blessing. it can only bring forth hurt instead of good.
Rigdon went on to warn that God would;
“take all kingdoms of the world out of the way- He would break in pieces and subdue and He would teach the kings and all powers the way that they may have a chance. There is no power anywhere else unto Salvation.”
Rigdon then came back to the subject of miracles and the power of the holy ghost and proved thru the scriptures that if the Church is not experiencing prophecy dreams and healings it does not have the authority to save;
“The doctrine Peter taught was different from sectarians. His doctrine was repent and be Baptized and you shall received the Holy Ghost. Take a view of this subject. Look at the spirit of promise. View the congregation on that day . They were strangers not having a knowledge of Salvation.
They were strangers to the power of God and did not know that Jesus Christ was crucified and all they knew about it was what Peter told them on the day of Pentecost, 14 verse of 2 ch. of Acts.
The only knowledge they had about the Holy Spirit was what Peter taught them by quoting the prophet Joel 37 verse. Now mark this, Peter had defined the spirit of God of the fruits of it be prophecy, dreams, visions, revelations, and etc.
Yes this is the spirit of God the spirit of Prophecy, dreams, visions, heal the sick, and all the great things, and I will in the last days pour out my spirit upon all flesh. This is the definition oft he Spirit. All were called to be baptized without any exceptions, villains, Harlots, scoundrels and all.”
He then gives a very clear explanation of the fruits of the Spirit when the fulness of the Gospel is on the earth;
“I will now sum up the testimony. What is a man to preach when they go out? Tell the people to repent, quit their iniquity , be Baptized and you shall received the Holy Ghost, dream dreams, see visions, and prophecy and it they don’t tell them this, they preach another gospel“
There you have it. From the mouth of God’s Spokesman two months before the martyrdom and his excommunication, he is clearly the principal speaker at the April Conference warning that any church that does not have the gifts of the spirit, dreams, visions, prophesying, miracles, does not have the power to save.
Any group teaching that such things are not required in the church is preaching another gospel.
It is truly sad that the above remarks have become obscure and not easily available to Latter day Saints.. and sad that the remainder of his remarks were not made available in print as a result of the succession issue that broke out while the Times and Seasons was in the process of publishing periodic segments of the conference talks.
Now that we have produced the un-transcribed minutes of the August 8th 1844 Morning Session oration of the Spokesman as a sign and token of the un-silencing of Sidney Rigdon and we have provided some of the incredible words he spoke as the primary speaker in the April 1844 Conference, let us now look at some of the amazing things that transpired in this Church Trial.
The next document I want to address sheds an amazing amount of light on the succession issue.
It is the transcript of the Trail of Sidney Rigdon.
Like the Bullock document, it had been unavailable “for public scrutiny by order of those in high places for four generations.
It is my understanding that several years ago a Mormon Fundamentalist and his helpers were able to sneak a copy of this document out of the Church Historical Library. They now sell this and a host of other obscure documents for those with enquiring minds.
I thought it would be valuable for people to be aware of some of the surface issues that were discussed at the trial that people in high places don’t want people to know about.
Again, as mentioned earlier, the real issue was the Spiritual Wife Doctrine, but since the the twelve could not make that the main issue publicly, they needed to challenge his right to preside over the Church and/or they needed to find a reason to cut him off for transgression.
Of course the Quorum of the Twelve according to revelation and according to the mandate of the Prophet Joseph Smith, were not allowed to preside or officiate in Zion without special permission from the First Presidency. Their calling was to be a traveling missionary quorum.
They therefore conspired with other local leaders to hold the court even though the twelve were really dictating what was taking place.
There are several fascinating things you need to know about the trial and excommunication of Sidney Rigdon. The first is that when they sent notice to him that a trial was being held he notified them that he was not well… they decided to proceed anyway in his absence leaving him without the opportunity to defend himself. Rigdon was tried in absentia.
Secondly, most of the charges brought up by the Twelve were either the same ones that had been made when he had been tried previously by Joseph Smith. Some were from even earlier times.
Although the members of the High Council trying brother Sidney were almost unanimous in their desire to thrust him out of the Church, there was a red herring that took Brigham and his fellows by surprise. It came in the form of William Marks, one of the most noble and well respected leaders of the Church. He was the Stake President of Nauvoo. When previous charges were brought up Brother Marks made the following comment;
“Now I think if Brother Rigdon was restored at that time [referring to the previous council that Joseph Smith had held against Rigdon during the previous fall] we ought not to go beyond the conference to fetch up charges today; but there are charges fetched up for years back.
It is known that he was restored to full faith and fellowship last fall. I have heard Brother Joseph say repeatedly since that time, that all things was right between them. Just before Elder Rigdon left here I heard Brother Joseph say that all things were right between them.
Sister Emma had a good many feelings against Elder Rigdon, but they are all done away. She has said within a few months, and in fact within one week that she was on as good terms with Elder Rigdon as she had ever been since be was a member of the church.“
Feeling a little frustrated and desperate realizing that there was an advocate of Sidney Rigdon’s in the proceedings, another charge was that Rigdon had claimed to have had revelations in Pittsburg just prior to his return to Nauvoo.
Several of Rigdon’s accusers claimed that his revelations were from the Devil. They asserted that the Quorum of the Twelve had authority to lead the Church without being under the direction of the First Presidency. There contention was that the Church could function just fine without a First Presidency.
Again President Marks boldly responded;
“..as to his revelations being from the Devil, I am sure I don’t know whether they are from God or the Devil.
The Twelve and High Council both know my mind differs from theirs respecting the organization. I had always been taught that the First Presidency would remain and always be with the Church.
I had always understood that the Church would be imperfect without a quorum of three to stand as a First Presidency, and I cannot find any law to say that this quorum should ever be dropped (D&C 107:2- 22 65-66)
I LAID MY HANDS ON BROTHER SIDNEY WITH BROTHER JOSEPH AND HE ORDAINED HIM TO BE A “PROPHET SEER AND REVELATOR” AND BE EQUAL WITH HIM IN HOLDING THE KEYS AND AUTHORITY OF THIS KINGDOM (D&C 90:6)
This testimony by Marks was actually nothing new to anyone. The revelation making Rigdon a Prophet Seer and Revelation was a matter of public record. Furthermore, Joseph Smith had the following annoucement published in the …. for all to see.
After testifying that he participated in the ordination wherein Sidney was ordained a prophet seer and revelation, Marks then tackled the questions of transgression;
I have known for two years, and according to my understanding he has not lost it through transgression. I still feel that he is a member of the quorum of the First Presidency, and I always expected that the quorum would be filled up the same as at the commencement.
I always felt that there was a power and responsibility in that quorum which did not exist anywhere else. I will read an extract from the 84th section of the book of Doctrine and Covenants:
“Verily I say unto you, the Keys of this Kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come: nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another” (D&C 90:3-4)
This is what I ever supposed would be the case that through him the oracles should be given to another who should be Prophet, and a Seer and Revelator, and through him to the Church.
I have always felt since last special conference (when the twelve took control of the church) that the order was not according to this pattern.. .
I always supposed that one would receive the oracles from Joseph and give them to the Church. Now brethren, I have served diligently to get at the right of the matter, and I know I am honest and wish to know how it should be. I will read another extract from the Doctrine and Covenants, which you will find on the ninety-sixth page.
I never supposed that this quorum (the quorum of the 1st Presidency) could be disorganized while there was one or two left. I have ever felt that Elder Rigdon sustains his authority;
I never believed he has lost it through transgression; I believe he is the man to receive the oracles from Brother Joseph and give them to the Church (D&C 90:3-6) all I want is to have the thing right, and when I believe it is right, I am as ready to confess it as any other man. (He then read several extracts from D&C 102:9-11);
“The president of the church, who is also the president of the council is appointed by revelation, and acknowledged in his administration by the voice of the church and it is according to the dignity of his office that he should preside over the council of the church and it is his privilege to be assisted by two other presidents, appointed after the same manner that he himself was appointed.
And in case of the absence of one or both of those who are appointed to assist him, he has power to preside over the council without an assistant; and in case he himself is absent, the other presidents have power to preside in his stead, both or either of them (D&C 102:9-11)
When this organization is broken up there is a quorum broken up which is of great power and authority, and I always thought it ought to have been continued. The church has always supposed that the Twelve were to bear the gospel to all the world (107:23,33), and when they are absent, who will preside over the church? (D&C 126:1-3)
We know that it is necessary for individuals to preside over the whole Church, now, we are losing this office and power and authority, but I feel as though we don’t want to lose anything.
I feel that we ought to keep up the organization, if it is right to do so. When Elder Rigdon first came from Pittsburgh he said it was his place to receive the oracles, but there was a delicacy in Brother Rigdon in presenting his claims to the people; he supposed there would have been some individual who would have taken up the case.
It appears from what has been stated this morning, that questions have been put which seems to bring a contradiction. If Elder Rigdon has done anything worth of being severed from the Church, I feel to go with the church, and to be satisfied with what they do.
I don’t know that I can see anything worthy of cutting him off at the present time. Probably I am prejudiced in his favor; if it is wrong I hope the brethren will forgive me. When I have set with the High Council I have always tried to divest my self of prejudice.
President Marks then brings up a very important principal in church administration that had been overlooked. The D&C tells us that when a High Priest is being tried, six men on the high council should be appointed to make sure that the accused is being treated fairly;
” I am willing that the high Council and church should act on this case, if they think best. I felt as though there was a great many men here who were saying hard things against him and nobody to speak a word for him, and I have volunteered to say a few words in his defense.
I have had a conversation with Elder Rigdon and I cannot find that he has committed a crime. The Church has never cut off any person without a crime was proven against him.
Now is there a man in the Church who has received the ordination of a Prophet, Seer and Revelator? if there is I want to see him. There has been ordained Prophets, Priests and Kings, but I have never heard of anyone being ordained a Seer and Revelator.
I think I am knowing to all the ordinations, but I don’t know of a man who has been ordained to the office and calling Brother Sidney has; and if he is cut off, who will we have to obtain revelations?”
The pressure on William Marks must have been horrendous. He knew that those conspiring against Rigdon had made up their minds to sever Rigdon from the Church before the trial was even convened.. their minds were made up, yet Marks was standing up among all of these strong personalities and challenging them.
He was providing a testimony that he was personally aware of every man living that had been ordained a prophet seer and revelator and he says he knows for a fact that Sidney Rigdon is the only man living in the Church that holds those keys!
If Brigham Young or anyone else in the room disagreed with that statement, that was the time to set things right yet they all sat silent. What Marks says next is a priceless tid bit of information relating to the priesthood and church government.
He points out that if they cut Rigdon off, the Church can never have a legitimate First Presidency because THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE DON’T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ORDAIN SOMEONE A PROPHET SEER AND REVELATOR!
“A man must be in possession of this power to be able to ordain a Prophet, and a Seer and a Revelator. If there is a man ordained to lead this people, [other than Sidney Rigdon] I do not know it.
I don’t believe there are sufficient revelations given to lead this people, and I am fully of the belief that this people cannot build up the kingdom except it is done by revelation.”
Little did Marks realize it but he was setting the foundation of his own excommunication. His unwillingness to accept the spiritual wife doctrine and his refusal to ultimately submit the the authority of the quorum of the Twelve would result in him being cut off from the Lords Church.
What a sobering time in Church history! On August 8th 1844 the voice of the people had rejected Sidney Rigdon as the presiding president of the Church. Now exactly one month later on September 8th 1844 Rigdon was severed from the membership of the very church he had presided over in concert with the prophet Joseph Smith.
Parley Pratt acknowledged that the “salvation of the church was on the line“. This observation was quite profound, the consequences of the action they were about to take had much more to do with the future of the church than the membership of one man.
The Church had rejected Sidney Rigdon as the presiding president of the Church via the law of common consent. They had the opportunity to follow a living “Oracle” or choose to be ruled by “Kings” the way ancient Israel was ruled. Now …the outcome of that trial would determine if Gods Spokesman from the loins of Judah was to be cast out from among them.
Joseph Smith had been the type and shadow of Moses. Hyrum had been typological to Aaron. Sidney will be typological to Joshua when he returns in the 3rd watch. Brigham Young was a very strong personality who was a great organizer colonizer, religious reformer and leader.
He is charactorized in Leviticus 16 as a “fit man”. Some feel that Brother Brigham might be typological to Hezekiah or one of the other kings of Judah or Israel.
During the succession debate Brigham Young assured the church that Joseph would have no successor and assured them that the twelve apostles would stand at the head and lead the Church as a quorum, but three and half years later, he reversed his position; and by the vote of man was elected to be their First President;
“I was unanimously elected President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints with authority to nominate my two counselors, which I did by appointing Heber C Kimball my first counselor and Willard Richards my second Counselor, and the appointments were unanimously sustained.” (HC vol 7 pg 287 & 7:24)
To his credit, Brigham Young never claimed to be a prophet seer and revelator nor did he claimed to be the legal successor of Joseph Smith;
“A person was mentioned to-day who did not believe that Brigham Young was a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. I wish to ask every member of this whole community, if they ever heard him profess to be a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, as Joseph Smith was?…Who ordained me to be First President of this Church on earth? I answer, It is the choice of this people, and that is sufficient.” “The brethren testify that Brother Brigham is Brother Joseph’s legal successor. You never heard me say so. I say I am a good hand to keep the dogs and wolves out of the flock.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 320)
Some of these issues will probably be arising again very shortly. Keep in mind that as I pointed out earlier in this article, the real underlying issue of the succession controversy was over the spiritual wife doctrine, it didn’t have to do with authority or transgression on the part of Ridgon, Brigham Young and the Twelve realized that if they didn’t cut Rigdon off, they would have needed to stop practicing adultry or been cut off themselves.
Had Rigdon embraced the spiritual wife doctrine there is a good chance the quorum of the Twelve would have been happy to continue working under his direction.
Nevertheless, the sensitive issue of the spiritual wife doctrine was still being covered up by those who were secretly practicing it so the twelve and those conspiring with them needed to create a reason to get Rigdon out of the way. While they did mildly challenge his authority, the strongest argument they had of excommunicating him was to show that he was a transgressor… The ultimate finding of the court was that …
Having reviewed the profound testimony of Stake President William Marks at the trial of Sidney Rigdon, we can look back at the fateful day that the Spokesman from the loins of Judah was on the stand declaring his priesthood right.
A fit man, jumped on the stand and wrested the kingdom away under the law of common consent which enabled the Saints to cast their voices for something else.
Essentially the following question was asked by Brigham Young;
Would you rather be led by a prophet-spokesman or by a guardian?
“We are 14 years of age now. Ch[o]use your guardeen and when you get to be 21 then do business for youselves. You can save yourselves or Damn yourselves.”
As brother Sidney sat in his chair, with his face buried in his hands in disbelief, one can only wonder what he was thinking.. and what the Lord was thinking..
The words of the Lord to the Prophet Samuel come to mind;
“Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”
I now want to share a few excerpts from a fascinating unpublished revelation that has been lost and forgotten simply because virtually everyone in Nauvoo at the time of the succession issue rejected it. I doubt there are 1000 people in the Church today that have heard of it.
It was purportedly received on April 7 1841, several years before the martyrdom. It appeared in the “Messenger and Advocate” and also was copied from that publication into the May 10th edition of “The Prophet”. The instructions given to Joseph and those with him when it was recieved were to keep it secret and make it public at the death of Joseph.
The revelation was to be kept in John C. Bennetts safe-keeping until the death of Joseph Smith.
There are several reasons why the revelation never gained any traction; one is that Bennett was not seen as a credible source by most members of the church by the time of the martyrdom, secondly the wording in it was extremely odd and quite different from previous revelations. Words such as Imperial Primate, Triumvirate, viceroys, executive dominion, halcyon order, and illuminati are sprinkled throughout.
The wording is clearly talking about a KINGDOM coming forth.
Lastly, it states that Sidney Rigdon was the rightful successor to the prophet Joseph Smith. That, of course was not a popular belief for those hoping to maintain their station among Gods people.
I am not hoping you will believe it is true nor am I announcing that I have accepted it to be true. I am simply allowing others the agency to read it and judge for themselves if they think it is true… I feel it is worth mentioning because
a) it has some remarkable prophecies and doctrines that need to be examined in light of the 20/20 hindsight that comes four generations later.
b) it played a role in church history. There is reason to believe that Rigdon, if only for a short period of time may have believed it.
Here are a few of the remarkable things contained in this enigma:
1-Joseph Smith is to be a Great King and Imperial Primate over all Israel
2-One of them (speaking of Sidney and Hyrum) shall survive Joseph and shall be as Joseph unto my people
3-As the “key of doctrine” has been given unto Joseph so shall the key of “conquest” be given to Sidney and the great “key of the father” shall be given to Hyrum.
4-“..seal up this revelation and preserve it while Joseph yet pure and sacred and at his decease thou shalt give it to him who may be appointed to receive it..”
5-“My people will reject their prophet and refuse council, they will follow rulers that will usurp authority for filthy lucre’s sake”
6-“The apostasy shall be great and shall be ruled by 12 horns pushing them to destruction”
7-eventually “many of the apostasy shall return to God and he who holdeth the Key of Conquest shall prevail”
8-“The remnant of my people who follow not that leader (Key of Conquest” shall be cut off from the true fold’
9-The True Church shall be gathered to a delightsome city and afterwards many shall will go unto the land that I will tell them of by my servants the prophets in that day.. a land flowing with milk and honey
10-Emma shall be great, for she holdeth records and a great key of knowledge that the apostasy know not of.
11-“The glory of Zion doth not yet appear, for the kingdom that shall be set up shall be dissolved, and the kingdom holding the new keys shall prevail
12-“My servant the prophet, holding the key of conquest, shall consummate all these things, and all who will not hearken to the voice of that king shall be cut off from amongst the people”
I will be posting this revelation on a website since it is nowhere to be found at the present time. I will be providing the link HERE
In closing, let me remind you that the folly of the Gentiles has begun to manifest itself and the time is soon at hand when God will set his hand again, a second time to recover his people.
“…the Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world, the keys of knowledge, power, and revelations, should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world;”
“I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ– John the Revelator saw an angel flying thro’ the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, &c. the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth–John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood who should preach the everlasting gospel to all nations,–God had an angel, a special messenger, ordained, & prepared for that purpose in the last days—” ( Click here to see entire sermon)
The times of the Gentiles is about to come in again. The Second commission in the 3rd watch will result in the return of Gods servants to his vineyard. The light is about to shine forth among those who sit in darkness.
Prophecy reveals that the time will come when a remnant of the righteous Gentiles will repent and the Marvelous Work shall begin. The Dispensation fo the Fulness of Times shall come in and their shall be a great refreshing.
Let me suggest that prophecy never happens the way the masses expect it to happen and even those who are watching will be surprised at how things unfold.
It is time to be weaned from the milk and to ingest the meat. Deep things must be comprehended.
It is pretty clear that Joseph the Seer and Sidney the Spokesman will be the two that oversee the binding up the law and the sealing up of the testimony.
We have addressed the mystery of Joseph Smith and provided several pieces of the prophet puzzle by showing that he did act out the sins of apostate Israel, provide an acceptable offering, and intercessory blood sacrifice for latter day Israel, and that he will return as a refiners fire to purify the rest of the sons of Levi that they may offer an acceptable offering unto the Lord….
We know that Joseph Smith acted in the role of a witness, revealer, and intercessor.
Notice also that when Joseph Smith returns for the last time as Elijah the restorer he will “be like a refiners fire” and “shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver“. Are we ready to stand before God’s Servant. Can we withstand the heat?
In conjunction with this possibility, notice the following prophecy that Joseph Smith made about how he will shine like the sun when he returns in the 3rd watch;
“I then gave a relation of my situation at the time I obtained the record [Book of Mormon], the persecutions I met with, and prophesied that I would stand and shine like the sun in the firmament when my enemies and the gainsayers of my testimony shall be put down and cut off, and their names blotted out from among men” (tpjs pgs 69-70)
Now then.. what about Sidney Rigdon?
We know from modern revelation that Sidney will be the one anointed to declare the acceptable year of the Lord;
“The aSpirit of the Lord bGod is upon me; because the Lord hath canointed me to dpreach egood tidings unto the fmeek; he hath sent me to gbind up the brokenhearted, to hproclaim iliberty to the jcaptives, and the opening of the kprison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of avengeance of our God; to bcomfort all that cmourn;”
Joseph Smith made the following statement..
“the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage” (TPJS, p. 339).
Who was Joseph Smith referring to?
Someone was going to arise in the 3rd watch from the lineage of King David that would reign as King over Israel.
Keep in mind we already have a precedent for the fact that God sometimes changes the name of his prophets when they progress… (Abram-Abraham Jacob-Israel)
Remember Isaiah 11 and D&C 113? One of the distinguishing differences between the lineage of Joseph Smith and that of Sidney Rigdon was that Joseph was “partly” a descendent of Jesse and David while Sidney was a full blooded descendent of King David.
“Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.”
That would indicate that Sidney held the Davidic right to rule as a king in Israel.
Note this very interesting verse in the D&C 58:22
Those not well versed in the scriptures may assume that scripture is referring to Jesus Christ… and typologically is it. Also in the sense that the Davidic King of the 3rd Watch is Gods literal representative on earth also makes it applicable, however, the literal interpretation of that scripture refers to the Davidic King that comes to rule. The one mentioned by Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Hosea.
In fact, if you will do a key word search using the phrase “whose right“, it will link section 58 to Ezekiel 21:27 which speaks of the time when the wicked prince that is over apostate Israel will be overturned and the Lord will abase him while exalting the rightful one whose right it is to reign.
The statement from Joseph Smith and the above two scriptures along with the incredible profile the Lord provides of Sidney Rigdon seem to point to poor old lowly Sidney Rigdon as the rightful heir of the Davidic Throne.
He is the one that the Book of Revelation refers to as the “Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David” He is the one that when the 3rd watch opens “hath prevailed to open the Book and to loose the seven seals” so that the Seer from the loins of Joseph could “open the seals thereof“.
Indeed it appears to be brother Sidney that is sent from the presence of the Lord to declare:
“I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star“
Praise the Lord God for his Servant Sidney Rigdon. The first part of his calling was performed in dignity and sacrifice. The second part shall not doubt be glorious as the Lord God uses him to bring about his work and his glory in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
All of this is of course made possible by the infinite and eternal atonement of Jesus Christ.
This brings us to the end of this tribute to Brother Sidney. I apologize to you the reader and to Brother Sidney himself for how inadequate this has been. I beg your forgiveness for any mistakes that I have made. I assure you it has not been intentional. To the extent that this tribute helped to shed some light about the past and future ministry of God’s Spokesman I give glory to the God of Israel, Jesus Christ.
Truly, Brother Sidney kissed the rod and carried a burden we don’t comprehend. Perhaps it would be appropriate to end this tribute to Brother Sidney by sharing a blessing he received at the hands of his beloved fellow servant;
[November 19, 1833] … blessed be brother Sidney also notwithstanding he shall be high and lifted up, yet he shall bow down under the yoke like unto an ass that coucheth beneath his burthen; that learneth his master’s by the stroke of the rod: thus saith the Lord. Yet the Lord will have mercy on him and he shall bring forth much fruit; even as the of the choice grape when her clusters are ripe, before the time of the gleaning of the vintage: and the Lord shall make his heart merry as with sweet wine because of him who putteth forth his hand and lifteth him up <out of> [a] deep mire, and pointeth him out of the way, and guideth his feet when he stumbles; and humbleth him in his pride. Blessed are his generations. Nevertheless, one shall hunt after them as a man hunteth after an ass that hath strayed in the wilderness, & straitway findeth him and bringeth him into the fold. Thus shall the Lord watch over his generation that they may be saved: even so; Amen
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The Unrestrained Ponderings and Pontifications of a Heretic
Regarding the Book of Abraham, etc.
Patriarchal Priesthood
Abraham Ministers to his seed in Latter days
The Mystical Union of the Sexes- Composite Beings
[Editorial Note: Those interested in the topic of marriage, composite beings, the mystical union of the sexes and the
literal commandment for a man and woman to “become one flesh”, will also find this post of interest ]
It is interesting how intellectuals and scoffers try to judge and dismiss the doctrinal authenticity and accuracy of the papyrus and associated translation known as the Book of Abraham using scientific methods and the learning of man.
“Cursed is he who putteth his trust in the arm of flesh”
When viewed through the eyes of modern and ancient revelation, ancient Egyptian culture, events in the history of the LDS restoration movement and the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Abraham speaks for itself.
The Book of Abraham in conjunction with other ancient and modern revelation reveals some fascinating doctrines and sheds lights on LDS Church history pertaining to the priesthood, delivering of priesthood keys in the latter days, composite beings and the …
What Modern Revelation & the Book of Abraham
tells us about Priesthood
In the Book of Abraham, our Father Abraham tells us about his desire to seek the blessings of the fathers, possess great knowledge and to become a father of many nations. He had the right of the firstborn conferred upon him and sought for his appointment of God unto the Fathers:
It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me.
I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed” (Abr 1:2)
The Abrahamic Priesthood that enables one to give patriarchal blessings and to curse and bless others was given to Abraham and to his posterity.
“And I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee” (Abr 2:11)
This priesthood of Abraham was eventually appointed unto Hyrum Smith via his father and the Lord by blessing and by right.
Additionally, in 1841 Hyrum was also appointed to be a prophet seer and revelator unto the church in concert with Joseph Smith.
“And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed, as counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right;
That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people, That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph; That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery;That my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever.” (Section 124:91-96)
A few years after this appointment of Hyrum in 1841, Joseph announced to the Church that Hyrum alone was now acting as the president of the Church.
“P.M. went to the Grove and heard Pres. J. preach on the law of the priesthood. He stated that Hyrum held the office of prophet to the church by birth-right & he was going to have a reformation and the saints must regard Hyrum for he had authority.” (Clayton Diary July 16, 1843)
“Said he would not prophecy any more.–Hyrum should be the prophet–“ (Mentioned in Letter of Williard Richards)
One week after telling the Saints that Hyrum would now lead the church and that he (Joseph Smith) would no longer prophesy, he made the following statements:
“….Last Monday morning, certain men came to me and said: “Brother Joseph, Hyrum is no Prophet — he can’t lead the Church — you must lead the Church! If you resign…all things will go wrong; you must not resign; if you do the Church will be scattered.
TPJS 318; Words of Joseph Smith 234)
In another discourse given on August 27, 1843 the Prophet Joseph Smith explained that there are three grand orders of Priesthood spoken of in the 7th chapter of Hebrews. The first, or lowest is the Levitical (Aaronic) Priesthood which was never able to administer a Blessing but only to bind heavy burdens which neither they nor their father [was] able to bear.
The 2nd or Higher Priesthood was Abrahams Patriarchal Priesthood. He explained that it had the power to administer saving ordinances & Build the Temple so that God will fill it with power. He then said that the Patriarchal Priesthood was the greatest yet experienced in this church. (This is in Nauvoo in 1843!)
He then explained that the Melchizedec Priesthood had greater power than patriarchal Priesthood, even power of an endless life. Abraham eventually obtained the Melchizedec Priesthood by offering his son. Joseph explained that the Melchizedec Priesthood had the power to open the windows of heaven.. (See WJS Pages 244-245)
It is interesting to note that Joseph Smith pointed out that there are three priesthoods but only two of those priesthoods are in the Church. He said the Patriarchal Priesthood is the greatest priesthood experienced yet in the Church, and he said that just before he died. in another talk he acknowledged that his current teachings about priesthood contradicted the following statement in the D&C:
“There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.” (D&C 107:1)
Brigham Young seemed to agree with what Joseph said in the sermon, he said:
“If any in the Church have the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood [I do] not know it” (Words of Joseph Smith 304)
It appears from the statements of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young that perhaps the Melchizedek Priesthood was in the “Church of Christ” for a brief period until the Gentiles rejected the fullness of the Gospel and failed to establish Zion by the appointed time.
Shortly after that, the Lord changed the name of the “Church of Christ” to the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints” and declared that “something new must be done for the salvation of the Church”. He then had the Prophet Joseph Smith send forth the twelve Apostles to establish foreign missions for the purpose of taking the gospel from the Gentiles to the “outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah”.
It appears from statements of the Prophet Joseph Smith that both the Patriarchal Priesthood and the Aaronic Priesthood are appendages of the Melchizedec priesthood and they both may be used in the temporal church to help us get to the gate. However the Melchizedek Priesthood is not a part of the earthly priesthood order. It is obtained on the other side of the gate, admitting one into the Church of the Firstborn.
The first two priesthoods have to do with lineage and patriarchal right although callings and offices are confirmed by mortal priesthood authority. The fulness of Melchizedek Priesthood cannot be confirmed by mortal man. It is confirmed upon men by the calling of Gods own voice out of heaven. (For more information about the Melchizedec Priesthood and that associate powers to control the elements and translate people, read about Enoch and Melchizedek JST Gen 14. Moses 6&7, Alma 13
Replacing himself as the Prophet of the Church with his brother Hyrum is a remarkable event! Joseph called Hyrum to hold the same priesthood keys in presiding over the Church as himself in 1841 and then two years later he proclaimed to the Church that Hyrum was now the acting prophet of the church. He also notified that Saints that he would no longer be receiving revelations and commandments for the church.
Few people realize that this event was done in fulfillment of the prophecy and law of priesthood succession contained in section 43.
It stated that no one would be appointed to succeed Joseph before he died as long as HE IS FAITHFUL IN ABIDING IN THE LORD, however if power to receive revelations and prophecy should be taken from him, HE WOULD HAVE POWER TO APPOINT ANOTHER IN HIS STEAD TO RECEIVE REVELATIONS!
“O hearken, ye elders of my church, and give ear to the words which I shall speak unto you. For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church, through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations from my hand.And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead. And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments;
And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me. For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall receive through him whom I have appointed.” (The law of priesthood succession D&C 43:1-7)
Hence we see that Joseph and Hyrum presided over the Church in concert for a time and then, then Hyrum replaced Joseph altogether as the Prophet Seer and Revelator of the of the Church. Notice how section 43 foretells that if Joseph needs to appoint another in his stead, the new person will be able to recieve revelations like Joseph Smith did. In section 124 the Lord makes it clear that Joseph was to counsel Hyrum on how to ask and recieve:
“..he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive”
Unfortunately, the Saints rejected Hyrum as the Prophet Seer and Revelator. Of course, for all intents and purposes, the Saints had already rejected Joseph in that they had taken lightly the Book of Mormon and the revelations he brought forth. According to the prophecy of Isaiah, the Lord was covering the eyes of the seers:
“For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.” (2nd Ne 27)
The following diagram which has been used on other articles is a refresher on how the heavens had been closing after the failure of the Saints to redeem Zion by the appointed time in September 11 1836:
(Click on the graphic to enlarge)
The martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum after this event happened, set the church up for an interesting contest over who would lead the church. The succession issue is a fascinating topic. perhaps we will discuss at a later time.
In order to better understand patriarchal priesthood, let us get back to the Book of Abraham…
The Lord said to Abraham:
“..and in thee (that is, in thy priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy priesthood) for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say the literal seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed even with the blessings of the gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal…” Abr 2:10
In other words, Abrahams priesthood was in the literal seed of his body. The literal seed of his body was synonymous with his priesthood.
Seed=Priesthood
Phallus-Transmittal of Seed-Seed-Priesthood
It was not uncommon in ancient Egyptian culture to depict ithyphallic rulers & priests in their drawings and statues because an erect phallus not only represents fertility, but in fact also represents posterity, priesthood power and right of Kingship, indeed one of the great mysteries revealed in the Book of Abraham is that the term priesthood is synonymous with the literal seed of the body.
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The picture above and the pictures below are typical of pictures and relics in ancient artifacts that appear to depict the ithyphallic Patriarchal Priesthood as being synonymous with the seed of the body and the power of procreation.
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The Book of Abraham and the depictions contained therein are consistent with Ancient Egyptian Culture and the mysteries that were taught anciently to Abraham.
The following drawing is what it looked like when Joseph Smith gained possession of it.
It had some type of tear or water damage or some other type of damage that distorts or partially blocks the image. As with all things, this is no coincidence.
One wonders if it was according to the divine will of God that the image was incomplete and therefore more mysterious and controversial to those who would view it in the latter days.
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The picture below is what the picture currently looks like in the current editions of the Doctrine and Covenants.
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In his book, By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus, page 102, Charles Larson restores the scene according to the interpretation given by Egyptologists. He comments as follows: “Isis, meanwhile, has taken the form of a falcon and hovers over the groin of Osiris who holds his phallus (hence this is known as an ithyphallic drawing) in anticipation of the procreative act which will make Isis pregnant with their son Horus.”
Although Larson is a scoffer that appears to be devoid of the spirit of Revelation as evidence of his rejection of the Book of Abraham as being an authentic translation, he probably is correct in his determination that the original depiction included the phallus which represented the Holy Priesthood of Abraham.
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Ian Barber claims that in his newspaper in 1842, Joseph Smith reproduced an “explicit portrayal” of the erected phallus which then “offended Mormon sensibilities”. Later PGP editions whited out the phallic portion. But when the “triple combination” came out in 1981, Mormon leaders incredibly restored in Fig. 7 the long-censored “pornographic phallus” along with Joseph Smiths “interpretation” that these two images represent the “Holy Ghost” and “God sitting upon his throne”!!
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“He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” (Deut 23:1)
Of course, the creation story in the Book of Genesis and in particular the creation stories as related in the Book of Moses and the Book of Abraham reveals something very important about how man was spiritually created as a composite being consisting of male and female intelligence and how man becomes separated in a fallen state during this mortal probation with the opportunity to become reunited again into one fleshly tabernacle with the potential of becoming a glorified and exalted God.
It is not a coincidence that man and all of the other creatures EXCEPT the woman were formed from the dust of the ground.
The creation story reveals that Adam and Eve and all of their posterity had been spiritually created as living souls while in heaven during the sixth day of creation BEFORE being placed in the physical earth in physical bodies during the seventh day of creation. All things were created spiritually BEFORE they were naturally upon the face of the earth.
When originally organized into a living soul, God looked at the two intelligences that had been united together and “called their name Adam“. This does not mean that Adam and Eve were separate beings that were both named Adam, it means they were ONE being… a Composite being needing only one name. Adam was created in the image and likeness of God.. He was created from male and female intelligence just like God…
“…And this was the book of the generations of Adam, saying: In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; In the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created and became living souls in the land upon the footstool of God” (Moses 6:8)[Adam and all of his posterity were created as living souls in heaven during the sixth day of creation BEFORE Adam was formed out of the dust of the ground on this physical earth during the seventh day of creation! We were all created in heaven during the sixth day of creation in the image of Gods body which consists of both male and female intelligence!]
“And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air; But I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word.” (Moses 3:7)
When the composite spiritual man ADAM was formed he was made in the same image and likeness of God…..
It was after that, that he was formed from the dust of the ground on this physical earth.
Modern revelation clears up an apparent discrepancy in the Old Testament where it has Adam being created on the sixth day and then again being formed from the dust of the earth on the seventh day. This does not make sense in the Old Testament account because it does not tell about the spiritual creation that took place in heaven, during the sixth day, before Adam was formed from the dust of the ground.
It was not until Eve’s spiritual intelligence was taken out of Adams physical body that she was given a separate and different physical body and therefore a different name than Adam. Hence we are informed that in the spiritual creation Adam and Eve and their spiritual posterity were all originally created as Composite/Androgynous beings.
The Fall of Adam was made possible by separating Adams female intelligence from his male intelligence. This is why several ancient texts teach that Adam became incomplete and imperfect when Eve was taken out of him. This is what made the fall of man possible:
“When Eve was still in Adam death did not exist, When she was separated from him death came into being. If he again becomes complete and attains his former self, death will be no more.”
“My God my God why have you forsaken me?” It was on the cross that he said these words, for it was there that he was divided.
“If the woman had not separated from the man, she would not die with the man. His separation became the beginning of death. Because of this Christ came to repair the separation which was from the beginning and again unite the two and to give life to those who died as a result of the separation and unite them. But the woman is united to her husband in the bridal chamber. Indeed those who have united in the bridal chamber will no longer be separated. ” (The Nag Hammadi Library James M. Robinson General Editor)
Can this be why some ancient writers state that women don’t have souls? They are not saying women don’t have spirits, they are using the term soul the way the Doctrine and Covenants uses the term soul to mean the physical priesthood tabernacle that enables the male and female intelligence to be sealed or bound together.
The biblical quest of woman is to return to the condition she was originally created in…becoming reunited with her male part in its eternal state.
One of the first commandments that God gave to men and women is to get married so that they twain shall be one flesh.
THEY SHALL BE ONE FLESH
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
This concept is so disturbing to most people that they give vague non-literal explanations of what it means to become one flesh.. like spiritual unity or physical intimacy, etc. but actually the command is to be taken very literally. We are to return to the same state that we were created in, as a composite/androgynous beings.
The gospel of Thomas quotes Peter as saying to Christ ‘Make Mary leave us, for females don’t deserve life.’
Jesus said, ‘Look, I will guide her to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Thomas 114).
Indeed, every female that becomes male (united with a male) will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven! And every mortal male that fails to become sealed to a righteous female will remain incomplete and single and damned in their eternal progression, unable to procreate as Gods.
Hence this is why the new testament reminds us:
“neither is the man without the woman neither the woman without the man in the Lord“
When the Lord commanded the Saints to go to the Ohio to receive the higher law of consecration (which is an appendage of the everlasting covenant of Baptism wherein we loose our individual identity and assimilate into the image of Christ) given in section 42 of the D&C, one of the most important parts of Celestial Law contained in that section is the eternal law of monogamous fidelity in marriage that is mandatory for celestial law to be fulfilled.
Those who live the higher law of marriage (one man with one woman) which is part of the everlasting covenant of consecrated baptism have the potential to live in the highest celestial glory:
“In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees: And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into his order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He can enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have increase.” D&C 131:1-4
Referring to the mystical creation of one wife and one husband bound together in a composite soul in heaven and the requirement to enter an earthly probation as an incomplete single intelligence with the commandment to unite with the opposite gender and become one flesh again, section 49 states:
” Wherefore it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation; And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made.”
One of the diagrams found from the general timeframe and culture of Abraham is a composite deity that resembles the Great half man, half woman, Mother/Father who was shown as a winged goddess with leonine feet, an erect phallus and three heads – 1- a lion head wearing Min’s headdress 2- a woman’s head wearing the double crown of Egypt and 3- a vulture’s head wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt.
This composite being appears to be a representation of a being consisting of a male and female intelligence sealed together by the holy spirit of promise.
The Book of Revelation speaks of the 144,000 as being “high priests” (usually a male term) but it also speaks of them as being “virgins” (usually a female term)… why? Because in order to receive the mark of Godhood in your forehead you need to become a composite being composed of male and female intelligence to become perfect and complete.
The saviour said: “I am alpha (representative of the male gender in the Greek) and omega (representative of the female gender in the Greek), the first and the last, the beginning and the end“
Interestingly enough the concept that God is a composite/androgynous being composed of male and female, although a mystery to most people, was actually taught by by Erastus Snow, an LDS general authority:
“What,” says one, “do you mean we should understand that deity consists of man and woman?” Most certainly I do. If I believe anything that God has ever said about himself, and anything pertaining to the creation and organization of man upon the earth, I must believe that Deity consists of man and woman.
Now this is simplifying it down to our understanding, and the great Christian world will be ready to open their mouths and cry, “Blasphemy! Sacrilege!” Open wide their eyes and wide their mouths in the utmost astonishment. What! God a man and woman? . . .
I sometimes illustrate this matter by taking up a pair of shears, if I have one, but then you all know they are composed of two halves, but they are necessarily parts, one of another, and to perform their work for each other, as designed, they belong together, and
neither one of them is fitted for the accomplishment of their works alone. And for this reason says St. Paul, “the man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord.
In other words, there can be no God except he is composed of the man and woman united, and there is not in all the eternities that exist, nor ever will be, a God in any other way. I have another description: There never was a God, and there never will be in all eternities, except they are made of these two component parts; a man and a woman; the male and the female..
. . and there is no Lord, there is no God in which the two principles are not blended, nor can be; and we may never hope to attain unto the eternal power and the Godhead upon any other principle. . . ” (ES, JD 19:266-270)
As hard as LDS fundamentists try to contend that Christ was a mortal, married, polygamous father with children, the simple fact of the matter is that Celestial Law requires monogamy except in unusual temporary situations where a larger posterity is needed.
As pointed out in previous posts, when the spiritual creation took place, before the composite man Adam was put into the garden and eventually had his female intelligence separated from his male intelligence, all were created as composite beings. It was at that time that we were created in the express image of God… not after the fall and separation. The purpose of the atonement (At-One-Ment) is to bring our souls back to their original composite state with our final glory.
In a discourse given on July 9th 1843 the prophet Joseph Smith said;
“And through the atonement of Christ and the resurrection and obedience in the Gospel we shall again be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ, then we shall have attained to the image, glory and charactor of God.” ( HC 5:498-500)
From this it is evident that we are not currently in the image of God in our fallen state. It is because of the At-One-Ment that we shall be comformed to the image of God.
Furthermore, Christ was not a mortal man.
After he had achieved a state of Godhood prior to coming to this earth. He created the heavens and the earth. He then condescended and came to earth to provide an infinate and eternal atonement.
It was the fact that he was a God when he came into this world the enabled him to provide the perfect atonement for fallen mankind. He was not a mortal man, he was a GOD.
“I God have suffered these things for all…” (D&C 19)
This is why he never committed sin. This is why he was baptized to fulfill all righteousness instead of for the remission of sins.
The Book of Mormon reveals that the atonement of Christ was not a human sacrifice!
A human sacrifice would not have the necessary power to save us from our sins, it took a perfect GOD to provide a perfect and eternal atonement for mankind….
“And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a scrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.
But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. ” (Alma 34:10-14)
In another paper we will discuss the difference between the true doctrine of “Biblical Polygamy” vs the “Spiritual Wife” Doctrine that crept into the Mormonism AFTER the Saints broke the everlasting covenant and failed to meet the bridegroom at the appointed time.
In that paper we will show numerous problems and inconsistencies in section 132 and we will show that the “spiritual wife” doctrine has never been taught in the Bible, Book of Mormon or the authentic revelations received through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Abraham is a Ministering Angel to his seed in a strange land
In the 2nd chapter of the Book of Abraham the Lord reveals to Abraham that he will be a ministering angel to his seed after he dies.
“But I, Abraham, and Lot, my brother’s son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord appeared unto me, and said unto me: Arise, and take Lot with thee; for I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice.
For I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in heaven; the earth is my footstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my chariot; I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly.
My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;
And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.” (Abr 2)
The Lord is telling Abraham that after he dies-
This incredible event where our Father Abraham came as a ministering angel to his seed in the latter days has taken place! In fact it took place over 160 years ago, and yet many Latter day Saints are unaware that Father Abraham has ministered to the Latter day Saints.
Many Latter day Saints are unaware that our Father Abraham was the one referred to as Elias who appeared to Joseph and Oliver along with Moses and Elijah at the Kirtland Temple. It appears the Prophet Joseph Smith was commanded to use the name Elias as a code name for Abraham. The name Elias means forerunner or to prepare the way. It can actually apply to virtually any messenger.
Leaders and scholars of the LDS church have speculated that the ministering angel referred to as Elias that came to the Kirtland Temple might have been Gabriel, Noah & John the Baptist. Perhaps the most popular suggestion comes from Bruce R. McConkie, who suggested that this Elias was a prophet who lived at the time of Abraham. (That is oddly never mentioned in the Old Testament)
The fact that we Latter day Saints have been unable to arrive at the obvious deductions that Abraham is the one that delivered the Gospel of Abraham to Joseph and Oliver is a testament that blindness is over Israel!
On April 3rd 1836 Father Abraham came as a ministering angel to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple and committed to them the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. Compare Abr 2:6-11 & D&C 110:12
Have you ever wondered why we needed to have the gospel of Abraham delivered to the earth in 1836 if the Gospel of Jesus Christ was already delivered? Are the powers and priesthoods associated with the Gospel of Abraham a step up or a step down from the powers and authorities associated with the Gospel of Christ?
Even though God had told the Latter day Saints that they were the “Children of Israel” and they were the literal sons of Jacob who were the “lawful heirs according to the flesh” It becomes apparent that blindness was still over latter day Israel’s and will continue to be until the 3rd Watch or Dispensation of the Fulness of Times comes in. God wanted to keep some things hidden until the appropriate time.
Perhaps another reason why the Saints have been blinded to the fact that Elias was a code name for Abraham is because Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery did not reveal the vision contained in section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants to the Saints in Kirtland. They simply had their scribe, the brother of Oliver Cowdery write the event in a journal and they never mentioned the event during the remaining eight years up to the martyrdom.
Clearly God commanded Joseph and Oliver to keep this incredible event a secret from the Latter day Saints. The transferring of messages and priesthood keys from Moses, Elijah and Abraham was not published in the Doctrine and Covenants until 1876… 40 years later! Why did God want the Saints to wait for the space of a biblical generation before realizing that ministering angels appeared and transacted very important business with the sons of Moses and Aaron in the Kirtland Temple?
By 1876 the doctrinal beliefs of the Saints were pretty much entrenched, the minds of the Saints were quite a bit more darkened and doctrinal scholars in the 1870’s were clueless about who Elias was or why the Saints needed the Gospel of Abraham in addition to the fulness of the Gospel of Christ.
There are probably numerous reasons that the Lord wanted to keep the appearance of Christ, Moses, Abraham and Elijah to the latter day children of Israel cryptic and concealed…
Perhaps one of them is that if the Latter day Saints would have understood that Abraham literally visited them in America as his seed, they would have realized that the Land of America is the true land promised to the seed of Abraham in the last days and all of the ancient prophecies about the seed of Abraham, Judah and Israel pertain directly to the Later Day Saints and other remnants of Israel in American, not to the Ashkenazi Jews over in the Old World.
Indeed the Book of Mormon teaches that the real Jews who rejected Christ at the meridian of time have been scattered among the gentiles and many have begun to believe in Christ and have joined the LDS faith.
One has to wonder if another reason for keeping this event secret is that it reveals that after the Gentiles rejected the Gospel, broke the everlasting covenant and defiled the Kirtland Temple, God changed the name of the Church and took the gospel from the Gentiles to the Jews who had mingled among the gentile nations.
Can it be that in 1836, after failing to redeem Zion at the appointed time, God was downgrading the Saints from the Gospel of Jesus Christ which was governed by the Melchizedek Priesthood to the Gospel of Abraham which is governed by the Abrahamic Priesthood?
This would explain the apparent discrepancy wherein Joseph Smith declared that the only two priesthoods in the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints” were the Aaronic and Patriarchal Priesthoods even though he had previously stated that the only two priesthoods in the “Church of Christ” were the Aaronic and Melchizedek.
Shortly after the event at the Kirtland Temple and after the failure of the Saints to establish Zion at the appointed time on September 11 1836, Joseph Smith made the following observation’
“Something new must be done for the Salvation of the Church”
He then commissioned the twelve apostles to establish foreign missions for the gathering of the dispersed of Judah.
Moses had prophesied that the time would come when the blessing and the cursing would again be placed upon latter day Israel. Is it possible that the blessing and the cursing took place at the Kirtland temple without anyone realizing it? (Deut 30)
Certainly the acceptance of the Kirtland Temple by Christ and the past and future endowments associated with it was a tremendous blessing, yet the possible switching from the Melchizedek Priesthood to the Patriarchal Priesthood by which to govern the Church and the ominous declaration by Elijah the Prophet indicating that the curse would eventually go forth from the Kirtland Temple would constitute a cursing to those who refuse to repent when the messengers go forth for the last time in the 3rd Watch.
It is interesting to note that even the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple that was offered 8 days before the appearance of Moses Elijah and Abraham was also withheld from being canonized. It was also introduced into the Doctrine and Covenants 40 years later in 1876. In it God reveals where the real Jerusalem of last days prophecy is really located!
In the dedicatory prayer the Leaders of the church were identified as the literal sons of Jacob and Kirtland was identified as the Jerusalem of the Latter days…. not to be confused with the New Jerusalem that was to be in Jackson county.
Another possible reason the Saints were not to know about the literal visit from Abraham is because it would have indicated that America is the land where the posterity of Abraham was to wander for 400 years and then that nation will be judged by the Lord God of Israel.
Are you ready for the ultimate consummation of the blessing and the cursing upon the heads of Abrahams posterity?
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
A Great Test
In previous posts I have quoted Heber C Kimball who warned that just before the return of Christ, a great test was coming upon the Saints. Of course he was simply paraphrasing what the prophecies in the scriptures warn us about.
The Savior characterized the coming test as one that would be so great, so deceptive, so seductive, that IF POSSIBLE (which it is not) it would deceive even the very elect.
Among the issues that will accompany the great controversy that is coming up, will be two of the doctrines that are at the very heart of modern day Mormonism, the so-called “Temple Endowment” and the so called “New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage” (Spiritual Wife Doctrine).
I have been attempting to address these two issues within some of my past posts but it is a daunting task to challenge something so deeply entrenched into the religious psyche of the LDS people. One of these doctrines actually springs from a “revelation” contained in the D&C. Section 132.
Contemporary False Prophets
Among the false prophets that are contemporary to our time, there are some that are actually publishing “thus saith the Lord” revelations.
I have previously mentioned the charismatic “Christopher Nemelka” who claims to be bringing forth the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon. Another one recently mentioned by the Anarchist is Robert C Crossfield and a third, one of my favorites, is a guy by the name of Art Bulla.
All three of these characters have produced “thus sayeth the Lord” revelations that are potentially seductive to those not exercised in the scriptures in that they cover some very advanced doctrines and there is much truth mingled within them regarding the apostasy of latter day Israel.
All three of these false prophets and many others share one thing in common, they all emphasis the doctrine of plurality of wives contained in section 132 and it is this doctrine that gives them such credibility in the eyes of those that have had their eyes opened to the latter day apostasy of Israel yet still believe section 132 is a true revelation from God.
The prophet Joseph Smith once said that Satan would teach 9 truths in an effort to perpetuate one lie.
That will be the nature of much of the test that is coming, there will be so much enlightenment and truth in the message of Satan’s minions that it will be extremely difficult for many to identify that one lie that is being perpetuated.
Crossfield and Bulla’s revelations are, in my opinion so seductive because of the amount of truth intermingled in them that I don’t think they have been manufactured by mortal man, I really feel that old Scratch himself inspired them.
Back in the earlier part of our marriage, when Mrs Watcher and I had much more zeal than knowledge, we had a desire to live all of the laws of God and therefore were trying to prepare our hearts to live all of them. Among the laws that we assumed that we would need to live one day is the so called everlasting covenant of marriage as described in section 132.
To this end, in the spirit of the “law of Sarah” Mrs Watcher had told me about a dear friend of hers in our ward who was a single parent with two kids, that she would be willing to have her as a “sister wife” someday.
That is how seriously she took section 132.
That was long before the experience that Mrs Watcher wrote about having to do with receiving false revelations.
Do Women have Souls?
Mrs Watcher came into my office one day after pondering how the 144,000 High Priests could be virgins and it didn’t say anything about any wives of these High Priests despite the importance of the marriage covenant.
She was a little upset that nowhere in the scriptures did it talk about what was the ultimate state of women.
I laughed and jokingly stated that they must not be saved.
This wasn’t very funny to Mrs. Watcher because by this time she was familiar with the statement (I think in Josephus) that women did not have souls. She was also familiar with the statement by Brigham Young who had authoritatively opined that women did not have the spiritual capacity to become daughters of perdition like men could become sons of perdition.
These and other statements got her searching the scriptures and words of the prophets, looking for documentation that in fact, women could become exalted. Unfortunately, as she did this she was reminded how chauvinistic many of the scriptures appear to be with regard to women as well as how women were treated in Old Testament times, New Testament times and in the earlier periods of the church.
We had a long talk about this topic and she ” gave me the mandate” (LOL) to dig into the scriptures and to profile what exactly the truth of the matter was regarding the creation and eternal role of the sexes and what happens to women in eternity.
We both had a deep desire to better understand the eternal relationship of the genders and the eternal nature of our relationship with each other and with God.
As we began studying that particular doctrine, we became aware of a very controversial pamphlet that was circulated in Nauvoo about polygamy just at about the time that polygamy was secretly being introduced to some of the leading Elders of the Church. It was titled “The Peace Maker” and was supposedly authored by a Mr Udney Jacobs even though it was published by Joseph Smiths printing press.
Some historians speculate that Joseph Smith actually authored it and had it distributed under another persons name in an effort to build a doctrinal foundation for the introduction of the practice and also to “test the waters” to see if the Saints would be willing to support such a radical doctrine and life style. When so many of the Saints found it so abrasive and repugnant, Joseph smith distanced himself from it and from the person who wrote it.
Here is what John D. Lee said about it;
“During the winter Joseph, the Prophet, set a man by the name of Sidney Hay Jacobs to select from the Old Bible scriptures as pertained to polygamy, or celestial marriage, to write it in pamphlet form, and to advocate that doctrine. This he did as a feeler among the people, to pave the way for celestial marriage”
I am not suggesting that John D Lee’s statement is accurate, I simply don’t know. After reading John’s book that he wrote just prior to his execution (for his part as the scapegoat in the Mountain Meadows Massacre) I feel that John was a good man and would not have lied about the pamphlet, nevertheless, he could have gotten his information from a questionable source.
As I was one day researching I came upon another fascinating document that is being kept at the church historical library. It is called the “little Known Discourse” by Joseph Smith.
It is a discourse supposedly given by Joseph Smith on marriage that was recorded and documented in the biography of Warren and Amanda Smith, of Haun’s Mill Fame.
Some historians are claiming that the “Little Known Discourse” was taken from the “Peace Maker”.
Again, I don’t claim to know the truth about the origin of either of these two documents, but if you want to read some fascinating information about the doctrine of marriage, these documents are certainly interesting. You risk sleeping on the couch if you read them with your wife and indicate that you agree with them!
One day Mrs Watcher was pondering the contents of one of the above pamphlets which postulated that the woman is given to the man in marriage but the man is NOT given to the wife in marriage and that it is therefore unbiblical and impossible for the wife to divorce her husband, only the husband can divorce his wife… it opined that the man was to rule over and have dominion over his wife. It stated that the husband “owns” the wife in a similar manner that he owns his horse, etc.
Frankly, the Old and New Testament have a chauvinistic view that can be construed to support some of the doctrines contained in the two publications.
The contents within the pamphlet was so ruthlessly demeaning towards the female gender that it actually threw Mrs Watcher into a state of depression and deeply injured her spirit.
After Mrs Watcher had been in the bathroom for an inordinate amount of time I knocked on the door to see what was wrong… she was in tears and had bared her soul and body before the Lord laying face down on the floor of the bathroom asking the Lord to help her be more submissive toward Him and toward me. She wanted to see things the way the Lord did and with her current information and understanding it was all quite perplexing.
That experience happened shortly after I had acquired scripture crunching software and I took on the project of trying to understand what the eternal relationship of the male and female genders really was.
It was during this period of study that I gained a deep testimony of the literal nature of the creation story in genesis and the additional, more accurate details found in the JST version as well as the pearl of Great Price.
I am not going to address what I found regarding this topic in this post although I have addressed this topic to some extent in “the Unrestrained Pondering and Pontifications of a Heretic” and to a much greater extent in this article “CELIBACY, the Doctrine of Marriage & the Shaker Connection” article.
But please don’t cheat and go to those articles, stick with me here…
Let me just say that although the mystical union of the sexes and the doctrine of composite beings is a mystery to most people, it is taught plainly in the scriptures but it is so simple and obvious and sacred, yet mystical and abhorrent to the natural man, that it is difficult for many to accept and to comprehend.
It has really enhanced our relationship with each other and with God and enhanced our understanding of the role of women and our testimonies of the Gospel.
I simply mention this experience because it pertains to the insidious Spiritual Wife doctrine which breads chaos instead of unity and enslaves women and allows the lusts of men to run wild.
The plain and simple fact of the matter is that the whoring spirit that the church contracted in Nauvoo has remained in the Church to this very day.
The government has not been able to “legislate” this whoring spirit out of the church. It takes much more than legislation to cast out an evil spirit.
There are legions of LDS men who can’t wait for the practice of plural marriage to return… some openly, some secretly. And it isn’t just a sexual thing, it has to do with changing the dynamics of the marital relationship in such a way as to increase the dominion and power of the priesthood head.. as if they don’t already have enough power to get themselves and their spouses into serious trouble.
Anyway, getting back to the general topic, many of the “thus saith the Lord” revelations conjured up by people like Crossfield and Bulla really harp on the temple covenant and the so-called New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage.
Documenting the true facts about the Spiritual Wife Doctrine
Mrs Watcher has been asking me for quite some time to bring together my research on the spiritual wife doctrine that I did nearly two decades ago and put it into a listing of scriptural and historical observations about this topic. She really wanted it accomplished by our 31st anniversary which took place a few weeks ago but I failed to get it done.
Unfortunately it is still not finished because I have not kept good notes and a good filing system on the research I have done over the years but in honor of her Christ-like ability to put up with me for all of these years I have started the listing which is a work in progress and it can be viewed further down in this post. I encourage those of you that are still struggling with this doctrine to prayerfully read this article and use it as a primer for doing your own prayerful research into the matter.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you come to terms with section 132 and the Spiritual Wife doctrine BEFORE the great test begins.
Conversely, the so-called endowment also needs to be dealt with BEFORE the test begins.
Is the Church Progressing or Declining Spiritually?
One day I was having a conversation with a faithful and passionate member of the LDS Church and I asked him what his thoughts were about the current leaders of the church. I asked him why they did not receive “thus saith the Lord” revelations and I asked him how they compared spiritually with the Prophet Joseph Smith.
His answer surprised me.
He first said that the Church has continually progressed spiritually from the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith and that the leaders of the church now days are so extremely revelatory that they don’t need visions and dreams nor do they need to hear the voice of God or to receive word for word “thus saith the Lord” revelations.
He said that the leaders are so incredibly in tune with the spirit that whatever they utter is the word of the Lord to the Latter day Saints. He made it sound as if the use of the urim and thummim and seer stones and the open visions and the “thus saith the Lord” revelations that Joseph Smith got, represented the “lesser light” and that we now have the “greater light”.
One of the things you need to do as you study the scriptures, the gospel and the events of the LDS foundation movement is to determine for yourself if the church has in fact continually been on an upward path doctrinally and spiritually from the time of the re-establishment of the Church in 1830. In particular, you need to evaluate what direction they were on from 1830 to 1844. Were they progressing or declining spiritually and doctrinally.
Did “thus saith the Lord” revelations dry up during the Nauvoo period because Joseph Smith became more spiritual and could simply reveal truths through sermons as he spoke, or were the heavens being closed because the Saints had lost the fulness of the priesthood and broken the everlasting covenant?
Were the Saints obedient to the first laws and commandments given to them in the first six years after the re-establishment of the church, including the successful establishment and living of the law of consecration, the building of the Jackson Temple and keeping the Kirtland Temple undefiled? If not, does it seem logical that God would then entrust them with even greater laws? And if so, would the higher laws contradict eternal laws previously given?
If the higher law of consecration given in section 42, in 1831 was ultimately rejected in Jackson, Kirtland and Far West, does it seem consistent with Gods nature and the history of his dealings with mankind that he would just brush it off and begin giving even higher laws and greater revelation to his people in Nauvoo? Or would he make good on his promise and send them strong delusion, and turn them over to Scratch for several generations like he did time and time again anciently?
Please remember, there was no other law given besides section 42 before the appointed time of September 11th 1836 when the Saints were to have redeemed Zion.
I leave you with these things to ponder as I invite you to review the information about the Spiritual Wife doctrine below as well as the following two articles that address the so-called “temple endowment” that originated during a very dark time in the history of the church.
The Spiritual Wife Doctrine
I have been meaning to do a post on biblical polygamy, the spiritual wife doctrine and the so-called New and Everlasting Covenant pertaining to multiple wives as contained in section 132. I just never seem to have the time to gather all my thoughts and research on it so I am posting this in it’s unfinished condition.
I will be adding more later.
None of these three doctrines are necessarily synonymous.
As I have mentioned in several other posts, there is a huge difference between the doctrine of “Biblical Polygamy” vs the “Spiritual Wife” doctrine that originated in Nauvoo.
There is also a difference between the Spiritual Wife doctrine and the doctrine contained in section 132.
It is truly sad that fundamentalists, gospel scholars and historians have allowed the spiritual wife doctrine to be confused with the biblical doctrine of polygamy.
This obscures and muddies the waters and results in people getting off track as to the real issues.
Biblical polygamy has to do with having multiple wives, usually for the purpose of expanding ones posterity, but the principle never was considered a higher law necessary for a higher exaltation, during Old Testament times.
The so-called New and Everlasting Covenant of having multiple wives sealed to a man as a requirement for the highest exaltation, as defined in section 132, is an aberration that grew out of the LDS apostasy. It differs from the more general definition of what became known as the Spiritual Wife doctrine in Nauvoo in that it limits the taking of plural wives to virgins and prohibits the taking of widows, divorcees and other men’s wives.
The Spiritual Wife Doctrine is a doctrinal anomaly that states that a man needs to be sealed to multiple wives in order to gain the highest exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. It also grew out of the Nauvoo period of the LDS restoration movement. This doctrine simply cannot be justified in the four standard works, in fact it contradicts several revelations contained in the D&C and it is even in clear violation of the so-called “New and Everlasting Covenant” as outlined in section 132.
Clearly, God tolerated polygamy among some of the prophets and patriarchs to create a larger posterity through some of his chosen vessels through which he had a covenant relationship. Additionally, we know that the children of Israel under Moses, while being cursed with a lesser law were allowed to live it in their darkened and deprived state after they rejected the holy order of the Priesthood.
Polygamy was, like other parts of the lesser law, a cursing to the children of Israel and there is nothing in scripture to support that they were sealed to multiple wives as part of celestial law, indeed, they had rejected the higher law that Moses tried to prepare them for. Also, in the New Testament, we are reminded that a brother of a deceased person could raise up seed unto his dead brother via the principle of polygamy.
For all we know, this may be the sole circumstance under which the children of Israel practiced it as well. Although the Old Testament doesn’t provide much information about polygamy other than a few rules Moses gave them, the Book of Mormon does clearly specify why God allowed the doctrine of polygamy during a few periods in ancient times;
“Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredomes are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command you people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abomination of their husbands” Jacob 2: 30
The Spiritual Wife doctrine, on the other hand, which teaches that a man must be sealed to multiple wives in order to gain a celestial inheritance in the highest kingdom simply cannot be documented or substantiated in the Old Testament, New Testament or Book of Mormon.
Although latter day revelation received through Joseph Smith clearly also forbids polygamy in section 42, section 49 and in the original section on marriage written by Oliver Cowdery, there is one very questionable section of the Doctrine and Covenants which teaches the original version of the Spiritual Wife doctrine that originated in Nauvoo. ( I say it is a “version” of the Spiritual wife doctrine because it limits a man to marrying “virgins” even though many of those who practiced the spiritual wife doctrine in Nauvoo and Utah violated that portion of the so-called revelation and married widows, divorcees and other men’s wives.)
Since section 132 contradicts the original Section on Marriage written by Oliver Cowder, which it replaced in 1876, as well as contradicting the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon and all other sections in the Doctrine and Covenants pertaining to this doctrine, we have an obligation to take a critical look at the contents of this revelation to see if it is true.
Indeed, as the apostle Paul counseled, we must prove all things and hold fast to that which is true.
I want to dissect portions of section 132 that are problematic to see if in fact they are incongruent with the rest of the revealed word of God .
For this reason, I will address various passages contained in section 132 and I will list additional scriptural and historical problems pertaining to the so called Spiritual Wife doctrine as well. Before we begin itemizing the many problematic inconsistencies pertaining to section 132, let me remind you that there is no existing copy of the original manuscript and the revelation was not ever published in the Book of Commandments or D&C during the life of Joseph Smith. Indeed, section 132 was not published in the D&C until about 1876, within about one year before the death of Brigham young. Now let’s review 132 and the Spiritual Wife doctrine to see how consistent they are with the rest of the revealed word of God;
McConkie probably references 1831 in the chapter heading because the Prophet Joseph Smith appears to have received a revelation in that year pertaining to “biblical polygamy” which indicates that the Lamanites would become a white and delightsome people via the principle of polygamy with some of the elders of the Church. That is according the a letter written by WW Phelps many many years after the event supposedly took place. There is no other credible documentation I am aware of to provide a second witness for the supposed utterance of Joseph Smith nor is there any credible documentation to indicate that Joseph and the brethren actually attempted to change the color of the Lamanites by breeding with them… LOL. We will cover that revelation later on in this post but for now, please understand that the revelation known as section 132 and the associated principles pertaining to the Spiritual Wife doctrine WERE NOT RECEIVED AS EARLY AS 1831! Indeed, they appear to have surfaced after the Saints defiled the Temple in Kirtland, probably in about 1841-2
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
There are numerous apparent discrepancies pertaining to what has been written about the priesthood that make this topic very confusing.
I am going to discuss a few of these at this time.
If you feel you have a firm understanding of priesthood at this point you may wish to skip over this section of this post.
I personally feel that it was in Gods will for there to be confusion regarding many things pertaining to the LDS foundation movement and restoration of the priesthood in the latter days.
We are told that blindness would be upon Israel. However, we are also told that the time would come when the darkness would disperse and the light would shine forth.
I believe that the darkness is slowly beginning to disperse and that people are being prepared to receive Gods servants when they return in the 3rd watch to begin the Marvelous Work.
Apparent discrepancy #1 In 1835 section 107 was given which states “There are, in the church, two apriesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and bAaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.”
Yet in a discourse given in August of 1843 Joseph Smith identifies the Aaronic, Patriarchal and Melchizedek priesthoods and says “Abrahams Patriarchal power.. is the greatest yet experienced in THIS church” (Manuscript History of the Church Ms/d/4409; August 27, 1843; CHD; Franklin D. Richards “Scriptural Items”)
Is that a contradiction?
No.
Up until about 1834 the Melchizedek priesthood was present in the Church of Christ because that highest priesthood had been restored in 1831 at the Morley Farm. However as a result of the Saints failure to live consecration, and to redeem Zion, we are later informed in section 124 that the fullness of the priesthood had been lost. We know that during the apostasy of the church in Kirtland, the name of the church was changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Hence, that is the church that Joseph Smith was referring to in 1843 when he said that the patriarchal priesthood was the greatest priesthood yet experienced in that church.
It is also important to realize that according to Joseph Smith, all priesthood is Melchizedek. He obviously meant that all priesthood is a higher or lesser portion of Melchizedek priesthood. In that sense, it would not be surprising if the patriarchal priesthood was at times referred to as Melchizedek priesthood even though it is not the highest order of the Melchizedek priesthood.
Apparent discrepancy #2. Joseph smith taught that “all priesthood is Melchizedek”.
Again, I would submit, that since the Melchizedek priesthood governs the Patriarch and Aaronic priesthoods, that the statement is true, all priesthood is Melchizedek.
Nevertheless, sometimes the word Melchizedek is used in a broad global sense to include all three divisions, sometimes it is used to distinguish the higher and highest from the lesser, and sometimes it is used exclusively to refer to the Highest Priesthood, ie, High Priest.
It is fascinating to observe the evolution of the use of the word Melchizedek priesthood in early church history. The following observations were taken from the baop website;
“Virtually all present occurrences of the word “priesthood” in historical texts of this time period (~1831) (aside from Book of Mormon passages) reflect retroactive insertions. New England protestants tended to view the word with some misgivings, making the connection to European Catholicism.
“Mechizedek priesthood” is a term that fails to occur in any contempory revelation or document at this period. Some of the early revelations (like D&C 20 and D&C 68) were updated to reflect the term at the 1835 publication of the D&C. The Moroni visit reference to Elijah revealing the “Priesthood” was not written until 1838.
Until 1834, there is no official reference to “priesthood” as a separate notion, there were only “offices” to which a man might be “ordained.”
At the time of these events, there was no formal distinction between the “authority pools” from which offices were drawn, the only difference between ‘teacher,’ ‘priest,’ and ‘elder’ was defined in the list of duties in the Articles [D&C 20].
Hence the term Melchizedek Priesthood may have been synonymous for Joseph and other early leaders, if they even knew the term, with the office of “high priest” (Mechizedek’s priesthood). [See for example, The Journals of William E. McLellin, ed. John W. Welch, Jan Shipps, (BYU Studies and University of Illinois Press, 1994) 283.]
Thus the notion of “priesthood” in 1831 was quite different from its later incarnation (ca. 1835). The differences are well illustrated by the two “priesthood revelations” [D&C 84 and D&C 107:1-58] from these periods. The “two priesthoods” mentioned in D&C 84 are the “lesser priesthood” and the “high priesthood and the “elect” represents the third and highest priesthood.”
It is apparent that the term Melchizedek was not being used in the Church prior to the restoration of the highest priesthood in 1831. It was clearly used by Lyman, Joseph and others to describe the event at the Morley Farm. However the use of the term in scripture was somewhat evolutionary.
Apparent discrepancy #3 is that Joseph and Lyman stated that the Melchizedek priesthood was restored for the first time at the Morley farm while David Whitmer claims that he had been told by Joseph that the apostolic priesthood that was restored by Peter James and John was the highest priesthood.
Again, I would submit that we are dealing with semantics and time sensitive statements. At the time Joseph made that statement, the patriarchal priesthood was the highest priesthood in the church and, since all priesthood is Melchizedek, he may very well have referred to it as such.
Apparent discrepancy #4 has to do with the fact that even though the highest priesthood is not a priesthood based on lineage like the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Moses/Abraham, the fact of the matter is that according to modern revelation, a gentile cannot be elected to it unless he does obtain and magnify at least one of the lesser priesthoods! Hence the lesser two priesthoods play an essential role in obtaining the highest priesthood.
Apparent discrepancy #5 is in the fact that the whole purpose of the patriarchal priesthood of Moses/Abraham is to merge into the highest priesthood and therefore some of the phraseology pertaining to the priesthood begins speaking about the lineage priesthood and merges into the priesthood without father and mother. If you don’t have a foundation of understanding, it is easy to assume that the patriarchal priesthood is the highest priesthood.
Apparent discrepancy #6 has to do with priesthood keys. It is easy to make the assumption that anyone holding the keys of the Kingdom has already entered into the kingdom. THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY CORRECT!
By way of analogy, I can purchase a house which is locked and be handed the keys to it. The fact that I have the keys that can unlock the house does not mean that I am in it or that I have ever been in it.
Now, taking the analogy to real life, lets look at the case of individuals like Lyman Wight and David Whiter who had been given the priesthood keys before entering into the kingdom…
In 1829 John the Baptist restored the Aaronic priesthood to the earth. Shortly after that, Peter James and John restored the “higher priesthood”.
Several of the early elders and apostles of the restored Church of Christ such as David Whitmore and Lyman Wight were ordained to that “higher priesthood” that Peter James and John restored.
This priesthood ordination gave them the keys to the kingdom, or, in other words, the keys to the church, which, by definition is the authority to administer the saving ordinances of the Gospel .(see D&C 42: 69 )
It enabled them to administer the saving ordinances of the Gospel which includes the new and everlasting covenant of Baptism.
Initially, after entering into the oath of the Father as contained in section 20, one receives the baptism of water and the confirmation wherein the recipient is invited to receive the Holy Ghost. The reception of the Holy Ghost after (and even before, in some documented cases) is predicated on the worthiness of the recipient.
I would submit that this first endowment of the Holy Ghost that is referred to as the “gift of the holy ghost” does not necessarily represent the “constant companionship of the Holy Ghost”
If you will do a “key phrase” search of “gift of the holy ghost”, you will find that it is never associated with having a constant companionship with the Holy Ghost.
In fact do a key phrase search of “constant companionship” and you will see it does not show up in the four standard works… although the concept, using differing terminology does.
The normal chronology for receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is to be baptized by water and then confirmed by the laying on of hands. Then the Lord blesses the righteous with the gift.
15 And whoso having faith you shall aconfirm in my church, by the laying on of the bhands, and I will bestow the cgift of the Holy Ghost upon them. D&C 33: 15
Nevertheless, there are times in the New Testament when believers received the gift of the Holy Ghost first, then got baptized;
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the aGentiles also was poured out the bgift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with atongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the aHoly Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be abaptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
According to the scriptures, following the baptism of water, confirmation and the reception of the gift of the holy Ghost, one needs to receive the baptism of fire and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is not the baptism of fire nor is it the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The preparatory ordinances of water baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost enable the recipient to show forth faith and repentance by keeping the outer ordinance of baptism by water and confirmation
Upon faithfulness, the Father sends the spiritual priesthood endowment by calling the recipient to the priesthood by his own voice out of the heavens. After being called, if the recipient is humble, he is transfigured by the Gory of God and sees the Father and the Son. This is the Baptism of Fire.
I think one can make a strong case for the fact that the experience that Wight had at the Morley Farm was synonymous to what the scriptures refer to as the of baptism of fire.
Later on in section 88, when the Lord pronounced some of the High Priest clean and sanctified, he gave them the “other comforter”, that is what the scriptures appear to refer to as the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The following, passages are speaking about those who gain an inheritance in the celestial kingdom and it illustrates the first and last in the relationship that a follower has with the Holy Ghost;
“That by akeeping the commandments they might be bwashed and ccleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the dhands of him who is eordained and sealed unto this power; (that is the intermittent “Gift of the Holy Ghost”)
53 And who aovercome by faith, and are bsealed by the Holy Spirit of cpromise, which the Father dsheds forth upon all those who are just and true. (that is the constant companionship of the Second comforter which is the promise of eternal life. It is given AFTER the baptism of Fire sanctifies the recipient)
54 They are they who are the achurch of the bFirstborn.”
The following four steps show the initial remission of sins by the Spirit of Christ followed by the three levels of relationship with the Holy Ghost,
1- Remission of sins by Spirit of Christ
2- Gift of the Holy Ghost
3- Sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost by the will of the Father
4- Baptized by the Holy Ghost- the promise of eternal life
The fact that a patriarchal priesthood holder holds the keys of the kingdom by being authorized to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel, does not categorically mean that he himself has used those saving ordinances to entered into the kingdom.
A person can be ordained to the patriarchal priesthood and hold the keys of the saving ordinances of the gospel and yet still not be called or elected to the highest priesthood by the Father.
This is illustrated by the fact that Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Lyman Wight had been given the keys and had been administering them for nearly two years prior to the special conference, yet none of them had been called by God to the Highest Priesthood until the special conference at the Morley Farm.
Although Lyman Wight was a man of great faith and had been a valiant missionary, dispensing the keys of the kingdom to new converts during the first few years after the restoration of the Aaronic and Patriarchal priesthood, he himself had entered into the gate by water baptism and the gift of the holy ghost, but he had not yet been endowed with a greater priesthood endowment until the special conference in 1831 at the Morley Farm.
He had not yet previously received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery were ordained High Priests shortly after the special conference but there is not historical documentation to suggest that either of them ever received the fire.
David’s eventual rejection of the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood and the events that took place at the special conference would indicate that he never did enter into the fire during the 2nd watch.
Apparently Discrepancy #8 Some people assume that a Prophet is the highest office and/or title in the priesthood. This theory is very problematic.
First of all I question whether a prophet or a seer or a revelator or a translator is actually a priesthood “office”. I realize the scriptures state that the “president of the high priesthood” is to be all of those things, but are those priesthood offices, in the sense that the “president of the high priesthood” or a “high priest” or an “elder” is?, or are those spiritual gifts that they are blessed with?
The following quote seems to indicate they are gifts associated with the office;
91 And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to apreside over the whole church, and to be like unto bMoses—
92 Behold, here is wisdom; yea, to be a aseer, a brevelator, a translator, and a cprophet, having all the dgifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.
While that is one way to prove that a prophet is not the highest office, one could argue whether that statement also means that a prophet is a priesthood office or if it is saying that an apostle is greater BECAUSE a prophet is not a priesthood office. For that matter, we know that an apostle holds the keys of the kingdom, that is not necessarily true of a prophet.
It seems to me that anyone, including a little child, can be blessed with the gift of prophecy and yet not hold the keys of the kingdom like an Apostle does.
One thing that leads me to believe that a prophet is not a priesthood office is that it is never mentioned as such in the scriptures that I am aware of.
Another thing that JS said that leads me to believe that a prophet is not an office is his following statement;
“a prophet is a prophet only when he was acting as such”.
That statement would agree that a prophet is an intermittent spiritual gift based on righteousness, not a priesthood office which is constant state during the calling.
It should be remembered that the calling of the president of the Church who is both a Prophet and an Apostle was already in the church of Christ BEFORE the fullness of the Melchizedek priesthood was given in 1831. That would be Joseph;
1 Behold, there shall be a arecord kept among you; and in it thou shalt be called a bseer, a translator, a prophet, an capostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church through the will of God the Father, and the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ, D&C 21: 1
Not withstanding the fact that Joseph held those offices and the gift of prophecy, yet God called him to be a High Priest AFTER he was called to be a prophet and apostle. That is another evidence that the calling of a prophet is not the highest priesthood.
The following statement provides yet another evidence that the Melchizedek priesthood is a higher priesthood authority than that of being a prophet;
Joseph Smith said, “…the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood was manifested and conferred for the first time upon several of the Elders. [including himself!] It was clearly evident that the Lord gave us power in proportion to the work to be done, and strength according to the race set before us, and grace and help as our needs required.” History of The Church, 1:175-177
If Joseph had already been called to be a seer, which according to the book of Mormon is greater than a prophet! Then how could being a prophet be the highest priesthood in the church?
The following passage in the book of Mormon reveals that being a seer is greater than being a prophet,
“And the king said that a aseer is greater than a prophet. And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God.” Mosiah 8: 15-16
Furthermore, a revelation was given about four months after the Melchizedek priesthood was restored to help the Saints understand where and how this highest priesthood fit into the existing Church of Christ. It was contained in the Kirtland Revelation Book;
“To the church of Christ in the land of Zion in addition to the Church Laws respecting church business verily I say unto you saith the Lord of Hosts there must needs be presiding Elders to preside over those who are of the office of a priest and also teachers over those who are of the office of a teacher and also the Deacons wherefore from Deacon to Teacher and from Teacher to Priest and from Priest to Elder severally as they are appointed according to the Covenants…..
Then cometh the High Priesthood which is the greatest of allwherefore it must needs be that one be appointed of the high Priesthood to preside over the Priesthood and he shall be called President of the high priesthood of the Church or in other words the presiding high Priest over the high priesthood of the Church from the same Cometh the administering of ordinances and blessings [85] upon the church…”
Clearly, the patriarchal priesthood which contains the offices of elders and apostles had been presiding over the church prior to the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood. Once the Lord began ordaining high priests, they were the greatest of all in the Church and they held a higher priesthood than apostles and elders.
Although this revelation which was recorded in the Kirtland Revelation book, never made it into the Book of commandments as a separate and distinct revelation, several years later, it was annexed into section 107 (verses 59-100 with some modifications made.. scroll down on the following page to see a comparison between the KRB and the D&C)
http://www.boap.org/LDS/History/HTMLHistory/v1c17history.html
Finally, we have this quote from Joseph Smith verifying that the highest priesthood named after Melchizedek had greater power than prophets, apostles and patriarchs!
“That of Melchizedek who had still greater power even power of an endless life of which was our Lord Jesus Christ which also Abraham obtained by the offering of his son Isaac which was not the power of a Prophet nor apostle nor patriarch only, but of King & Priest to God to open the windows of heaven and pour out the peace & Law of endless Life to man &No man can attain to the Joint heirship with Jesus Christ with out being administered to by one having the same power and authority of Melchizedek.” Words of Joseph Smith 245
This brings up Apparent Discrepancy #9.
If Joseph Smith did not hold the Highest Priesthood before the special conference, how was he able to open the heavens as an administrator during the event?
It is important to realize that all Joseph was doing at the Morley Farm, initially, was receiving revelation from God as to who was to be called and ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood. The patriarchal priesthood has the keys by which to ask and receive revelations.
Apparent discrepancy 10 this last discrepancy is really not an apparent discrepancy, it is just a false doctrine. It come from Brigham Young and it provides the fuel that fire the false doctrines of our day about priesthood.
“Now will it cause some of you to marvel that I was not ordained a High Priest before I was ordained an apostle? It was William McLellin who told Joseph that I and Heber were not ordained High Priests, and wanted to know if it should not be done.
Said Joseph, “Will you insult the priesthood? Is that all the knowledge you have of the office of an Apostle? Do you not know that the man who receives the apostleship receives all the keys that ever were, or that can be conferred upon mortal man?
When a man is ordained to be an Apostle, his Priesthood is without beginning of days, or end of life, like the Priesthood of Melchizedek; for it was his Priesthood that was spoken of in this language, and not the man. Ref Here
Furthermore, the Prophet Joseph clearly taught that recipients
of that apostleship possess “all the keys that ever were, or that can
be conferred upon mortal man.” (Cited by Brigham Young, in Journal of
Discourses, 1:137.)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
[these articles have been transferred from the other site.]
“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart”
It has been awhile since I have posted anything on this site. I recently posted an article about the Fulness of the Father over on the Anarchy Site.
I also recently did a post over there about Trying the Spirits. That topic has been on my mind lately. In the post I mention a recent press release pertaining to the bright star currently in the heavens that supposedly heralds the emergence of Maitreya, a coming world teacher;
“Bright star heralds the emergence of Maitreya the World Teacher
LONDON, January 22 /PRNewswire/ –
I included in the post, an article by Joseph Smith which talks about the seducing spirits in the earth and how important it is to be able to try the spirits. (I highly suggest you read the article by Joseph Smith on Trying the Spirits if you have not done so)
The Prophet begins his article with the following paragraph;
“Recent occurrences that have transpired amongst us render it an imperative duty devolving upon me to say something in relation to the spirits by which men are actuated. It is evident from the apostle’s writings that many false spirits existed in their day, and have “gone forth into the world,” and that it needed intelligence which God alone could impart to detect false spirits, and to prove what spirits were of God. The world in general have been grossly ignorant in regard to this one thing, and why should they be otherwise. “For no man knows the things of God, but by the spirit of God.”
In the article Joseph Smith points out that virtually all groups have a distinctive spirit about them. There is a specific guiding spiritual force behind every religion and virtually every group.
I have certainly noticed that as I have taken the opportunity to speak with many people from many religions.
One day, years ago, a Jehovah’s Witness knocked on our door back when we were living in Holiday. I love speaking to anyone about religion so we got into an interesting discussion with her.
She was a very typical Jehovah’s Witness. By that I mean, she had the same spirit about her that all of the JW’s have had that I have spoken with over the years. She was guided by the exact same spirit they all are guided by.
About half way through the conversation I felt prompted to looked her in the eyes and asked “Why did you leave the LDS Church?”
She was surprised at the question because she had not said anything to indicate she had ever had anything to do with Mormonism. In fact she had gone out of her way to pretend ignorance about LDS doctrine. She said “what makes you think I used to be LDS?”
I didn’t answer her question; I simply said “you WERE ONCE LDS, why did you leave the Church?”
Finally she confessed that she had left the Church and proceeded to give us the details.
Strangely enough, the spirit about her was totally the one that governs the JWs. It was only through the prompting of the spirit that I knew she had previously been a Mormon.
Anyway, I have spoken to countless people from various churches over the years and I have noticed that although there are individual and unique personalities with differing doctrinal opinions even within the religious organization they belong to, there is a very distinct spirit that governs each organized group of people.
We live in a day when so much delusion and deception is going forth in the earth.
I have watched as “Christopher” the false prophet that claims to have brought forth the sealed portion has accumulated a following of believers, solely based on his charismatic personality and the scriptural ignorance of those that follow him.
Within days of posting the article about trying the spirits, one fellow replied to a post who claimed to have sacrificed all things. The implication of his remarks is that he has parted the heavens and received the greater things.. even the mysteries. He condescendingly let the group know that if they had been as enlightened as he has been, they would be discussing different topics. Which spirit guides this person? Only someone who can discern spirits can really know.
Also within a very short period of time, another person made a reply. She is a native America Woman that claims that God has revealed greater truths to her and she is to enlighten any of the darkened LDS people that will listen to her… which spirit is guiding her? Only those who can discern the spirits can really know.
I feel that within a very short period of time the amount of false spirits in the earth and the depth of deception associated with them will be magnified ten fold.
It is going to become increasingly important for people to know how to discern false spirits and how to avoid receiving false revelations.
With this in mind, I have asked my wife if she would be willing to share an experience she had years ago;
“I WILL TELL YOU IN YOUR MIND AND IN YOUR HEART”
My experience in being deceived
By WaitingAndWatching alias Mrs. Watcher
With comments by OneWhoIsWatching
It was mid – 1980s. We had just moved from a two bedroom home into our new five bedroom home in Holiday, Utah and life was great! We now had a larger home, we had four wonderful kids and we were enjoying a very happy marriage.
My husband had recently been issued a computer by the company for which he worked. Although his personal goal had been to pass away of old age before learning how to use a computer, it had been mandated by his employer.
After finding out that it was not that difficult to use, he eventually discovered “infobases” a word crunching software program he purchased from Deseret Book that enabled him to search the scriptures. He used to lovingly refer to this computer and software program as his terrestrial urim and thummin.
He became a bit obsessed with and addicted to his new toy. There were some days he would get involved in his searching from sun up to sun down and then deep into the night.
He had a sales job with a quota. His boss said if he fulfilled his weekly quota by Wednesday, the rest of his time was his own. He spent nearly every spare minute searching the scriptures with the aid of the computer and then compiled the information and documentation of concepts he had learned into a book.
I remember a neighbor friend of mine asking me why the corner light in our house, where he studied the scriptures, was on until 2:00 in the morning so many times.
One day I went into my husband’s office and he looked at me as though he had had a profound epiphany.
He shared with me the conclusion he had come to.
I felt sick to my stomach.
He was suggesting that my religious paradigm might be wrong.
There were certain things in my belief system that I was positive would NEVER change.
Armed with the teachings of my youth and preconceived notions of “what was what” I declared;
“You are wrong”.
I then slipped away into the other room, closed the door and got on my knees to get a confirmation on what I thought the Spirit had told me.
During my prayer I got a strong spiritual confirmation that I was correct and that my husband was mistaken.
I triumphantly went back into his office and happily informed him of my confirmation.
I remember how calm he was and not even the least annoyed or threatened at my “profound answer”. He then asked me if I would be willing to do him a favor.
“What is it,” I asked.
“I would like you to read this list of scriptures, pondering them over, then go and pray the same prayer”.
I thought it was a rather strange request but had no problem doing it.
I remember saying, “Sure, fine.”
As I read the scriptures I could feel a subtle feeling taking place in my heart and in my mind, but outwardly, I was still convinced that I was right.
After finishing the passages I confidently knelt back down, knowing that the answer would be the same. Feeling somewhat defiant, I thought, “I will show him the error of his ways, I know my prayer will be answered.”
I went to my bedroom to pray. I had a spring in my step feeling like this was no big deal, I would get the answer I was expecting.
I was so sure I would be right that the consequence of if I was wrong never even entered my mind.
I was blissfully unaware that my life was about to change to a degree and manner that I never could have imagined.
This time as I prayed, I got the same strong manifestation I got before EXCEPT that this time, it was confirming just the opposite answer to me.
This time it was confirming to me that my husband’s interpretation of the scriptures was correct.
I was stunned.
I was stunned, not only that my husband’s interpretation was correct and the implications of this, but mostly, that I could be so deceived. How could I get two different answers to the same question and the exact same prayer?!?!
My mind went back to when I was 16 years old and had questioned if everything I believed in, as far as religion was concerned, was correct.
I had decided to read the whole Book of Mormon by myself and test the promise at the end of the book of Moroni. I read the entire book within a couple of months and, by myself, in my bedroom, knelt down by my bed, and asked if what I had read was true.
I received the most amazing witness with the burning in my bosom and my body and mind being illuminated and beyond a shadow of a doubt, knew it was, indeed, the word of God.
This and other experiences led me to believe that I could receive answers and would receive an answer to this current dilemma.
I fasted and prayed.
I knelt down in a depth of need from my Father that was one of the greatest needs for any answer that I had ever had. I told God;
“I want the truth at all costs.”
I really meant it. I didn’t care what the answer was; I just wanted to know the truth! I started reading at the beginning of the Doctrine and Covenants, feeling like I would find my answer there.
As I read in the D&C, I was reminded about what the Lord had told Oliver Cowdery in sections 8 and 9. I felt as though the words in these revelations were written specifically to me concerning this incredible dilemma I was having;
D&C 9:
7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must astudy it out in your bmind; then you must cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your dbosom shall eburn within you; therefore, you shall ffeel that it is right.
The Lord told Oliver that when he had a question, he needed to study it out in his mind.
The Lords statements to Oliver Cowdery helped me realize that the problem with my first prayer is that I had neglected to study things out in my mind.
I was also led to the words of Paul wherein he mentioned the importance of searching the scriptures and gaining knowledge so that I would have an accurate point of reference while studying things out in my mind;
Acts17:11
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and asearched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
The Lord also told Oliver;
D&C 8 2 Yea, behold, I will atell you in your mind and in your bheart, by the cHoly Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation…
I realized that I had to search the scriptures and know if the interpretations of the scriptures by those teachers in my youth were correct or if what my husband was presenting to me out of the scriptures was correct.
I realized I couldn’t just ask, I had to study it out in my mind by searching the scriptures and gaining knowledge first and then asking the Lord and getting an answer in my mind and feeling it in my heart.
When I had prayed about the truth of the Book of Mormon, I hadn’t just asked, I read the entire book. I followed the formula that Moroni had given me in chapter 10 of Moroni:
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and bponder it in your chearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not btrue; and if ye shall ask with a csincere heart, with dreal intent, having efaith in Christ, he will fmanifest the gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may aknow the btruth of all things.
I came to the conclusion that the second answer I got was the correct one because I took the time to search the scriptures and to prayerfully study it out in my mind instead of just asking.
It has now been nearly 20 years of intensive word search cross-referencing in the scriptures and I now have a much stronger testimony of the answer I got back then, I have also been blessed with a much deeper love and understanding of the scriptures. I know from my personal scripture searches that all 4 standard works testify of each other and they promise and prophecy of the same things.
I have gained a very strong testimony of the importance of searching the scriptures.
A couple of months ago a very dear person to me mentioned that he felt he was a good person and that he didn’t really need to study the scriptures. I shared the following scripture with him;
Alma 12
“9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.”
As we study the Word with heed and diligence, if we will not harden our hearts against what the Spirit reveals in the scriptures, we will receive the greater portion of the word until we know the mysteries of God in full.
We seem to be receiving a pattern of which comes first. Joseph Smith frequently seemed to ask a question based on questions that would surface while he was reading or translating the scriptures and then God would answer the question. He would get the answer to the question and then God would also give him more information.
Another experience I had about 4 years after the first experience I told you about, also had a profound impact in my life in the realization of one of the ways deception and discernment works and of the importance of having a strong foundation in the Word of God in order to avoid being deceived.
Before relating this to you I want to share a statement that is in my husband’s patriarchal blessing. It says “you will not be afraid of the truth.” He has never been afraid to talk to anyone and check out their claims or facts or opinions. So much so, that I have been fascinated at the different people that he has been willing to listen to.
Some of these people I would probably have prematurely judged and discounted. But the message is more important than the messenger and as the Apostle Paul says, we need to be willing to prove all things. He has been willing to dig into the scriptures and other historical documents in order to gain a more accurate understanding of what went on in LDS Church history.
Anyway, we were invited to go to someone’s house to listen to a speaker. For the purposes of this article I will simply refer to him as “Tolman”.
We joined several other couples, one of whom was a very good friend of the speaker. This same couple had told us, as we drove to the meeting together, that Tolman was one of the most knowledgeable and spiritual people they had ever met.
We were really excited to hear this person as we had heard so much about him even before our friends invited us to the presentation. This person had created a remarkable memory system that had been marketed nationwide. He had also written several popular books.
We walked into a large room and within a few minutes he proceeded to speak to us all.
My husband was perched with legs crossed just below where Tolman was seated. His head was bent upward and it appeared he was taking in everything that Tolman was saying.
Tolman began talking about the importance of Zion and said he had felt impressed to purchase some property in Jackson County.
He then began presenting a new form of consecration that involved groups of 12 couples. Polyandry was a part of this new system that Tolman was proposing, all of the wives in each grouping were to be married to all of the husbands in the group. My heart sank as I realized what was being proposed and as I noticed my husband intently listening to Tolman, I was worried that my husband might be believing it.
As I listened to the teachings of this fellow, and to the statements he was making, I had one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
In the room, the overwhelmingly good feeling and “spirit” was so thick you could cut through it with a knife. However, different scriptures that I had studied in the last several years came to mind and proved this fellow’s teachings were not correct.
In my heart was a feeling of peace as I was assured this man was deceived and was deceiving others. I had never supposed that the spirit and feeling attending false doctrine could feel so warm and intoxicating.
I was feeling confident in my answer but as I looked over at my husband a feeling of concern enveloped me because he had a faint smile and was listening intently to Tolman.
I worried that my husband might not be having the same supernatural experience I was having. As I sat there, the Holy Ghost was putting the scriptures in my mind that disproved the false doctrines being taught and it was bearing witness to me of the truth, yet I was also aware of the charismatic aura of the speaker and the warmth of the seducing spirit everyone was feeling.
Tolman kept talking, almost exclusively to and looking at my husband. He kept making comments about how much he connected with and liked my husband and that he could tell they were going to be fast friends.
I had a heavy heart and wanted to talk to my husband in private to tell him my experience, yet people were around us and there was no opportunity.
We drove home, I in silence, and my husband chatting away with the couple that had driven us and that admired Tolman so much.
We walked into our home and I immediately went to a back bedroom and prayed to God committing myself to Him and telling Him that if my husband believed Tolman and decided to follow this strange group into the wilderness, then I would give up my husband to follow God.
It was VERY TRAUMATIC AND INTENSE.
I then asked my husband to come into the back room alone with me so I could talk to him. I asked him;
“So….. did you believe this guy?”
He said,
“are you kidding? What a bunch of BS! Of course I didn’t… that guy is going to destroy a lot of marriages”
I burst into tears of complete relief and told him that it looked like he believed the guy. He said he not only didn’t believe him but told me he had a similar experience to that which I had. He felt that intoxicating warmth of the spirit and the magnetic personality of the speaker while all of the scriptures condemning the false doctrines being taught kept going through his mind.
I was overcome with the grace of God. This Tolman fellow had such an incredibly magnetic personality and spirit, if I hadn’t known the scriptures and hadn’t been blessed with the Spirit witnessing of the error of his teachings, I would have very possibly been deceived by his message.
Although this experience was unique and extreme, I have come to realize that a similar phenomenon happens frequently in church meetings from ALL branches of Christianity.
People are seduced into believing false doctrines because of warm and intoxicating feelings.
Again, the realization that the feeling in the room could feel so good and that the message could be so wrong had never occurred to me.
The thought of how we need to study it out in our mind (facts, in this case, of how the doctrine measured up to the scriptures) and in our hearts (feelings of the Spirit) were both imperative to not be deceived. Just having one or the other would not be sufficient for a witness.
The first time I prayed about my husbands conclusion, I had been greatly influenced by the “Traditions of my Fathers” (see D&C 93:39)
How grateful I am for this incredible experience in deception that God was kind enough to let me experience. I know that we are commanded to “prove all things, hold fast to that which is good”.
This has to do with ALL teachers.
I have learned to be more concerned with the message than with the messenger.
Many well loved and trusted people in or out of the church may say things that are not true. No matter what we are “feeling” we need to compare the doctrine that they teach with the scriptures. We need to use the four standard works as the measuring yard sticks to measure EVERY man’s doctrine. As Joseph Fielding Smith’s inspired statement that he made when he was president of the church states:
“It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teaching of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine.
You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works.
If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 3: 203.)
The Prophet Hosea made this profound observation;
My people are destroyed for lack of aknowledge: because thou hast brejected cknowledge, I will also reject thee… I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings…. they shall commit whoredom… for the bspirit of cwhoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God… therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit aadultery.
It was heart breaking to see the couples that were deceived by the teachings of Tolman because they were not familiar with the word of God.
Within less than a year, the attempt at Tolman’s version of consecration and Polyandry ended in heartache and the dissolution of several marriages. Many lives were shattered.
As we read the scriptures under the power of the Holy Ghost, the scriptures become our Iron Rod;
1 Nephi 15:
23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the arod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
24 And I said unto them that it was the aword of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would bhold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the ctemptations and the fiery ddarts of the eadversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give aheed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the bfaculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.
Nephi reveals to us what the iron rod is, that it is the word of God that would protect us from blindness and that we should hold fast to it.
The Holy Spirit validates and confirms what we learn in the scriptures. The mysteries we learn will not contradict them. I would like to end this testimony of mine by witnessing that the only way to “the Love of God” which is the Tree of Life is by holding on to the Word of God. This would be the words of the prophets in the scriptures which would be the measuring yardsticks for ANY revelations by ANYONE.
I realize that some people think the word of God spoken of in the above passage is limited to personal revelation; however, I have come to believe that those who bypass studying the scriptures leave themselves wide open to be deceived when they pray for personal revelation.
New revelations would never contradict previous revelations.
Observations by OneWhoIsWatching——————————–
The experiences that Mrs Watcher has shared have had a tremendous impact on both of our lives. I have really come to realize the importance of how God speaks to our Minds and our Hearts. I think this provides a checks and balances in discerning personal revelation.
It is so easy for human beings to become lop-sided in how we receive personal revelation. Some people rely almost completely on what they are feeling in their hearts. They quickly pray for an answer without searching Gods word and searching out and pondering what they are asking God about. This leaves a person wide open to being deceived.
Others do just the opposite. They approach prayer in a very left brain way, putting lots of thought and study into it without being sensitive to the Spirit and listening to the confirmation of the Spirit. This also leaves a person wide open to being deceived.
We must combine the heart and mind as we pray so that we will get the true answer back, witnessing to both our mind and our heart.
Revelation is a sobering undertaking…
In Ezekiel the Lord states that if the Elders of Israel come to the Lords anointed prophet and ask a question when in fact, their hearts are not right before God and they are practicing idolatry, God will give them a false answer. He will actually answer them according to the wickedness of their hearts;
“Then came certain of the aelders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their h eart, and put the stumblingblock of their ainiquity before their face: should I be benquired of at all by cthem? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the astumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.” Ezek 14
David Whitmer tells of an amazing experience he had with the Prophet Joseph Smith. He reveals that even Joseph Smith got deceived from time to time, he learned that some revelations come from the devil.
“We were waiting on Martin Harris who was doing his best to sell a part of his farm, in order to raise the necessary funds. After a time Hyrum Smith and others began to get impatient, thinking that Martin Harris was too slow and under transgression for not selling his land at once, even if at a great sacrifice.
Brother Hyrum thought they should not wait any longer on Martin Harris, and that the money should be raised in some other way. Brother Hyrum was vexed with Brother Martin, and thought they should get the money by some means outside of him, and not let him have anything to do with the publication of the Book, or receiving any of the profits thereof if any profits should accrue. He was wrong in thus judging Bro. Martin, because he was doing all he could toward selling his land.
Brother Hyrum said it had been suggested to him that some of the brethren might go to Toronto, Canada , and sell the copy-right of the Book of Mormon for considerable money: and he persuaded Joseph to inquire of the Lord about it. Joseph concluded to do so. He had not yet given up the stone. Joseph looked into the hat in which he placed the stone, and received a revelation that some of the brethren should go to Toronto, Canada , and that they would sell the copy-right of the Book of Mormon.
Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery went to Toronto on this mission, but they failed entirely to sell the copy-right, returning without any money. Joseph was at my father’s house when they returned. I was there also, and am an eye witness to these facts. Jacob Whitmer and John Whitmer were also present when Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery returned from Canada .
Well, we were all in great trouble; and we asked Joseph how it was that he had received a revelation from the Lord for some brethren to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right, and the brethren had utterly failed in their undertaking.
Joseph did not know how it was, so he enquired of the Lord about it, and behold the following revelation came through the stone: ” Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man : and some revelations are of the devil.” So we see that the revelation to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right was not of God, but was of the devil or of the heart of man.
When a man enquires of the Lord concerning a matter, if he is deceived by his own carnal desires, and is in error, he will receive an answer according to his erring heart, but it will not be a revelation from the Lord.” From David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, p.30 – p.31 [It will be on slightly different pages in different editions of Whitmer’s pamphlet. Emphasis added]
Posted by Someone who is watching at 9:24 AM
Is there an email address that I could correspond with you personally with?
Please leave it in a comment and I will not publish it.
Actually, that information was intentionally left out of the article because we wanted to focus on the topic being addressed… namely the importance of prayer and how easy it is to be deceived when one asks questions without searching and pondering first and when one only relies strictly on “feelings”..
We didn’t want to bias readers with the doctrinal conclusion that created the situation.
As always, the important parts of any articles posted on this blog are the scriptural references and how the Holy Spirit tells you to interpret them.
All other opinions and doctrinal interpretations given should only be taken seriously if the Holy Spirit directs thusly.
Additionally, we feel that the conclusion referred to might distract from the main theme and purpose of this blog.
Thank you for visiting and keep watching.
I think most members like the comfort of the saying “the prophet will never lead you astray” or the broader one “the leaders of the church will never lead you astray.” My bishop just used the broader saying in class a few weeks ago.
It takes the pressure off of us. Fact is, we are mostly lazy in our faith and duty to God.
There are a lot of “stories” out there that might make you cry or feel warm and fuzzy. Like any well written book or movie (or fake email story LOL). Doesn’t make them true or “of God.”
It is uncomfortable to think about how easily we can be deceived. As a group and as individuals. My thoughts now are on how important it is for us to be open to whatever answer we might get and not try to sway God. It’s like the saying “Be careful what you ask for!”
I agree that it is a solemn road to go down, seeking revelation. I think many members are too focused on the probability of deception versus the further light and knowledge from revelation.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for one of the best posts in the history of posts.
I think that is a personal preference type of thing.
I have friends who prefer reading the original copy of the Book of Mormon and the original copy of the Book of commandments because they feel that reading it in paragraphs instead of broken into small verses is better and they have a stronger spirit attending them.
In theory I think there could be come truth to this, however I am so use to the standard versions of the standard works and all of the notes and references that I have written in them over the years that I can’t break away from using them. (I like the larger print since I don’t see as good but I would use them anyway because they provide more space for marking things)
I kiddingly refer to my set of the standard works as the “inspired version” simply because I have so many cross references and color coding and notes, etc.that I have hand written in to each chapter that I feel lost when reading out of someone else s..
Although the cross references at the bottom of the standard LDS editions of the scriptures are lacking in some areas, they can be very helpful in others.
I would highly encourage you to mark the heck out of your scriptures as you use key word searches to connect the dots in Gods word.
Be sure to really watch for the changes in the JTS which are often notated in the footnotes.
Thank you for visiting.
If I’m not mistaken, the multi-volume series of the “Joseph Smith Papers” by Bushman, et al. is going to contain original versions of the BoM, BoC, and PoGP. Hopefully, they get them published before it’s too late! Correct me if I’m wrong Watcher.
NEPT
[Editorial Note: This article created quite a spirited discussion on the LDSAnarchy Website.. There were some rather unChrislike comments that were generated and I felt a little uncomfortable with the low vibratory frequency that some people were generating… including the taking the Lords name in vain. Hence, in the spirit of Anarchy.. I decided to relocate this article. Everyone that wants to discuss doctrine from a scriptural point of view and not attack individuals are welcome to comment.
There are some components of this article that strike at the heart of the New Age Movement and New Age Teachings and therefore it really struck a nerve with certain people who have accepted the belief that “all people are perfect just the way they are”.
The thought that man is in a fallen state in need of the atonement of Jesus Christ is abhorrent to those who are claiming their own divinity. Ironically, when the Vision known as section 76 was given to the Church, many members apostatized because the concept of three degrees of glory resulting from how Gods children respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the atonement was so foreign to how they wanted things to be.” ]
Years ago I attended an interesting tax and wealth generating seminar that made a huge impression on my mind.
The tax attorney that was speaking began his presentation by stating something similar to this;
“There are two completely different tax systems or sets of tax laws in the United States.
Both of them are completely legal.
One of them has been developed for the wealthy and for those who want to accumulate wealth. It is used by those who are knowledgeable.
It allows them to control the use of their gross income and to make their purchases and investments FIRST and then pay taxes on whatever money is left over.
The other tax system is for the masses those that don’t understand how to play the game.
It was devised to keep them poor and in financial bondage.
It requires them to pay taxes first on their gross earnings and then whatever is left over may be used for purchasing the items they need, seldom is there anything left over for serious investments and the accumulation of wealth.”
The opening statement was pretty good at catching the attention of the audience.
The tax attorney went on to explain the difference in how tax law treats W-2 wage earners verses 1099 individuals and corporations, etc.
Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but by and large, most poor people in America are W-2 wage earners while most of the wealthy who own businesses and real estate by-pass that system altogether using 1099 status or at least use 1099 “straw man” entities to recoup money withheld from W-2 earnings.
The moral of the story according to the tax attorney was that knowledge is power.
Interestingly, the majority of the attendees went away shaking their heads at the information that was provided because they either didn’t understand it, felt the concepts presented were immoral, or worried that they were illegal.
Of course the intricacies of the tax system and the goal of accumulating wealth are a moot point since the accumulation of wealth is contrary to the commandment to be equal.
Besides, now that Mistress Babylon is on life support, before long the masses and also those who have excelled in the money game in the past will be much more preoccupied with where their next meal is coming from than how to accumulate wealth.
I mention the tax seminar because, in some ways, the reaction of many of the attendees was not unlike the next seminar experience I want to mention.
Years ago a fellow by the name of James Cox began holding seminars entitled “How to Qualify for the Celestial Kingdom today”
A dear friend of mine by the name of Tom, who is always searching for the deeper truths, called me and said;
“you need to come hear what this guy is speaking about. He is having a profound effect on many lives, including my own”
The provocative title of the seminar made my wife and I curious, and with the endorsement of a trusted friend, we decided to see what all of the chatter was about.
This particular seminar was designed to be a series of seminars.
The seminar was a little bit similar to the tax seminar in that many people who went responded the same way. After attending once or perhaps twice many would shake their heads in disbelief and reject what was being taught.
Some simply couldn’t comprehend the simplicity of the doctrines being taught, other felt the concepts sounded to good to be true and others just couldn’t shake loose from the traditions of their fathers.
I suppose some people felt President Cox was teaching heretical doctrines.
As I recall, Brother Cox had been a born again Christian who converted to the LDS Church.
He gained a strong testimony of the restored gospel yet he didn’t buy into the saved by works spin that many LDS people ascribe to. He retained his strong belief in being saved by grace through faith that he had learned in his protestant background;
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2: 8
Not to long after his conversion, Brother Cox became a Stake President.
One evening after a long day of counseling so many LDS women in his stake who were struggling with depression he became alarmed at what he was observing and posed the following question to himself;
“Why are so many Latter day Saints overcome with stress, depression and fear? If we really are Gods people and are the recipients of the fulness of the Gospel, we of all people should be the happiest and most confident people in the world!”
He realized that one of the problems the sisters he was counseling were having is that they were trying so hard to satisfy a works oriented religion and meet a standard of perfection that resulted in greater feelings of guilt about their shortcomings.
There have been many articles about the “perfect mother in Zion” syndrome over the years that address the huge pressure that some LDS women feel.
(of course the male population of the Church, in my humble opinion has similar issues as the female population, we are simply too proud or delusional to seek help.. and in some cases we just realize that our priesthood leaders have the same issues)
Another article states that;
“The release of a recent study that found Utah is the most depressed state in the country is leading to controversial questions about whether there is a correlation between depression and the Mormon faith.
Ultimately, the reason behind Utah’s mass depression is unknown. However, Dr. Curtis Canning, a psychiatrist and former president of the Utah Psychiatric Association, believes there is a cultural factor involved, especially with Mormon women who may feel that in order to be a good mother and wife, they “have to put on this mask of perfection. They can’t show their tears, depression or agony.”
In addition to these articles, I am reminded of a very disturbing post about the perfect mom syndrome written by a non Mormon that provides a very revealing look at how some non-Mormons perceive their Mormon friends.
Critics charge that the rate of antidepressant use is much higher among Mormons than the general population. They claim this is evidence that participation in the LDS Church is inordinately stressful due to pressure for Mormons to appear “perfect.”
Others have provided studies to challenge the notion that the Latter day Saints experience more stress in their lives.
Whether or not those claims are true is really not the point in my opinion. The point is that the Saints of God should not be having the same problems and showing forth the same fruits as the worldly.
Apparently President Cox felt, from his vantage point, there was a direct correlation between the pressures that the LDS religion puts on the importance of being “perfect” and the large number of unhappy, fearful, depressed members that he was counseling.
President Cox felt that part of the problem he was seeing as he was counseling the Saints in his Stake was related to a lack of understanding of the true principles of the gospel.
He therefore put together the seminar that I previously mentioned.
Perhaps only 10% of the people who attended the first of a series of seminars that he was putting on caught the vision of what he was talking about and continued through the whole series. There seemed to be a huge fallout from people that just couldn’t accept his version of faith vs works, nevertheless the ultimate numbers of those who did embrace what he was teaching increased until the chapel of the stake center could no longer hold those who kept coming back for more.
Ultimately, the course which he taught evolved into a book which was sold at Deseret Book by the same name;
“How to Qualify for the Celestial Kingdom Today”
I am not going to try to encapsulate all of the concepts he addressed in his seminars in this article, but one of the most powerful ones that he taught was that our focus should not be on trying to be “perfect” right now but rather it should be on being “justified” in the eyes of God.
While it is not possible to become perfect anytime soon he taught, you can become justified through faith in the Grace of God RIGHT NOW by realizing and accepting the power of the atonement and following the spirit.
When people would ask him what justification is he would define it as being clean before God.
When they would ask him how to tell if you are clean, his response was “if you are feeling the holy spirit dwelling in you”.
He would teach that the holy spirit cannot dwell in an unclean tabernacle and therefore, if you are feeling the companionship of the spirit, you are clean. Not perfect, but clean, and therefore, justified.
That is the goal he stressed, don’t try to become perfect in one day, that will only frustrate and depress you. Simply concentrate on feeling and following the spirit.
He even stressed that if you are focusing on trying to live all of the commandments perfectly, you will loose the spirit.
One time he actually took 45 minutes in class to list all of the commandments and acts of good works that a good latter day Saints should be living and it was stressful just watching the list grow and thinking what a poor job I was doing.
Many of those that took his counsel and implemented the concepts began to experience a huge change in their lives.
The burdens they had been carrying were lifted as they began to focus on walking in the spirit instead of trying to be perfect in living the letter of the Law and trying to live up to what they or others felt the perfect latter day Saint should be.
The promise; “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” began to take on a very real and personal meaning to those who changed their paradigm.
I am sure I am not doing justice to what President Cox taught, so if you find the concept intriguing and would be interested in learning more about the other things he taught you might want to order his book..
After pondering the faith vs works doctrine over the years and hearing several persuasive arguments from both sides of the issue, I have come to the conclusion that both doctrines are true but they have to do with two separate and distinct gospel laws.
Yes it is true that straight is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life eternal and therefore only one Lord one faith and one baptism and therefore only one Gospel. But that is only true if you are speaking about the Fulness of the Gospel which pertains to the highest kingdom of glory.
There are, nevertheless multiple gospel laws leading to multiple glories.
Section 88 speaks of three different gospel laws that result in three separate and distinct glories;
“And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.”
The scriptures reveal that both celestial and terrestrial law will ultimately result in the gift of salvation in a kingdom of glory and their redemption comes before the millennium begins.
“Celestial Law” was created for the elect of God. It is also referred to as the “Law of Christ”. The Book of Mormon also identifies Celestial Law as the GOSPEL OF GRACE or the GOSPEL OF MERCY.
“Terrestrial Law” is also referred to in the scriptures as the LAW OF JUSTICE.
These two laws enable people to come forth and be redeemed in the first resurrection while those who live Telestial Law cannot be redeemed until after receiving spiritual therapy for the space of 1,000 years.
Those who live Celestial Law are redeemed in the “morning” of the first resurrection while those who live Terrestrial Law are redeemed in the “afternoon” of the first resurrection.
Those who live Celestial Law are those who repent of their sins of their own free will and choice after hearing the gospel.
Those who live Terrestrial Law are those who don’t truly repent until after they feel the chastening hand of the wrath of God.
The scriptures identify those who live terrestrial law as the honorable men of the earth who are blinded by the craftiness of men. They also identify the Jews who are finally redeemed after their pain as living terrestrial law.
For centuries Christians have argued over faith vs. works.
Everyone agrees that faith and works are part of the salvation equation. The question is, how do faith and works interrelate with each other.
You can make a strong case that the gospel is predicated upon faith in works and you can make a strong case that the gospel is predicated upon faith in the grace of God which produces good works..
I believe the reason this argument exists between gospel scholars is because you can indeed prove the existence of both laws in the scriptures.
Both of them are clearly there.
Some Latter day Saints contend that the two are really compatible and not in conflict with each other.
I must disagree.
Although faith brings forth good works and although the effort to do good works requires faith, I would suggest that faith and works each, when identified as the main component of salvation, represent two different gospel laws.
Those that see the law of the gospel as being predicated upon works are correct. There is indeed a gospel law predicated on faith in works. It is the law of Justice or Terrestrial Law.
Those that see the law of the gospel as being predicated upon the grace of God through faith, with good works as the fruits that follow are also correct.
There is such a gospel law predicated on faith in the Grace of Jesus Christ. It is called the Law of Mercy, Gospel Law and Celestial Law.
The Law of Justice is unforgiving, rigid and exacting
Those that choose to put their faith in outward works always fall short because no matter how righteous you feel you are, the law of Justice always weighs you in the balance and finds you wanting.
No matter how righteous you are, you can never satisfy the demands of justice;
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Rom. 3: 23
Those who are living the gospel of personal improvement get beat up pretty good by the law of justice. The harder you try the more exquisite your pain is as your shortcomings are only made all the more manifest to yourself and others.
Let me say that one more time, those that chose the terrestrial gospel of works always fall short. There is no human being that has been righteous enough to satisfy the demands of justice in their own behalf; only a perfect atonement by a perfect God can satisfy the demands of justice.
Yes, if they are good honorable people who believe in God, they are ultimately saved, but only as a result of the atoning sacrifice of Christ and after they have been humbled by the almighty power of God.
Mercy vs. Justice
I love the way the Book of Mormon so clearly explains and distinguishes between the law of Justice and the Law of Mercy;
“And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.
And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atonement for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.” Alma 34: 15-16
“And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?
But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.
For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.
What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.” Alma 42: 13, 15, 21-25, 30
Those that are judged according to their works are those that fall under the law of justice because they are not repentant and not penitent. Interestingly, Justice is a He.
Mercy claimeth the penitent and repentant through the merits of the atonement. Those that Mercy claimeth avoid being judged according to their outward works. They are shielded from the demands of justice. Interestingly, Mercy is a She.
Again, the word of God assures us that the Savior broke the bands of death and atoned for our sins and by doing so, satisfied the demands of justice;
“Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satified the demands of justice.” Mosiah 15: 9
There are scriptures that give us reason to believe that all of those who lived terrestrial and telestial law during probation will be returned to the earth in the flesh to experience the judgments of God during the end times.
Yet it appears from the scriptures that those living celestial law repent and enter into the rest of the Lord even while in the flesh;
“And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.
Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.” Moro. 7: 3
Those living terrestrial law live in fear and pain and ultimately need to be chastened by the Lord before they repent sufficiently to lay hold upon the atonement and be redeemed before the millennium.
Those that fall under telestial law are subject to the demands of justice for the space of 1,000 years. President Cox used to refer to this as a thousand years of therapy.
“Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your suffering be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.
Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.” D&C 19: 4, 15-18, 20
We know from the infallible word of God that those who live telestial law and fail to repent during probation will be exposed to the demands of justice and have to suffer for their own sins.
Even the terrestrial spirits seem to require the chastening hand of God to humble them into a true state of repentance.
So, again, how does know that they are living the celestial law of grace and that they will avoid being exposed to the demands of the Law of Justice?
As mentioned earlier, President Cox claims you need to feel the Holy Ghost in your life and follow his promptings.
One of my favorite quotes by the Apostle Paul is as follows;
“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
What a fascinating statement. I suspect that many gospel scholars would interpret this statement to mean this;
“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the Law [of Moses].”
I don’t necessarily disagree that there is an application to the Law of Moses, however I think there is a deeper, more global meaning to be applied to Paul’s observation.
I have often wondered if perhaps he was saying;
“But if ye have taken the Holy Spirit as your guide, ye are not under the Law [of Justice].”
Perhaps a longer version of the scripture might be;
“But if ye have been born of God through the atonement of Christ and received the Baptism of Fire, having taken the Holy Spirit as your Guide and by so doing, have accepted the grace and mercy of God, you are no longer under the Law of Justice. It no longer has any power or claim over you.”
To me, this is how one avoids the consequences of the law of justice when the fullness of the Gospel is on the earth.
Terrestrial definition of Works
VS.
Celestial Definition of Works
Indeed, while the definition of works to those living terrestrial law could refer to anything from baking bread for a neighbor, comforting the sick, doing home teaching, paying tithing, participating in the ordinances of salvation and doing temple work, etc., the definition of works according to Celestial Law is quite different and quite simple;
“Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 5: 17, 20, 36
From this we find that believing on Christ is the ultimate works that God requires of us.
Definitions of Celestial Law are much simpler than those of terrestrial law.
Terrestrial Law of Repentance
VS
Celestial law of Repentance
As a missionary, I used the following flipchart page to teach prospects the itemized steps of repentance that were required in order to keep the commandments so that they could live eternally with God in joy and peace;
Yes, I still think those are the steps of repentance, but I now tend to think they are the steps of repentance according to terrestrial law.
If you think that doing those steps will shield you from the demands of justice, you have a painful surprise awaiting you.
No matter how complete your works of “restitution” are, the demands of Justice is never totally satisfied by the works of man.
So what is the Celestial Law of Repentance?
According to the Greek lexicon the word repent means;
“A change of mind”
That’s right. To repent is to simply have a change of mind. Notice how restitution is absent in that definition.
I believe the scriptures amplify this definition by revealing that the spirit is what changes the mind and heart of man.
How does one return to God while in the flesh during probation?
By having his spirit dwell in you, guiding your thoughts and by thus doing, give you a change of mind! Is that not what the sacramental prayer speaks about?
“That we may always have his spirit to be with us”.
Each Law has it Fruits
Furthermore, the scriptures seem to identify the fruits of Celestial Law in the state of Grace as LOVE. The Love of God and Love for our fellow men.
The fruits brought forth by those living Terrestrial Law who are putting their faith in works is FEAR.
Once you have tasted of the love of God and have entered into a justified state, you have unconditional love for your fellow man. The Book of Mormon gives a delicious explanation of how those who hold on to the word of God, make it to the living waters and the tree of life which represent the love of God;
“And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.” 1 Ne. 11: 25
With this understanding, it is not surprising that the Lord simplified the gospel and reduced the first two commandments down to love;
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
“And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls” Mosiah 4: 11
Again, lets review my interpretation of what Paul said;
But if ye have been born of God through the atonement of Christ and received the Baptism of Fire, having taken the Holy Spirit as your Guide and by so doing, have accepted the grace and mercy of God, the Law of Justice no longer has any power or claim over you.
I would submit that the above interpretation describes how one enters into the rest of the Lord even while in the flesh… even before becoming translated, when the fullness of the Gospel is on the earth.
But what about those who live during darker times?
What about those who only have access to the preparatory gospel?
What about those who have the scriptures and water baptism but don’t yet enjoy the full gifts of the spirit and miracles and the baptism of fire and the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost?
I would submit that the spirit of Christ and the intermittent companionship of the Holy Ghost can still enable true believers to become justified and clean before God and therefore avoid the devastating consequences of the Law of Justice.
Proxy Perfection
True to the form of a heretic and at the risk of squabbling over semantics, I would take Cox’s definition and explanation of justification one step further. I believe that you can become more than just justified today, I suggest that you can actually become perfect today, right now, through the mystical grace of God.
By totally accepting the atonement of Jesus Christ and by entering into a state of Grace as documented by the spirit of God dwelling in you.
The gospel of Grace actually enables a person to become perfect immediately by proxy, through Gods perfection.
Isn’t that really what justification is? Isn’t it the ability to become clean before God as a result of his atonement and grace instead of our own ability to make ourselves clean through works?
Why not become perfect through Christ’s perfection?
As we accept the fullness of the Gospel and become spiritually born again, be become justified and perfectly clean before God, not because of our own outward works, but because we are swallowed up in the grace of God through our faith in his atonement.
We become spiritually clean and perfect by proxy, through his perfection.
This is quite mystical because we continue in mortality outwardly showing forth our outer mortal imperfection and yet if we are walking in the spirit as Paul says, we are no longer subjected to the law of justice.
We are told time and time again in the scriptures that the gospel makes our burdens light;
“And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.” Alma 33: 23
I therefore want to suggest that not only can we qualify for the Celestial Kingdom today by becoming clean and justified before God, we can actually become perfect today through Christ’s perfection;
“come unto Christ
and be
PERFECTED in him”
(Moroni 10:32)
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
Seven Shepherds and an Angel
By OneWhoIsWatching www.threewatches.blogspot.com
There are numerous channels by which personal revelation comes to each of us.
When studying and searching the scriptures, my wife provides one of these conduits for me.
She brings many things to my attention that I don’t catch… possibly this is because of her simple childlike faith and unassuming nature. It is probably also because she doesn’t allow preconceived notions to color her view of the scriptures. Of course the main reason is that she has been blessed with a spiritual gift in this area.
I will sometimes share a principle or some knowledge with her and then she will turn around at a later time and show me how to use that knowledge as a key to unlock additional knowledge. I sometimes refer to her as a Sibyl. (“…women of antiquity reputed to posses powers of prophecy or divination… a female prophet…”)
While studying prophecy years ago I showed her Rev 12:14 and told her that some prophecy scholars believed that the word “time” = “one year”, the word “times” = “two years” and the phrase “half a time” = ½ year” hence, the Church would be nourished for 3 ½ years at some point in time:
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”
She quietly cataloged that information. It would come up many years later in a scripture study.
Fast forward several years later…. we were studying Micah and noticing how he refers to the Seven Shepherds that are upon the earth at the time that invading armies come into the latter day land of Israel. This is also the general time period when the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles and among many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest to tread them down.
We wondered if these seven shepherds were the same seven servants of God mentioned in the 3rd and 4th chapter of Zechariah which are referred to as the seven eyes of the Lord who run to and fro in the whole earth.
We also wondered if these seven Shepherds that acted as the eyes of the Lord running to and fro in all the world could be the seven angels which had the seven trumpets and prepared themselves to sound in Rev 8 and/or the seven thunders that uttered their voices in Rev 10 or the seven angels having the seven last plagues that bring judgment upon the whore in Rev 15, 16 & 17 etc.
We could not help but wonder if these seven angelic beings lived on this earth in mortality prior to their missions in the last generation… in the 3rd Watch….And if so, is it possible that they had been part of the LDS restoration movement?
Possibly they were the first laborers in the last kingdom that lived during the Kirtland, Jackson County and Nauvoo eras of the Church.
We were aware of the LDS fundamentalist beliefs that there had been a secret quorum of six Apostles/High Priests functioning under the direction of Joseph Smith which makes a quorum of 7 Apostles. This cryptic Quorum was also known as the Friends of God.
This tradition, as with many corrupted legends and traditions, appears to originate from a true principle/event. It appears to come from the revelation known as section 84 of the D&C which states in the first verse:
“A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high” (D&C 84:1)
We found it very strange that the entry of this revelation into the history of the Church and the Doctrine and Covenants did not document who the six other elders were yet it did document how many elders were present… very curious.
It seemed odd to us that such an important revelation containing very specific promises to and about these six elders who had the higher priesthood confirmed upon them by the voice of God out of heaven would not bother to document who these elders were.
We perused various historical documents attempting to verify exactly who these six elders were but it is not an easy task to get an identity of these six players.
In section 88 these six elders are referred to as the “first elders” of the Church and the “first laborers in the last kingdom”.
In section 88 the Lord commands those who are not the first elders of the Church to continue laboring in the vineyard but he promises the first elders that he will send them into the vineyard again at a later time to bind up the law, seal up the testimony and prepare the Saints for the hour of judgment which is to come.
We thought that it would be fun to search section 84 to see if this quorum of Apostles will have a role in the 3rd Watch when the dispensation of the fullness of times and the Marvelous Work are ushered in.
It is worth noting that section 88 was given several years before the quorum of the 12 Apostles were called, Joseph Smith and these six elders were referred to as apostles by the Lord. He even calls them his friends. A favored status that few people other than Abraham ever achieved in the scriptures:
“And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends.”
The thought that these brethren might return as a quorum to play an important role in the winding up scenes was intriguing to us.
As we poured over section 84 searching for hidden treasures of knowledge pertaining to the events of the very last days we were ecstatic when we read the incredible unconditional promise that Bishop Newel K. Whitney will return to warn the inhabitants of New York, Albany and Boston of the desolation and utter abolishment that await them if they reject the gospel.
Every time I hear of reports about nuclear suitcase bombs that have been strategically hidden in major cities like these and orchestrated terrorist attacks that are going to be taking place, I can’t help but think of this incredible promise and associated prophecy given to Bishop Whitney. He will come back and warn the people in these cities.
I think this warning must take place before major desolation takes place.
The Lord then gives an unconditional prophecy that the rest of the first Elders being spoken to in this revelation will also “go to the great and notable cities and villages reproving the world in righteousness of all their unrighteous and ungodly deeds setting forth clearly and understandably the desolation of abomination in the last days”
And then the Lord reveals this most remarkable promise to these First Elders who are the First Laborers of the Last Kingdom:
“For with YOU saith the Lord Almighty, I will rend their kingdoms; I will not only shake the earth, but the starry heavens shall tremble..”
The Lord who knows all things and cannot lie… the Lord who has infinite foreknowledge because all time, past, present and future is continually before his eyes, promised these specific brethren that they would be the ones to return to the vineyard at the time of the last generation to shake the earth and bring down the kingdoms of the world!
While we were pondering these amazing promises and studying this section my wife and I began pondering the following verses:
“And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief and because you have treated lightly the things you have received. Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.”
We were aware of the several statements President Benson had made concerning the above verses and that he had inferred that the church was still under condemnation.
Dallin H. Oaks had given a talk at the Church Educational system Satellite fireside on June 1993 and had quoted President Benson regarding these verses. He claimed that President Benson had declared that the Saints had brought the whole Church under condemnation and that it was still under condemnation:
” President Benson had been stressing the reading of the Book of Mormon. Repeatedly he had quoted these verses from the Doctrine and Covenants, including the Lord’s statement that the Saints’ conduct had “brought the whole church under condemnation” (D&C 84:55). In that temple meeting, President Benson reread those statements and declared, “This condemnation has not been lifted, nor will it be until we repent.”
As we pondered the verses in section 84, it occurred to me that a the word of God was not saying that the conduct of all of the Saints in the Church had brought the whole church under condemnation, but rather God was saying it was the unbelief and vanity of those specific Apostles that had brought the whole church under condemnation! This revelation was being directed specifically to the first elders to whom the revelation was being given: “And YOUR minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief and because you have treated lightly the things you have received. Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.”
As I was making this observation, my wife was making an additional one. She said something to the effect of:
“Yes, I agree. Those specific Elders brought the Church under condemnation… And it appears that the Lord gave these specific apostles’ another revelation two years before he had given them this one. In that revelation he must have told them some things they took lightly… perhaps it was difficult for them to believe some of the things he had told them.”
I was really taken back by her observation. “How did you divine that deduction from those verses?” I asked. “What makes you think the Lord had given Joseph Smith and these six Apostles a revelation two years prior to section 84?”
“That’s what it says” she replied. “Remember how the prophetic definition of the word “times” = two years?”
I looked at the verses again in context of how the word “times” was used in Rev 12:14 and then I realized what she was seeing:
“And your minds in times past [two years ago] have been darkened because of unbelief and because you have treated lightly the things you have received. Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.”
I was shocked at her interpretation and began chiding her: “What have you been smoking? That is a HUGE stretch… Just because the word “times” had a prophetic interpretation in the vision of St John 2,000 years ago, in the New Testament, that does not mean that the same word would have the same definition in modern revelation!”
Finally, after brow-beating her for a while I decided to really drive my point home by showing her how easy it would be to prove that there was no revelation directed through Joseph Smith to six elders two years prior to section 84.
I said to her:
“If your interpretation is correct, it would be easy to prove because such a revelation would be important enough to canonize in the Doctrine and Covenants. Such a revelation would clearly be directed to Joseph Smith and six elders just as section 84 was, and it would undoubtedly contain prophetic information about their ministry”
I then went to the beginning of section 84 to verify what month and year the revelation was given. It was given in September of 1832. I then turned to the beginning of the Doctrine and Covenants to view the “Chronological Order of the Contents” section. I noticed that four revelations had been given two years prior to section 84. Section 28, 29, 30, and 31 were all given in September of 1830.
I then turned to section 28 to see if it was addressed to six elders… Just as I thought, it was given directly to Oliver Cowdery… no other elders were involved in receiving the revelation.
I then turned to section 29 and looked at the section heading. What I saw sent chills up my spine…
“Revelation through Joseph Smith Jr. in the presence of six elders”
Unbe-freakin-lieveable!
Again, the identity of these six elders is withheld… why? Why did Joseph Smith choose to withhold the identity of these chosen servants yet document the number of them that God was talking to?
I didn’t have much time for ingesting much humble pie at that moment as my wife and I were both quite anxious to devour section 29 to see what the Lord had revealed to Joseph Smith and these six elders! We were hoping that this section would reveal additional information regarding the role of these seven apostles during the 3rd Watch.
When we got to verses 7 & 8 we could hardly believe our eyes:
“And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect: for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts; Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of the this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.”
Wow…
These first laborers of the last kingdom will return to the earth as ministering angels to gather the elect to prepare them against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the earth!
Could it possibly be that Joseph Smith and these six elders that will give the final warning, gather the elect and bring about the fall of the kingdoms of the world are the ones being referred to in Zechariah, Micah and the Book of Revelation?
Are these the ones that run to and fro in all the world as the eyes of the Lord?
Are these the Seven Shepherds that are the “peace” when God’s Promised Land is invaded by foreign armies and the remnants of the land tread down the unrepentant gentiles as a lion among sheep?
What an incredible thought, that Joseph Smith and the first elders of the Church would return to the earth to gather the elect.
Notice the promise given in Matthew 24 that before Christ returns in his glory he will send his angles to gather the elect:
“For the Son of Man shall come and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together the remainder of the his elect from the four winds and from one end of heaven to the other…” (JST Matt 1:37)
Just as Gabriel returned to the earth as a ministering angel to minister to the father of John the Baptist, just as Moses and Elijah returned to the earth to minister to Christ at the Mount of Transfiguration and just as John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John returned to the earth as ministering angels to minister to Joseph and Oliver, priesthood keys were given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple. These keys enable them and the other first laborers of the last kingdom to return to this earth to minister unto all those who are found waiting, watching and willing.
Do you believe in angels?
I do..
I am married to one.
[Editorial note: It is not uncommon for the Lord to use the key words within differing sections of the four standard works to point to each other and help those who are searching to connect the dots, particularly when both sections of scripture are speaking about the same topic. Therefore it is possible if not likely that the 3 ½ year period of time spoken of in Revelation 12 is literally or typologically related to the last gathering that is to be done by the first laborers of the last kingdom.
I want to clarify that section 84 is actually a composite of two separate revelations given on consecutive days, the 22nd and 23rd of September. On the first day there were six elders present, on the following day, it is not clear if there were additional elders that were invited to participate in the promises the Lord was making to the leading elders of the Church.
The first laborers of the last kingdom more than likely consisted of more than just those seven elders being addressed during the revelation given on the first day. Interestingly enough, it appears according to the “Historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants by Woodford that in the original manuscript of the second part of the revelation given on the 23rd, the following phrase was included and has since been taken out:
“The 23rd day of September AD 1832 Eleven High Priests save one”.
It is not clear what this statement is referring to. It could be referring to the fact that Judas would be missing when the 12 Apostle from New Testament times return to judge Israel. Another possibility is the implication that four additional Elders were present on the 23rd bringing the total count to 11 and one member of the quorum of the 12 was not present.
There is evidence to suggest that the quorum of seven was part of a quorum of 12 Apostles that had been chosen by the Lord by 1832. This quorum appears to have more power and authority than the quorum chosen by the three witnesses. In fact at least two of the three witnesses were very likely part of the first, mystical quorum of the 12.
From historical sources it appears that there was some type of quorum of special witnesses long before the three witnesses was commanded to choose another quorum of the twelve:
“It was also announced that “twelve chosen witnesses, had been allowed to see the gold plates” (The life of David Marks, pg.340). Also, there were newspaper references from 1829-1831 to twelve apostles in Mormonism. September 1829 a Palmyra newspaper noted: “the number of the gold bible apostles is said to be complete.” (Palmyra Reflector, 23 September 1829. The issues of 19 April and 1, 22 June 1830 also make reference to Mormon apostles.)” Mormon Hierachy: Origins of Power by Quinn]
One last thing on note pertaining to section 84, in the original manuscripts of the revelation it states that John the Baptist had been baptized from the womb, not at the age of eight days. This is consistent with the various scriptures stating that he was the transmigration of Elijah the Prophet and had previously been baptized before being born into the world as John the Baptist.]
November 16, 2008
Categories: Articles by OWIW, Babylon, Church History, Deep Waters, Gifts of the Spirit, Joseph Smith, LDS, Preaching the Gospel, Priesthood, Prophecy, Scriptural Discussions, Zion . Tags: Last Days, Prophecy, end times, quorum of seven, friends of God, gathering of the elect . Author: onewhoiswatching Edit this entry
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For instance, the abomination of desolation that Daniel spoke of has multiple fulfillments. We know that it happened in the Old Testament.
The 1 Maccabees usage of the term points to the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes in the mid-second century BC. Specifically, he set up an altar to Zeus in the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and sacrificed swine on it around the year 167 BC.
In addition to the fulfillment in the Old Testament times, Jesus quoted this prophecy in Mark 13:14 as referring to an event in his “1st century disciples’s” immediate future, the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.[3][4]
when you (1st cent. disciples) see the abomination of desolation standing…then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains”, Mark 13:14 (see also Matthew 24:15)
Few Christians are even familiar with the miraculous events having to do with Pella and how the righteous Saints among the Jews in Jerusalem were able to flee just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem.. (Pella was a type of what will happen in the latter days)
In addition to the two fulfillments that have taken place, we know that there will be a third fulfillment of this ominous prophecy in the end times.
Many prophecy scholars have written about an event in the end time future, “the man of lawlessness”, or the “Antichrist” affirmed by the writings of the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians will take place in a Temple of God
“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” Luke 21:20-21 See the latter day version of this prophecy in section 133
Some equate the upcoming event with the prophecy in 2 thes where the “man of sin” the “son of perdition” sits in the Temple of God, claiming to be God. The third fulfillment of the abomination of Desolation is coming up.
The prophecy in Malachi regarding “he shall send Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the Lord” is another wonderful example of how prophesies have multiple fulfillment.
We know that John the Baptist was a fulfillment of that prophecy when he prepared the way before Christ in the New Testament times, interestingly, he personally fulfilled it again when he revealed the priesthood to Joseph and Oliver during the LDS foundation movement…
but the Inspired version reveals that there was to be an Elias (greek for Elijah) the “preparer” and an Elias the “restorer”. This prophecy will yet be fulfilled again in the end times.
(Joseph Smiths discourse on Elijah, Elias and Messiah alludes to this as well.)
This concept of multiple fulfillments of prophecy is addressed as Christ explained to the Nephites that all of the words that Isaiah spoke “have been and shall be”.
In the case of Isaiah, each of his prophecies has both a “shadow” or “typological” fulfillment as well as a “literal” fulfillment.
When Christ stood before the congregation and quoted the prophecy about declaring the “acceptable day of the Lord” and told them that the prophecy had been fulfilled that day.. they of course considered his declaration blasphemous and rejected him and tried to kill him.
Certainly he was fulfilling the words of Isaiah, and yet, if you read that chapter of Isaiah carefully, in context, the literal fulfillment has reference to the future.
Hence in section 98 we see the Lord bestowing the honor of declaring the acceptable year of the Lord upon Sidney Rigdon..
Did the Spokesman from the loins of Judah fulfill his assignment in the 2nd Watch? Will he or someone else fulfill it again in the 3rd watch? I appears so.
So getting back to Bishop Whitney, he was to warn the inhabitant of these cities of the desolation and of their utter abolishment if they do reject the sound of the gospel.
Certainly he did visit them and warn them. Notice however that the consequences of them rejecting the gospel would be the “desolation and utter abolishment”.
In responding to someone else on my blog regarding evidence #52 that the Marvelous Work was to start at a later time after the foundation work:
“One of the fascinating things is that in some ways there almost appears to be a “time warp” between the 2nd and 3rd watch wherein events simply begin in the 3rd watch where they ended in the 2nd watch…”
I would submit that Bishop Whitney will take up in the 3rd Watch where he left off in the 2nd Watch
Clearly, the inhabitants of New York, Albany and Boston as a whole, rejected the sound of the Gospel. One would ask, why did life go on as usual for these people? Why were they not utter abolished? Why were there no consequences of their rejection of the Gospel?
The commandment given to Bishop Whitney merges into the commandment given to the other Elders being spoken to in this commandment and they are told to go the “notable cities and villages reproving the world in righteousness of all their unrighteous and ungodly deeds setting forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days.”
Finally this great secret is revealed
“for with YOU saith the Lord Almighty, I will rend their kingdom; I will not only shake there earth, but the starry heavens”
From the infallible word of God we are told that the Lord is going to use the first elders of the last kingdom, to rend the kingdoms of the world!
Did that happen back during the 2nd watch? NO!
Do we believe and worship an impotent God that does not deliver on his unconditional promises? NO!
He has turned his face from us for but a short while just has he did anciently when he cast Israel out if his sight but that will change suddenly.
Verily, the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled when the first laborers in the last kingdom return in their second commission to fulfill their callings.
It is interesting to note that later, in section 103 the Lord promised these elders that if they were obedient, they would, from that very hour, begin to prevail against the Kingdoms of the World but that if they were not obedient, the kingdoms of the world would prevail against them.
Notice the following scripture very carefully because it reveals the current state of the world and the “club”
“But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour unto the counsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them. Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour. And by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it forever and ever. But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them.”
Who has prevailed during the last 170 years, the kingdom of the world or the kingdom of God?
Clearly, when the light shines forth among those that sit in darkness, and the Marvelous Word begins and the Dispensation of the Fulness of times come in, Bishop Whitney will return and warn the inhabitants of these cities. Those that repent and flee will be saved, those that don’t will be utterly destroyed.
I thouroughly enjoy your Love and understanding of the Gospel. For 35 years since finding the Church, I have shared the same Love and enthusiasm that you and your wife do.
I bore my friends and Family so I have pretty much kept to myself all these years .
Your enthusiasm is infectious and I know the Lord must smile everytime you observe a NEW thing.
I wish I had a friend like you for my neighbor.
Anyway, this particular subeject you have commented on here would be an example of applying what I know in regard to viewing the Scriptures from a distance, to give them a broader overview of the whole picture of the Plan of Salvation as it has been progressively reveled since the time of Adam until now.
Revelation as reveled to us in the Scriptures actually takes on the progressive nature of a developing Novel. There is a STORY to the entire gambit of the reveled word of God.
It is very complex in the sense that YOU are able to decern such intricate patterns
of the past to form a picture of the future. This method is not Familar to most who study the Scriptues and would constitute a higher level of interpreting it’s meaning.
What you have created with your observations has elevated your Spiritual perception to the vantage point of climbing to the top of the forest and gazing across the expanse of the trees and being able to descern the BOUNDERIES of the FOREST,(Plan of Salvation). This is a decided advantage over attempting to peer through the FOREST at ground level as most do.
Your view from the top of the Forest would be equivelent to the observations that CAN be made by Watchers on the “2ond Watch”, given the benefit of the knowledge being passed on by the 1st Watch, viewing the Plan from ground level. So we have much to give thanks to them for that.
The three tiered llinear progression of the Doctrine of three watches infers that because we have yet to officially enter the third watch, we are still peering across the tops of the trees in terms of what History has currently reveiled to this point.
The reason our VISION is partially blocked is because to visualize the third and Final element of the Third Watch, the Third element must First be recognized.
So what and where is the THIRD element to be found?
To know what that is and where to find it, you must first recognize the first two elements regarding not Watches, but rather the sole source of the THREE elements of our creation…Everyting revelied to us, in every type and shadowand situation in the lives of the prophets, combine to form a COMPOSITE of those fundemental three elements of creation…The Father , Son & Holy Ghost.
It is common among all of us to sort through the Types found in the Scriptures and assign certain Qualities and roles of the Prophets to mirror as portional types for either the Father or the Son(the first two fundemental elements of the plan of salvation)
But until we understand that the Scriptures are repleat with the Third element of that plan and that his EARTHLY MISSION is as clearly defind as the MISSION of CHRIST, then you won’t know exactly who you are looking at when the opperative of the Third Watch arrives and will still be peering across the tops of the trees.
A fundemental COSMIC VIEW of the FOREST from far above the tree tops, is what is necessary for recognizing Righteousness when he appears. Otherwise , you will only recognize his very familar voice.
The only catch to this occurance and perspective is that only ONE Man will initially be granted that view prior to it’s being reveled to the World.
Then only those who take the “SPIRIT” for thier guide through the troubled times ahead will recognize the VOICE of his Eternal Brother in his own voice …For the Lord will place his Spirit upon his Brother just as his Brother placed his own Spirit upon Christ at his Baptism…What comes around goes around and becomes a reciprocating favor to allow the Mortal Spirit to perfom his mission according to the Lords will and Spirit.
I could spend the next 100 pages identifying the types for the Spirit and his mortal mission to come but I don’t really feel it’s necessary to comment on each of them as I can tell your understanding of decerning types is very well developed.
What I will do is to just give you a list of names to ponder as types for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The types for Father and Christ are obvious, but I’m including them in the list as a way of comparing thier roles to the roles of the many types of the Spirit.
In this way, the identification of the Spirit through types becomes more clear.
Once you can pick these out, the next step is to organize the composite types to form a mental visual of the ONE MIGHTY and STRONG who IS the ANGEL who STANDS in the Lords PRESENCE, who led the Ancient Israelites to the Borders of the Promised Land in His Antimortal Mission which will again be reinacted in a modern version of the same thing only now he performs it in the flesh… Spiritual existence always preceeds temporal existence, and both missions mirror one another…As ABOVE so BELOW….
The Scriptures are revelied to us in the form of a Novel that happens to be true.
There is a begining , middle and end, where the theme and characters are developed through each suceeding chapter. This is a very indepth and intricate pattern of revelation that is impossible to describe in writing in anything less than the thickness of WAR & PEACE and that would only be sufficient to give a fairly thorough overview.
It’s like playing three dimentional SPIRITUAL CHESS when combing all avalable Scriptures.
This is a difficult task to accomplish on a piece of paper for me, but comes very naturally to my tounge. Something gets lost in the translation from my brain to the pen.
I’m a people person and cannot find much expression in writing. This is why I enjoy your articles so much. I’m ok with reading comprehension . You truely have a much greater gift for expressing yourself in writtng.
See how far I can digress by doing it this way? I just realized I haven’t given you the List of types…so here goes…
Adam-Father, Able-Christ, Enoch-Holy G.
Noah-Father, Shem-Christ, Japeth-Holy G.
Abraham-Father, Issac-Christ, Jacob-Holy G.
Joseph-Christ, Benjimen-Holy G.
Juda-Christ, Ephriam-Holy G.
Moses-Christ, Aaron-Holy G.
Joshua-Christ, Caleb-Holy G.
David-Christ, Johnathan-Holy G.
Elijah-Holy G. Elisha-Christ
Zerubbabel-Christ, Joshua-Holy G.
Ezra-Holy G.
John the Baptist-Holy G.
Christ-Father, James-Christ, John-Holy G.
Paul-Holy G
Joseph Smith-Christ, Hyram, Oliver, Sidney-Holy G.
One Mighty and Strong-Holy G. Christ-Christ.
Someone-One Mighty and Strong-Father, Sons of One Mighty and Strong-TWO WITNESSES, Two Witnesses to represent Christ and Holy G. under the Direction of thier Father-One Mighty and Strong-Spirit of God.
The list is much larger than this but this is enough to give you the general idea.
The end of the story of the Plan of Salvation is depicted by the Family “IN TYPE” that STARTED this whole thing and will finish it up with a BANG!…What goes around comes around…
In SHORT…The STORY begins with the Father (Adam in type) it progresses to the focal point in the middle of the Story with Christ playing the role of himself and the Story ends with the One (anonymous) Mighty and Strong Spirit in the flesh.
Then the next Book begins with the two Brothers being reunited (JUDA=CHRIST & EPHRIAM=HOLY SPIRIT IN THE FLESH) to work in harmony as Zechariah describes them doing in chapter 6. Just like Moses and Aaron.
Joshua represents the Holy Spirit fulfilling his mortal mission and the Seven pairs of eyes represent the seven Arc angels from Adam on.
The things you mentioned before about Joseph & Company returning on the Third Watch to finnish what they started is only partially correct.
You’ve adopted a correct Doctrinal Stake with which to pitch your tent, but you have placed that Stake a little foward of the position it should be in. They do indeed pick up where they left off , just not quite as soon as you envision nor in the way you have envisoned it.
The First Laborers of the Third Watch come from the Last Laborers of the 2ond Watch being called UP to God (Man child being caught UP to God in REV.)at a particular point in time for the purpose of recieving Great Power and a Comission to return and impliment the the requirements of the Third and Final Watch.
He is followed by the calling UP of 144,000 lucky dudes to recieve like power and commission. They stand upon Mount Zion with the Lamb(Heavenly Father has TWO Lambs represented by the TWO GOATS in the Atonement performed by Aaron.) They return to Earth and all serve as witnesses to the Garbage that has gone on in the Lords Church and help to bring that Garbage to an end. …The STRANGE ACT. This is followed by the Marvelous Work and A Wonder.
OWIW…I wish I could explain more in detail, but what I know is very difficult to put to words because in the transition to understanding the World Below from the Sky ABOVE, it is something that CANNOT be fully explained in words that you would be Familar with.
But this I know, I have already made this transition to Higher understanding in the Visitations and Visions imparted to me 35 years ago.
These Visions are rapidly becoming History as I speak.
Joseph Smith and I have a lot in common when it comes to following a pattern of Visitations and recieving Visions and Revelation.
My life is marked with more of these things than you could imagine.
Afterall, the Mission of the One Mighty & Strong entails the necessity of rather extensive preparation.
What I am telling you is not for public consumption. You can share anything you like with your friends but please don’t post this.
I have searched your Spirit through your writings and find you a Man of charater I can trust.
I tell you these things because I have never come across anyone quite like you in my years of searching and testing the waters of public opinion for the publics comprehension of the REAL Gospel Plan and the nearness of it’s inception to reality.
You have done a wonderfully amazing job of doing exactly what the Lord expected from all his children but got a lousy response from most of them.
I feel to be a STRONG kindred Spirit to your own.
I Love my Father & Brother like no one else alive or dead.
If you should be curious as to what I am like there is a description of the Final Teacher of Righeouness that is contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
There is a Man by the name of Bobby Rich who has formed a Portrait of the Final Prophet by the use of the descriptive information in the Scrolls that describe this Final Prophet.
He has only one thing misinterpreted which is only minor. He is very intuitive in his work. He calls himself the ON LIINE PROPHET. GOOGLE…Final Prophet and look for Bobby’s name in the intro. The portrait he describes is near the end of his long post.
The sad thing concerning the useful information that I have picked up while reading, is that with the exception of yourself and very few others in the church, the bulk of good and accurate info is coming from independent religious sources.
That’s a sad commentary regarding the Lords Covenant people who actually hold keys to make it much easier to decipher truth if they were only put to use.
You and some others you communicate with, but especially you, are making our Father very happy and I’m sure you stand to recieve Great rewards in the time to shortly come .
Even though I have traveled a very solitary path through this life in terms of not being able to relate much of anything I know with even Family members, this has not been such a pleasant experience for me.
I cry everyday for this phase of my life to end. The loneliness I feel among those I love most is weighing pretty heavily on me and always has,
I’m sorry for carrying on like this but I have none of my brothers or sisters hear on Earth right now who have an ear to hear.
I’m not sure how you recieve these things, yet I feel because I don’t know you, it won’t hurt me so much.
The pain becomes unbearable at times, and I just find my place where I can speak with my Father and ask him to not wait too much longer.
This has been the most horrible ride you could not imagine.
I’m ready to step beyond this veil of tears and recieve my perspective of it’s eternal purpose in my life.
Soon I hope to meet you. I’m sure it will be after I recieve the promises given to me 35 years ago.
By then it will be a much happier time in my life and I won’t be an emotional drain to those about me anymore.
You are going to be shocked at the IDIOT Heavenly Father has chosen to do his work.
I find myself in disbelief time and again but it’s like a cold that just won’t go away…
At least for this part of my first 55 years of life…this ain’t all that most people must think it’s cracked up to be.
I would have traded my life a thousand times over for a smoother ride through life but I don’t think I would find any takers.
My knowing what I know, is the only thing to bring me to the next day of every day of my long life.
Brighter days are ahead for all of us who have struggled to get through all this and have remained or become true to God.
I feel His promises and visions are very close now and am looking foward to the day I can meet you and your Family. There is so much to say and do.
Keep up the wonderful mind and heart that you pocess. You make your love for our Father very apparent in the things you have to say.
You have certainly brightened my out look during another period of personal trial with my trying to reach the apex of my struggles with my Father and Brother.
Please pray for me, as I’m at the Ford of Jabock in my life and am about to wrestle with my Dad and I’m very frightened.
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The Celestial Cloning of the Gods
by OneWhoIsWatching. www.threewatches.blogspot.com
[Editorial Note: I have been meaning to blog about this topic for sometime but have procrastinated. I hurriedly put this post together before leaving to go to Logan today. I plan on adding more to this post in the days to come. I will gladly accept any content from readers that supports this premise and would love to include it in this post. A very important foundational part of the doctrine contained herein, which explains how the male and female genders interrelate and how the man is not without the woman neither the woman without the man in the Lord, may be found in the literal interpretation of the creation story as provided in JST Genesis and related scriptures. For additional info pertaining to the doctrine of composite beings click here. As always, credible documentation to the contrary and comments from skeptics are welcome as well.]
We live in a world that instills in us a love and desire to be different. We love our uniqueness. We take great pride in our individuality… our separateness from others if you will.
We love our freedom of choice, our agency.
The world we live in is an ego driven world where the self centered natural man takes credit for his own accomplishments and covets his separateness from his fellow man and from God.
The natural man has a natural desire to excel above others. Hence we live in a world of class distinction.
We must remember however that Satan is the God of this world and everyone in it until a person repents and begins worshipping the only true God. Until we become a new creature of the Holy Ghost, we are carnal sensual and devilish creatures. The purpose of the Gospel is to bring about a mighty change wherein we become new creatures;
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2nd Cor
“For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” Mosiah 27
Hence our existence here is at best a distorted typological glimpse of the hereafter. Some speculate how life in the hereafter will be based on how life is here, yet this is not accurate.
It is therefore not surprising that the concept of sameness, equal-ness and oneness is repugnant to the natural man. It is a disconcerting thought to those who are carnal sensual and devilish.
The doctrine I want to address may well be considered a mystery in the sense that many members of the Church are not familiar with it or not very knowledgeable about it, however it is not necessarily one of the mysteries that has never been revealed by the prophets.
It is not one of the deeper mysteries which has been hid up and reserved to come forth for the first time when the marvelous work rolls forth. It is simply one of those doctrines that the masses tend to shy away from because it does not resonate with most people, in fact it can feel downright uncomfortable.
Nevertheless, I am going to show from the scriptures and from the teachings of the latter day Seer and the latter day Spokesman that;
There is only one perfection in the celestial kingdom, anything that differs from it is not perfect. When someone receives the fulness of the Father they are transformed in the express image of the Father and possess the same mind and glory as the Father.
Exalted beings in the highest glory are exactly identical to each other physically, mentally and spiritually. Their actions and thoughts are exactly the same. They even have the same mind, which is the Holy Ghost.
As a young boy in Sunday School my teachers, when speaking about the appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith in the grove would often hold up a picture depicting Jesus Christ as a younger man with brown hair standing next to the Father who was an older man with white hair. When I went on my mission in 1973 the missionary flip chart also showed a similar picture depicting a younger Jesus with brown hair and an elderly Father with white hair. That picture is shown below;
Years later I found it curious that the church started using different pictures of the Father and the Son showing them to be identical. I don’t know what caused them to change pictures but interestingly enough, according to the description of Joseph Smith, the Father and the Son “exactly resembled” each other.
In one of the accounts of the first vision the prophet Joseph Smith described the Father and the Son as exactly resembling each other in features and likeness;
“whose brightness and glory defy all description” and who “exactly resembled each other in features and likeness: (JS—H 1:17; Wentworth Letter, Backman, p. 169)
In another interesting account provided by the Prophet Joseph Smith, he told of seeing the Twelve Apostles after they had been glorified and he noted that;
“He saw that they all had beautiful heads of hair and all looked alike.” (Autobiography of Vilate Kimball)
Years later, Sidney Rigdon Spokesman and Joseph Smith the Seer prepared and the information contained in “Lectures on Faith” to the school of the prophets. The main purpose of Lectures on Faith is to increase faith in God, teach the deepers things about the nature and character of God and to enable those with faith to see God.
The content within the lectures teaches that Christ and all those who become perfected will be TRANSFORMED INTO THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF CHRIST AND THE FATHER AND POSSESS THE SAME MIND AND GLORY AS THE FATHER.
Lectures on Faith teaches that if you ever saw two beings that differed from each other in any way, you could know for sure that at least one of them was not a perfected being. There is only one perfection and anything that differs from that perfection is obviously not perfect.
I have provided numerous excerpts from the Lectures below;
“And he being the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father-possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit,”
“…The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness: Filling all in all–the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father–possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father–a Mediator for man–being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments:
and all those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.”
“Q. Do the Father and the Son possess the same mind?
A. They do
Q. Does the believer in Christ Jesus, through the gift of the Spirit, become one with the Father and the Son, as the Father and the Son are one?
A. They do. John 17: 20,21. Neither pray I for these (the apostles) alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
“..let us ask, where shall we find a prototype into whose likeness we may be assimilated, in order that we may be made partakers of life and salvation? or in other words, where shall we find a saved being? for if we can find a saved being, we may ascertain, without much difficulty, what all others must be, in order to be saved – they must be like that individual or they cannot be saved:
we think, that it will not be a matter of dispute, that two beings, who are unlike each other, cannot both be saved; for whatever constitutes the salvation of one, will constitute the salvation of every creature which will be saved: and if we find one saved being in all existence, we may see what all others must be, or else not be saved.
We ask, then, where is the prototype? or where is the saved being? We conclude as to the answer of this question there will be no dispute among those who believe the bible, that it is Christ: all will agree in this that he is the prototype or standard of salvation, or in other words, that he is a saved being. And if we should continue our interrogation, and ask how it is that he is saved, the answer would be, because he is a just and holy being; and if he were any thing different from what he is he would not be saved; for his salvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else;
for if it were possible for him to change in the least degree, so sure he would fail of salvation and lose all his dominion, power, authority and glory, which constitutes salvation; for salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses, and in nothing else; and no being can possess it but himself or one like him: Thus says John, in his first epistle, 3:2 and 3: Behold, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not appear what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And any man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.–Why purify himself as he is pure? because, if they do not they cannot be like him.”
“That he proposed to make them like unto himself; and he was like the Father, the great prototype of all saved beings: And for any portion of the human family to be assimulated into their likeness is to be saved; and to be unlike them is to be destroyed: and on this hinge turns the door of salvation.”
The above passages out of Lectures on Faith may seem a bit mystical and extreme. However, I would point out two things about them;
1) The principles and concepts contained in the Lectures on Faith produced results. Several accounts by and about participants of the school of the prophets used this sacred information to unlock the heavens. One of the most incredible testimonies that was recorded was that of Zebedee Coltrin who participated in the school. He was one of several people who also saw Jesus Christ and bore testimony of it. His vision took place a year after section 76 was given.
2) The other observation about the Lectures on Faith is that it is completely consistent with the New Testament! Some of these verses will be provided below.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what weshall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is .” 1 Jn. 3: 2
“I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will believe on my name, that they may become the sons of God, even one in me as I am one in the Father, as the Father is onein me, that we may be one. ” D&C 35: 2
The above verses in modern revelation are building upon the intercessory prayer that Christ offered in the New Testament;
” I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that theymay be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17
Despite talks by modern leaders to the contrary, there is nothing wrong with worshipping Jesus Christ. He is the God that atoned for our sins and he is one with the father. The Nephites worshipped him when Christ visited them and he did not rebuke them for doing it.
There is a most interesting account in the 19th and 22nd chapters of the Book of Revelation where a personage that apparently looked exactly like Christ and spake as if he was Christ, appeared to John the Revelator to reveal things to him.
Thinking the messenger was Christ, John knelt down to worship him but was quickly rebuked by the angel who acknowledged that he was a fellow servant of John. He commanded John to worship God;
“And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage super of the lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy….
And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true… Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”
Realizing that the plan of salvation is calculated to transform the repentant man into the exact image and likeness of Christ and his Father, and infusing us with all of their attributes, powers and former accomplishments, let us now review various aspects of the scriptures to see if perhaps there is a deeper meaning and significance to some of them.
When the Lord began speaking to the Saints through the Prophet Joseph Smith in the 1800’s the underlying theme was quite a paradigm shift to the thinking of the world.
Oneness
In one of the earlier revelations the Lord commands the Saints to be ONE;
“I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (Section 38)
A surface interpretation of that scripture might incline someone to assume that God is simply encouraging his people to be united in a common cause and faith, however the previous statements from the Spokesman and the Seer suggest that there is a more ultimate and literal state being alluded to than just the attainment of a common cause and faith in mortality.
Equality
Again, in modern scripture, the Lord commands his people to be EQUAL.
Yes, he is referring to their current temporal condition; however, the goal of being equal temporally in this life is typological to our ultimate state of being in the eternal world.
“And behold, none are exempt from this law who belong to the church of the living God.. Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld.” (Section 70)
“They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace..And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.” (Section 76)
“That you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things” (Section 78)
Celestial Imaging
Again, in light of what the Seer and the Spokesman have revealed about the literal reality of the saved person being transformed into the exact image and likeness of the Father, let us look at a few more statements in the scriptures;
“And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this …I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” Alma 5
Enticing of the Spirit- Yielding- Submission
Becoming a Prisoner of Christ
Some people speculate that in the highest glory within the Celestial Kingdom there will be differences of opinion between the various inhabitants and that there is some kind of necessity in having some type of common consent among the inhabitants before God can do his will.
The scriptures and the words of the prophets seem to challenge this notion. There cannot be any contention or disagreement among exalted and perfected beings. Indeed, the gospel of Jesus Christ is calculated to take away our imperfect individuality and take away our personal ego and personal will. All exalted beings are in perfect harmony with each other having the same mind… even the mind of the Holy Ghost.
Just as the Savior said “not my will but thine” and allowed his will to be swallowed up in the will of the father, each of us who enter into the straight gate will, through the grace of God and by the power of the holy ghost need to shed our egos and our separate will and allow our independent will to be swallowed up in the will of the father. We must use our agency to freely give up our agency;
“Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.” Mosiah 15: 7
The Apostle Paul speaks of being made a minister unto the Gentiles through the mysterious grace of Christ which made him a “Prisoner of Christ”. He uses the term prisoner which is unusual because the term prisoner usually has a negative connotation to it.
Nevertheless some prisoners are taken into custody against their own will while others freely surrender themselves. Paul seems to fall into both categories. Initially it appears he was spiritually abducted long enough to have his spiritual eyes opened. After that, he freely surrendered himself to the higher authority.
“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” Eph 3
“but men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man and becometh a Saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” Mosiah 3
With the deeper understanding that those who achieve Godhood are transformed into the image of God and how their mind is piloted by the Holy Spirit as their ultimate guide. It becomes apparent that that agency is not an eternal entitlement but rather a temporary gift. One that brings forth the condemnation of man if not used wisely.
While it is important to exercise agency to choose light over the darkness during probation, perhaps the most important and last choice that we will use our agency to make, is to freely give up our agency and allow our will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father.
It is interesting that the Kingdom of Heaven appears to have hierarchy in relationship to the three kingdoms of glory however, within the highest kingdom there does not seem to be a traditional kingdom hierarchy with regard to knowledge and power since all of the Saints in that kingdom are made equal with Christ
“And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.” (Section 88)
Indeed, the oath and covenant of the priesthood informs us that all of the previous attributes, powers and accomplishments of Christ and the Father who have gone before us are inherited by everyone who becomes exalted:
“And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord; For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.” (Section 84)
From this we find that we are infused with the same glory and accomplishments of all of Christ and his Father, each of whom had inherited the same from their fathers that went before them and so on. Therefore each person that becomes exalted inherits the fulness of the attributes, power and accomplishments of all the Gods who came before them.
Satan the Great Counterfeit
It is important to realize that God allows sons of Perditions to gain temporary entrance into the pre-existent celestial realms so that he can use them to separate the various intelligences and create division and war prior to the mortal probation however it is interesting to note that they don’t enter in by the same gate that the righteous enter in. Notice the following observation by Christ;
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” (John 10)
It is erroneous to teach that Lucifer was at one time a righteous man who became exalted through the approved plan of progression and then fell from his exaltation. He was simply a very smart and crafty individual that God allowed to climb up through the back door so that God could use him to fulfill his purposes. He functions on borrowed light for a season.
Notice the following assurance by Christ that those who enter in at the gate through Him shall never fall;
“whoso cometh in at the gate and eclimbeth up by me shall never fall” (Moses 7)
Paul warns us that Satan and his minions have the ability to transform themselves. Satan transforms himself into an angel of light from time to time. Even false apostles have the ability to transform themselves into the image of the true apostles of light. With this warning, it is almost incomprehensible that one of the foundational claims coming out of the succession crisis of the LDS restoration movement is the account of a transformation
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” 2nd Cor
Summary
To summarize, when a person accepts the fulness of the Gospel and becomes meek and submissive and childlike, willing to submit himself to the laws of God and to allow his self will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father, he will receive the baptism of fire which will make a new creature out of him.
This prepares him to receive of the fulness of the Father and to be transformed into the express image of the father, possessing the same mind and glory as the Father.
Why is this important to understand?
Because we have been commanded to seek the face of God and to truly know him. We have been commanded to gain a better understanding of the nature and character of God. We have been commanded to understand who and what we worship;
“And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son. And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him. And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.
I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorfied in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace. And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn; D&C 93
February 15, 2009
Categories: Articles by OWIW, Deep Waters, Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, Power of the Holy Ghost, Scriptural Discussions, Zion . Tags: celestial clones, clone, clones, Equality, fulness of the father, nature of God, oneness, Zion . Author: onewhoiswatching Edit this entry
39 Comments
Why would an omni-everything being require (or even desire) clones of him/her self? What is the purpose for this class of (for lack of a better term) robots?
If I could write any (or even all possible) software programs with the word of my mouth, why would I require, need, want, desire an army of software engineers?
If everybody has the same mind and is absolutely identical then how do we distinguish Ed from Fred? Does the concept of “Ed” and “Fred” disappear?
Didn’t Joseph also say that there is always one intelligent greater than another? How does this greater than relationship fit in with ‘one mind’?
“If everybody has the same mind and is absolutely identical then how do we distinguish Ed from Fred? Does the concept of “Ed” and “Fred” disappear?”
Based on the personal revelations I have received, the concept of Ed and Fred does not disappear. Each exalted man is a unique individual, with a unique name, though they all look like exact replicas of one another. However, their manner of dress is different and, according to my understanding, the First Vision paintings would have been more correct had the painter given the Father and the Son different robe styles.
Great questions to ponder
“If I could write any (or even all possible) software programs with the word of my mouth, why would I require, need, want, desire an army of software engineers?”
This question begs several others. One is, was there a first God or is the concept of a first something only applicable to those who live in time and not applicable to those who live in eternity? And another question might be, did God create the system or is he simply complying to existing eternal laws? We know that God created all “things” but what does “things” represent? Perhaps they simply represent everything creatable within an existing set of eternal laws.
“If everybody has the same mind and is absolutely identical then how do we distinguish Ed from Fred? Does the concept of “Ed” and “Fred” disappear?”
I have heard it speculated that the reason that God said to Joseph “This is my beloved son” is for that very reason… because they otherwise were not distinguishable. However, I suspect that everyone does maintain a separate entity with regard to something, and I suspect it is the “spirit” that reveals who everyone is.
“Didn’t Joseph also say that there is always one intelligent greater than another? How does this greater than relationship fit in with ‘one mind’?”
Actually I think you might be thinking of a section out of the Book of Abraham;
“… if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal. And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.”
And that is a subject for another article.
Keep watching
This all smarts of “A Course in Miracles”. Except we get to keep our bodies.
Regarding “Free Agency”- Actually, you bring up an interesting observation. I was hoping someone would bring it up. I almost included a section on agency in the article except that I am trying to reduce the ridiculous length of the articles I do.
The phrase “free agency” that we all grew up hearing about in Sunday school does not show up in the scriptures. Perhaps it is a hoax.
The word agency and also the phrase “moral agency” do show up.
I think we have been conditioned to assume that agency plays a different role in our progression than we may think.
The content presented in the article does not diminish the reality and importance of agency during this probation, it does however, reveal some hugely significant things about the nature of agency in the hereafter.
The main purpose of agency during probationary time is to allow people to choose light or darkness. After they use their agency during their probationary experience to choose light or darkness, there are eternal rewards and consequences attached.
“All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.”
Truth is “knowledge of things as they are, were and will be”; intelligence is the light of truth. We are Spirit of truth. That which is Spirit is light. So we are independent inside that sphere, or context in which God has placed us. But, when I say, “we”, who is talking? We is a divisive word. So I will say, “I”, or SELF.
So, the next question is, Is the sphere in which we find ourselves one that God has placed us in, or did we fall into it? And, is there independence in the Sphere in which God places himself?
Is there independence in all spheres? Also, can we be independent “walking in darkness at noonday”? Is that a sphere that God places Truth and Intelligence in? Or is that a realm ruled by ego? I am reminded of the phrase, “If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Does the last scripture you quoted mean that agency “goes with” condemnation?
I had a hunch a while back that the mist of darkness in Lehi’s dream is our prized agency. It is a mirage, or smokescreen that hides what’s real. I have no scripture to back my hunch. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Also, in view of the fact that where there is no independence to act freely, there is no existence (existence meaning to stand away from, or apart from) (meaning to exist or stand away from God) is it possible to live without being agents in this life? or is it possible to be one with God in this life, having no existence of our own?
Perhaps that which was “from the beginning” meaning the agency and the condemnation of man could be referring to Satan and Jehovah. The Lord says that both of these were “from the beginning. ”
“And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was “from the beginning”, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.”
Going out on a limb, I have felt, beginning in the recent past, that agency really is about condemnation. Satan was all about being the Lord’s agent to redeem all mankind. And he needed “honor” to complete the agency that he was seeking. Could Honor be equivalent to “taking upon ourselves the “name” of Christ? Could “Honor” be equivalent to taking upon ourselves the priesthood? I know that sounds ludicrous and blasphemous, but why not explore it on a blog. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, so what is there to fear?
“But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.”
There is no word about being an agent here. No mention of “honor”. Agency is lacking in the Savior’s response.
“Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.”
Satan sought to combine agency with power. Maybe the use of agency “goes with” deception. Maybe agency, and power just don’t mix; like oil and water. Maybe, seeking agency destroys agency in others, as well as ourselves, and diminishes power. Agency implies duality, which implies the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”; which tree Adam was commanded not to partake of. Perhaps partaking of that tree “goes with” destroying agency.
Also, the record states that Satan “knew not the mind of God, wherefore, he sought to destroy the world”. Maybe it was the mind of God that the “world” be destroyed. The world spoken of is not a sphere of Truth and Intelligence, but is an imaginary place that each of us at one time pretend to walk and have life in, howbeit life that ends in death. This world seems real, and is over run by agents (like “Agent Smith”), It seems very real, because of the light that is described as being “how great that darkness is
I want to add, “Perhaps partaking of that tree “goes with” destorying agency” by establishing our own agency.”
Also, I thought about Abraham, also seeking the priesthood, “And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.”
What is the difference between Satan’s seeking, and Abraham’s seeking?
I have made a big mistake using my first and last name in my postings. Every new article published on LDS Anarchy since I made my Prop 8 comment shows up when you Google my name. my fault, I know wordpress submits to the Google search database…should have thought about it more….
I am job searching now, and I’d like to keep personal religious views private with my friends here at your blog and at church or with my close friends.
Is there a way to remove the one comment with my first and last name and I will participate with a pseudonym in the future. I believe I only did one post with my first and last name DEAN K[.]
Thanks.
If you can do that, I’d be most grateful. Thank you….would you email me and let me know you got this?
[Fixed.]
Inside of the “world” of the ego, there can no good thing come (Moroni 7). That is the world Satan wanted destroyed; however he knew not the plan of God, which was to have us fall into that world through partaking of the fruit of the knowledge of the Tree of Good and Evil.
You said above, that the purpose of agency is to allow people to choose between light and darkness. Choosing between the two is all inside the world of good and evil. When waking from that world, where there is no ego, but only the will and glory of God, there is no more light and darkness. That whole duality is a mirage, a creation inside of a dream state. Agents must be cloaked with the “honor” of God, or his priesthood. Outside that world there is no need for honor, because there is no dishonor.
You have really done it now. My head has been spinning after pondering the questions and observations you have shared…
Now I am going to have to add a small section into the article pertaining to agency…
Frankly, I think we are all at the stage where we have more questions than answers pertaining to agency, however I feel as if I am beginning to get a little more clarity on some of these issues.
It is interesting that we have been commanded to become as a child. What is it that differentiates a child from an adult? AGENCY.
Children submit themselves to their parents. Is not the age of accountability really the age of choice, or agency?
After the judgment, those that go to hell and are ruled by Satan in outer DARKNESS no longer have the agency to choose good and evil, likewise, those who become exalted and have their own will swallowed up in the will of the Father, taking on the mind of the Holy Ghost also no longer have the option of choosing darkness.
Those in the telestial and terrestrial glories are ruled by those glories as well…
BTW Anarchist, why doesn’t my “child” picture show up anymore when I post replies? I just realized why I was inspired to choose it when I created my profile.
Also, whose agents are we. D&C 29 says we are agents unto ourselves. That world is our creation and is ruled over by ego, or agency, which ultimately is inspired by Satan. God gives no commandment pertaining to that realm. All his commandments are spiritual.
Also, little children, the example being the “holy child Jesus (See Moroni 8:3) (in otherwords, Mormon is not talking exclusively about little children under the age of eight) are whole and have no need of baptism, or a physician. Applying this verse to us, and not only little children under 8, If we are whole, we are not divided. We are not of the world of duality, and we are not agents. Just another thought.
“This level of economic disparity will result in anarchy….and the revolution will be televised !!!!!!!!”
(February 17th, 2009 1:25 pm ET)
Hmmmmm……
Your post raises some interesting ideas which I have never considered or, in a couple of places, ever heard of. Very stimulating. I have some thoughts.
INDIVIDUALITY AND SAMENESS
I believe there’s something to what you posit. Consider that we know that man’s desire for individual satisfaction (I actually don’t like that word) or his will-to-power, is the centerpiece of Satan’s appeal to our ego. We are conditioned to believe in “having it our way” as long as it doesn’t hurt others. That seems reasonable at first glance. But from there we have the slow downhill slide into psychological isolation and the construction of Fortress Self. It is counterintuitive, of course, to think of individuality as a bad thing. However, individuality qua individuality is problematic. Observe how complete compliance to the laws and ordinances of the gospel as we know it is often considered draconian, unnatural, and even unhealthy by the general public. Why? Because it does modify character, bringing it into line with an ideal which is LESS INDIVIDUALISTIC than it would otherwise be. We become more alike, sharing values and behaving the same way. In this sense, I would argue that individuality, in the popular every-day sense that we have come think of it and celebrate it in the late 20th century is not an urgent eternal concern. Self-realization, self-actualization, self-esteem are man-made notions. They may lead to a feeling of strong self-concept, but this is not necessarily the same thing as strong Self, which is eternal.
I would extend your idea of fulfillment through reflection of the Father to perhaps include a recognition that we are conscious beings that EXPERIENCE things differently. We have unique perceptions, feelings, subjective reactions that cannot be taken from us because we are intelligent. I believe that its possible that although we may become EXACTLY like the Father, we retain our knowledge of this life, we remember what we lived, we have an emotional history through which we experience the same Fullness of the Father. We remain subjectively tied to many things about HOW WE LIVED, including those things we sealed to ourselves in the temple. This subjective perception is Heideggers Dasein, which he correctly (I believe) identifies as ALL THERE REALLY IS, ALL THAT EXISTS.
Instead of a superficial ego-based “individuality” promoted here on Earth, it may be that true uniqueness is what our personal histories, especially family experiences, bring to the radically subjective experience of being “exactly” like the Father in Eternity. In other words, personal uniqueness,”identity” if you will, might reside in our psychological experiences, our intelligence, our memories, forever.
What else would there be but intelligence? Assuming the Universe itself is perfect, it is also elegant. There would be no need to appear or even behave differently than the Father. I would assume it would be mathematically improbable for a Perfected Celestially Glorified Being to be perceived by others, especially to an ordinary mortal man, as anything other than Heavenly Father or Heavenly Mother. If all perfections, privelidges, dignities, glories, honors, beauties and virtues are bestowed on such exalted beings, they should have the same terminus of physical expression. This would follow natural laws, mathematical truths, and the sense of beauty.
What keeps us individuals is what resides inside this manifestation, which is our subjective experience, which has its own name and its own progression. I find this to be potentially a more rewarding way of thinking about who I am eternally. I am what I saw, what I felt, how I learned, how I got to be like the Father. It would be the story of my journey that makes me “an individual”.
I thank you for your provocative post, it really made me think about this issue.
I enjoyed your post, as I always do, but I believe you made a slight error in one of your statements. You said:
Despite talks by modern leaders to the contrary, there is nothing wrong with worshipping Jesus Christ. He is the God that atoned for our sins and he is one with the father. The Nephites worshipped him when Christ visited them and he did not rebuke them for doing it.
That is only partially correct. A careful reading of the scriptures reveals that the only time anyone worships Jesus is when He is in their presence. When He is not around, we worship the Father.
You mention the Nephites worshiping Him and not being rebuked. 3 Nephi 19 is a good example showing the difference between when Jesus is with us and when He is not. When He was not with the Nephites they prayed to the Father, when He was, they prayed to Him. Also in Doctrine and Covenants 109, the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple, Joseph begins by praying to the Father and makes an abrupt change after vs 29 and prays the rest of the prayer to Jesus. I found this intriguing one time when I read it and tried to figure out why; I found a quote from Joesph Smith stating that Jesus had come in during the prayer, or something along those lines. I looked for the reference tonight to cite here but can’t find my notes on this subject. The baptism prayer as given by Jesus in 3 Nephi is different from the one we use in the church today, but we would it word for word if He were here. So, yes, in certain circumstances it is appropriate to worship and pray to Jesus, but not always.
Just a side note, but an important one. Thanks again for the post.
I would express it is in this manner: God (and all other exalted beings) encompasses the one and the all at the same time. So, He represents infinite individuality, which to us looks like sameness. We, on the other hand, express only extremely limited individuality. His goal, then, is to expand us and bring us to His level of individuality, which requires us to be in learning mode and not teaching mode, until we get to His level. At that point, we get to express the infinite and truly understand the joy of the Gods.
But I liked how you put it, too.
Do you have a copy of the latest edition of the Temple Book. I have an older version. Apparently he updated it and had it available on his website before he died. After he passed on, his family took the website down and now the final version is unavailable. Do you have or know where to find it?
Thanks
The Israelites at the foot of Mt Sinai didn’t want to surrender their will to God and placed Moses inbetween them and God. I think that this is a classic example of a Terrestrial being. They worship God but any communications between God and them needs to come through a prophet, priest, king or popel
In the scriptures I can see as least three groups of people and their way of worshipping represented and if there are three than why not as there are today.
1. the Ezekiel temple seems to represent an eternal form of worship. I personally can’t see them sacrificing animals throughout eternity but in chapters 40 – 48 there is described a group of people that is cohesive and complete and autotonomous in their relationship.
2. the New Jerusalem temple complex with it’s 24 temple complex seems to represent a terrestrial people, not a celestial people that will last throughout the millennium at least.
3. the mysterious Heathen is for sure a group of people that are separate and distinct from anyother. I see no reason to assume they will change their way of living or worshipping. To me this includes those who worship Buddah, Islam or just the tribes of africa who worship a great God of some kind.
Terrestrial peoples have at least two things in common. They are truely the good people of the earth that want to live simple lives in peace and safety and they all worship God.
These are some of my thoughts for what they are worth.
There is one other definition that comes to mind pertaining to the terrestrials.
“These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.” D&C 76: 75
Watcher
Would you agree that agency is a temporary gift rather than an eternal entitlement?
Is it possible that the key to transferring from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil over to the tree of life is not only in using agency to choose light over evil, but in the ultimate sense, to exercise agency to give up agency… to have our will swallowed up in the will of the Father?
After this wonderful probationary experience, those who are ruled by Satan no longer have their agency. According to the information documented in the article, those who become exalted take on the mind of the Holy Ghost and no longer choose between good and evil.
This leaves those who are guided by the telestial and terrestrial glories. We have been given precious little information about their existence, but we know they are completely clean. Even the telestials are completely clean after their 1,000 years of therapy and I suspect they are completely being guided by the power of the telestial glory no longer choosing between good and evil.
“Would you agree that agency is a temporary gift rather than an eternal entitlement?”
I would say that it is neither, although it could be considered a gift, but not in the sense that we think of. It is rather a mirage, or like a smokescreen that hides what is real. Like I said previously, I feel it is the mist of darkness in Lehi’s dream. It is what the Lord was referring to when he said, “when the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” It is what trips us up, causes us to refuse the invitation to grasp hold of the Rod of Iron, because the mist seems so real. We then wander off into strange paths. It appears to be real, whereas the rod goes counter to everything we’ve been conditioned to believe.
Grasping hold of the rod turns our whole world upside down and inside out. The moment we grasp hold of the rod, our senses, and everything we have invested in tells us that we are making the ultimate sacrifice.
Perhaps Sidney had this in mind when he said, “Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things [by the way, the things of God cannot be sacrificed] never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For a man to lay down his all [HIS ALL is everything that is HIS, meaning his agency, that which caused separation of HIS things from GOD”S things], his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also — counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ [HE IS THE ROD OF IRON]– requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when those sufferings [THAT IS THE INITIAL SHOCK OF TOUCHING AND CLINGING TO THE ROD] are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God [THIS IS ULTIMATE ONENESS: THE GLORY OF GOD BECOMES YOUR GLORY BECAUSE YOU ARE GOD].”
Sidney is inviting us to give up our priced agency, and take hold of the Rod. But many let go of the rod when it is presented to them, and trust rather in the mist of darkness which seems to be light, or they trust in their agency, or the agency that resides in institutions and others.
Although it feels real and appears to be light, our senses which are agency, or ego driven, can’t safely be trusted in this thing. When it’s presented, it’s important to follow intuition which says to grasp hold of the rod; let its shock go through you and continually cling to the iron rod at the expense of trusting all other senses. It doesn’t matter the security, comfort, and functionality our senses, feelings, and conditioning (in a word: our agency) have afforded us, ultimately they cannot be relied upon to save us.
Being an “agent” begins by declaring our sovereignty away from the mind of God. It is also a tacit declaration that God is somehow inadequate; that he can’t do his own work; that he needs us. This inadequacy becomes the space or clearing that the work of agency takes place in. In the short run, agency looks and works very well; but ultimately agency is based uponf inadequacy that breeds anger and fear.
Lucifer’s petition for agency is what brought about his expulsion from the presence and mind of God. Once outside the realm of THAT mind, not knowing THAT mind any longer; in other words, having sought to become an agent unto himself, seeking to do his own will masquerading as doing a huge favor for the Father; he sought to destroy the opportunity of agency that God gave or allowed men to possess. That doesn’t mean that agency was a gift in the sense that most consider gifts to be, nor does it mean that agency was of God. Agency is a deviation from the mind of God, and Lucifer became Satan the moment he deviated from the mind of God, and Sought to prevent all men the same liberty he gave himself.
Agency goes with the mind that would see God as being inadequate. But in the end, God uses agency as the means to turn men to God, and RECOGNIZE, OR KNOW what they had possessed all along. “[God gives] unto men weakness [agency or condemnation] that they may be humble.” This humility, contriteness, and possession of a broken heart (which is the only choice that man really has) is the only access to the atonement of Jesus Christ; atonement being at-ONE-ment, meaning no more agency. This is what might be referred to as being given the gift of forgiveness and repentance. Forgiveness and repentance give men a new view that what they thought was real really isn’t; that what they thought was not real really is. Forgiveness and repentance is the beginning of waking up from the sleepwalk of walking in darkness at noonday.
So we also, like Lucifer, petition God to be “his son” or “his church” but on terms that he also give us his honor or his priesthood. If our petition is granted, it can only be granted on terms that we too fall, for the concept of agency can only exist in a dream state, or a fallen world; a world that isn’t real; a world that is outside of the presence and influence of God; a world that is not eternal, but is designed to eventually die, along with all inside it.
Receiving honor becomes a counterfeit, or a substitute of experiencing the glory of God. Terrestrial people are very luciferian in this regard. They are very honorable. They aspire and eventually possess great honor that superficially satisfies and clouds or blots out a yearning to return to our premortal experience of partaking in the glory and Oneness of God.
The scripture you quoted states that where there is no agency there is no existence. I looked up the word existence. Etymologically breaking it down, it means “to stand beside, or away from”. This is where existence takes place. This type of existence does not go with being in the presence of God. In this regard, Christ did not exist. He did not stand outside, or beside God. He did nothing of his own accord. All personal actions were swallowed up in the will of the Father. Paradoxically, what appears to be existence really isn’t. It is all mirage, and a dream. In that world of supposed existence, where what is darkness is perceived as being light, there is no truth or intelligence. There is no independence.
As Shakespeare said,
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
So also is the “gift” of agency.
It is referring to an after life kingdom of glory in eternity.
“And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding..”
I hardly think they were viewing this world while en-wrapped in vision.
Furthermore, we are informed that
“they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.”
I still think that once a person receives a fulness of the telestial glory, they are clean and pure and they are totally guided by the principles and laws of that glory, no longer having the option of choosing evil.
Admittedly, I have not put much thought into this and cannot prove to my own satisfaction from the scriptures that this theory is correct.
I have noticed that the site looked a little strange a few time during the last few days.. I am wondering it there have been some technical problems with it.
I have had the same thoughts about the telestial kingdom that you have had.
I have wondered how could this earth life be called the telestial kingdom in the temple dialogue, but at the same time in section 76 be portrayed as a final resting place after judgment takes place where all progression stops.
Frankly I am relieved each time I hear in the temple that this place where we now live is the telestial kingdom. I am relieved because I rationalize that this place isn’t so bad, and I can still progress out of it if I want to. Actually, any place can be hellish AND endurable as long as there exists the possibility of leaving it sometime. When that possibility closes, and all progression ceases, that is the moment hell begins!
Perhaps this is the reason I shy away from taking seriously section 76. It doesn’t matter how unimaginably beautiful a place can be; if it lacks the possibility of progression, it seems that it would be hellish. When I read section 76, I am always bothered by the finality of it all. And at the same time, I see that it is impossible for me to be anything more than “telestial material”. I find delight most of the time in being sinful, angry, vengeful, petty, getting away with lying, gaining the advantage over my neighbor &c. Once in a while, though, “my drops do sparkle” (to take the last line from the movie “Camelot”), and I find myself in a context where all the old baggage simply has disappeared, but it doesn’t last long. The Celestial attributes that are described in section 76 seem so much out of my nature and reach, that it is exhausting just thinking about hoping for such a place. It also doesn’t really seem like I would enjoy all that righteousness, piety, and purity. It just doesn’t seem like ME.
This reminds me of a time when I was serving in primary, and the faculty was trying to show the primary kids the different degrees of glory. Different rooms in the building represented different degrees, and the kids would advance to each kingdom after learning what section 76 said about each. When the kids got to the Celestial Kingdom, the adults were in their white temple clothes, and the part about the Celestial Kingdom in section 76 was read to the kids. There wasn’t one kid that was interested in it. They all knew they SHOULD be interested in that kind of stuff, but they just weren’t. So the whole presentation, rather than inspiring them to greater heights, produced guilt instead because they just didn’t feel what they should have been feeling.
Where I get hung up is in the finality of the different kingdoms. I can not be reconciled to it being a fact that the lack of progression and possibility that exists in the telestial and terrestrial kingdoms is justly compensated for by the unimaginable happiness that exists there along with the unimaginable beauty and such that also is there. I don’t care how unimaginably beautiful or happy it is, I could never be happy there knowing that I had missed the chance to be with my father in the Celestial Kingdom.
It seems that the only way the “section 76 telestial kingdomites” could be happy is if they took on being resigned to what could have been, basically numbing themselves to the pain of knowing what was no longer possible. Maybe the “therapy” you say they will go through for a thousand years will be the lobotomy they will need that will make living in such a “happy” place possible. I always pictured their “therapy” as being so exhausting that finally, after a thousand years of such exhaustive therapy, something will snap in their psyches and they will humbly, meekly, but resignedly enter into their kingdom, taking comfort in knowing that they actually received more than they deserved. There will be no possibility of a miracle of transformation that might take place in their lives anymore. there will always be a ceiling to how high they can reach. Their final resting place will be mete for them. At least they will have pretty vistas, and great bowling alleys, and nice tea parties. YUCK!
In this earthly “telestial kingdom” we think progression is still possible and maybe that’s what makes life endurable . But maybe that illusive carrot always dangling in front of us is all a hoax. Maybe the possibility of progression really is not available to us telestialites, and for that reason we keep on playing the “someday, maybe game”. Maybe it is as difficult (except in our fantasies) as it is for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle. Maybe something has to be given up in this kingdom that is impossible to give up, something so enormously nurturing, that it would produce supposed death if we were to give it up. Maybe we are as stuck in our progression as those who live in the “section 76 telestial kingdom” are.
Maybe there is more to section 76 than has been revealed.
I think it causes more questions, than it gives answers.
In high school, everyone is trying to find their own identity among the masses. We want to know who we are, start to figure out what we like, and what we want to do. There are three different groups that come to different conclusions.
First, the loafers. These guys know they need to be in school but hate it. They don’t do the work they loaf around and are not headed anywhere. And beyond reason, they seem to like it because they don’t do anything to change that fact. Telestial.
Second, you have the okay kids who are taking the normal classes that will get them graduated. They kind of study and can get into a college if they want. Nothing too exciting about them in education. They do what they need to get by. And, they like not having the pressure. Terestrial.
Third, there are those other kids, taking AP classes trying to get into Harvard. They work hard and are excited about learning. They know what they want and go after it to the best of their ability. The pressure is on and they rise. Celestial.
Now, at this point anyone can change if they want. They can get tutors, they can have a defining moment and move toward a future. Their progression is possible. But, despite what people want to believe, these people are happy where they are. The pressure involved and the responsibility level suites them where they are. They don’t care about growing, about becoming more. If they really did, they would change.
The thing I like about this website is learning that there are others out there not wanting to settle. I like knowing that others also want it all. This desire is pure and I know the Lord will help anyone, willing and able, to achieve it. No guts, no glory. The only thing I have to offer is my agency. I need to give up the one thing I own, and tell the Lord that “not my will, but thine be done.” Trying to do that all the time is tough, hard, frustrating and not impossible. I just need to take some new classes on the trying of spirits, gifts of the spirit, revelation, signs of the times, etc. to learn how to function at a different level. I need to prepare, because I know that I will not be satisfied unless I have it all.
Whose with me?
I must confess however that I am not as bothered about the thought of not being able to progress eternally as Just Peachy is. I am fine with receiving a fulness of whichever kingdom my eternal potentiality merits. I am comfortable just reaching a blissful state of Nirvana… in the kingdom I belong in.
I feel that if I am ultimately a terrestrial kingdom person, it is because the Lord took my unorganized intelligence from a terrestrial world before organizing it, and therefore it would only make sense that I would ultimately, after the probationary experience, return to that glory.
I realize this may sound like predestination… but then again, those scriptures that use that word were never changed in the inspired version.
I think we all need to try as hard as we can to obey the commandments and accept the atonement and the grace of God in our lives, but after all we can do, we will by the grace of God, go where we will be most comfortable.
I honestly don’t think the terrestrials will look at the Celestials with envy or regret, any more than I look at the great prophets in history with envy. I love them and appreciate what they have done, but I don’t want to trade places with any of them.
Your analogy rubs me the wrong way. Probably because I hated high school. Because of my family name, they (the administration) pulled some strings, and I graduated having failed math. I never liked Chiropractic School either. I wanted to be a concert pianist, and was failing my classes, but because my dad used his influence, they, (the administration) bent the guidelines, and I graduated.
I hate the practice of people dividing people into separate groups of loafers, those that perform with mediocrity, and those who seek to excel. That smacks of division rather than being one. Zion is about people being ONE, but not at the expense of excluding those that don’t fit in. Perhaps you are thinking that those who don’t fit in will stay away on their own accord. But maybe Zion, rather than focusing on excluding those that don’t fit in because they don’t fit in, or they are rebellious, or lethargic; Maybe Zion would be inspiring to these misfits, and out of being inspiring, these misfits, or loafers would be touched by the glory of Zion; maybe they would be moved to transform their lives and take on inspiring others in ways that are unique to them only.
Going back to your analogy, maybe the loafers loaf because they cannot stomach a system that is corrupt, but pretends to be otherwise. Maybe they loaf to effect a change at home. Maybe they don’t know any other way to deal with life, except to loaf. Maybe loafing is there way of challenging authority Perhaps they have the one thing missing in those who are mediocre, and those who seek to excel that would transform a sick society into one that expresses tolerance for those who don’t quite fit the mold (like me).
The thought of others suffering some final punishment, or being given a reward based on what they deserved doesn’t make sense to me. In the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2, Lehi tells Jacob “Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer”. His redemption had nothing to do with him, but with his redeemer. I know that is a point of doctrine that could be a subject of dispute. But I take comfort in it. Living life from a viewpoint that what I do here will land me in a place that is doomed although teeming with unimaginable happiness, is not a good enough motive to live “righteously”. there’s got to be more to the picture. Maybe Joseph and Sydney who were both rebels in their own rights, will reveal it. Until then, I will be dissatisfied.
In the meantime, I take comfort that God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient, unlike any administrator in a public high school.
You said, “The thought of others suffering some final punishment, or being given a reward based on what they deserved doesn’t make sense to me.”
See if this makes sense. I think, like OWIW, there is a predestination. After all, if God is Omnipotent, the moment we all left his presence, wouldn’t He know who would return to what degree of glory? I would put forth the idea that the reason we are here, is to prove to ourselves which glory we deserve. So that when we’re placed their, we will have no doubt as to it being the correct choice. So, this life is all about the journey. Cliche, but fitting. We’re on this earth, we don’t know who we really were as eternal beings, we don’t have a memory of that life, we’re in a place where we can’t see our Father…I’d say our chips our down.
But God did not forsake us. We all have the ability in us to pull out of it because we can all accept the atonement in our lives.
In my analogy, each group is full of individuals with all different stories. However, the psychological basis in the group is the same. There are general reasons why loafers stay in their group. Usually it’s fear. In fact, I’d say the reason all of us don’t succeed to being a genius is because of fear. We fear the power we have to be great. Why human’s do that is my life’s philosophical pursuit.
I understand that we all have different paths we’ve taken to get to this present moment. Every second of every day, each of us in this world, from Canada, to Argentina, to Africa to China, have a chance to be a better person. The Savior says, “I have overcome the world”, I think of it as He was never fearful of anyone or any thing. That is what I take comfort in. I like having a fearless player on my team.
You said;
“I enjoyed your post, as I always do, but I believe you made a slight error in one of your statements. You said:
Despite talks by modern leaders to the contrary, there is nothing wrong with worshipping Jesus Christ. He is the God that atoned for our sins and he is one with the father. The Nephites worshipped him when Christ visited them and he did not rebuke them for doing it.
That is only partially correct. A careful reading of the scriptures reveals that the only time anyone worships Jesus is when He is in their presence. When He is not around, we worship the Father.”
Pallas, I think you missed the point of the article. God the Father and Christ are ONE. If you have seen Christ, you have seen the Father. If you worship the Father, you worship the Son.
According to the dictionary, “the reverence and homage paid to someone in religious exercises, consisting in adoration, confession, prayer, thanksgiving and the like, is the act of worshiping them.
Do the scriptures not show forth the adoration of Christ when he is not around?
Do they not command us to confess Christ when he is not around?.
And what about praying to Christ when he is not around? Is that not a form of worship?
There are several times in the Book of Mormon where people pray directly to Christ.
Perhaps one of the most powerful example is as follows;
“And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am bin the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.” Alma 36
Later, a few chapters later a reiteration takes place
“And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.
And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the blight of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.”
It seems to me that praying to Christ is a form of worshipping him as well.
your observation about being created in the image of God is very pertinent to the article and the “fulness of the father” doctrine.
May I suggest that a very important key pertaining to this topic has to do with the fact that God created man in his own image in the spiritual creation during the 6th day BEFORE man was formed from the dust of the ground and made a living soul, which did not take place until the 7th day of creation.
That means, that the spiritual creation of Gods spiritual offspring (which were begotten UNTO him.. see section 76) was created in the likeness and image of God not only before being made a living soul from the dust of the ground, but also before God separated the male and female intelligences within Adam and before the fall of Adam.
Hence, even though we often claim that we (in our current fallen state, with our male and female parts separated) are in the image of God, the original scripture from which this image of God” doctrine comes from ( Gen 1:27), actually is saying that our composite bodies in the pre-mortal existence were in the image of God.
Why is this important?
Among other things, 1) This tells us that it may be inappropriate to claim that we, in our fallen condition are currently in the image of God and 2) This provides a strong witness of the importance of a man and woman needing to be “sealed” back together in order to receive the highest potential glory in the kingdom of God.
For more on the eternal nature of composite beings and related information to the fulness of the father doctrine, see the following article;
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Posted by onewhoiswatching
The 8,000 Year Time Line of the Earth
By OneWhoIsWatching
www.threewatches.blogspot.com
www.onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com
I suppose one of the most stirring passages of scripture that characterizes the spirit of watching is found in the 1st Chapter of the Gospel of John.
There were two disciples of John the Baptist that were with him on the occasion that John saw Christ and said “Behold the Son of God”. At that point, these two disciples left John and began following Christ.
“Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”
These passages are exquisite to me every time I think about them. Can one comprehend what Andrew must have been feeling when he finally found the Messiah he had been waiting and watching for?
Can we comprehend how he felt as he was able to share the good news with his brother Peter who had also been watching for the Messiah?
Can we imagine what Peter must have been thinking and feeling when those words penetrated him?
The story line continues;
“The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”
What would it have been like to be Philip or Nathaniel?
Interestingly enough, during the 2nd watch, then Edward Partridge, one who had also been waiting and watching, traveled to meet the Lords Seer, the Lord compared Edward to Nathaniel of old;
“And again, I have called my servant Edward Partridge; and I give a commandment, that he should be appointed by the voice of the church, and ordained a bishop unto the church, to leave his merchandise and to spend all his time in the labors of the church; To see to all things as it shall be appointed unto him in my laws in the day that I shall give them. And this because his heart is pure before me, for he is like unto Nathanael of old, in whom there is no guile.” D&C 41: 11
It appears that it was somewhat common knowledge among the Jews that a Messiah was to soon make his appearance. Even the remnants of the other tribes of Israel who were looked down upon by the Jews seemed to understand that it was the appointed time for the Messiah to appear as demonstrated by the Samarian woman at the well, who, when conversing with Christ acknowledged;
“I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” John 4: 25
It is truly amazing that after the 400 years of the heavens being closed since Malachi, that there was a group of believers who had studied the prophecies and were found waiting and watching for the Messiah and his forerunner.
It is not clear how the small group of watchers knew how they stood in time, whether it was mainly from personal revelation, from searching the scriptures, from the signs of the times, from the preaching of John the Baptist… or a combination of all of the above.
I am reminded however of the words of Daniel who had been searching in the “books” to understand various time lines and where he stood in time;
“In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” (Dan 9:2)
The scriptures are filled with time line related prophecies and the continual reminder of the importance for believers in all three watches to understand where they stand in time relative to the prophecies to be fulfilled in the day they live.
Yet most of the Jews were encompassed about in the cares of the world.
Interestingly, although many of the Jews embraced Christ as a prophet initially, they eventually allowed their corrupt and jealous leaders to turn them against Him.
There was only a small remnant that were earnestly waiting and watching in anticipatory zeal along with Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathaniel. They were actively looking for him, and he was looking for each of them.
I love the scripture that says Jesus went forth to Galilee and “findeth Philip”.
The Savior said; “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me..”
My wife mentioned in a previous blog about how I became obsessed with doing scriptural word searches using infobases and other word crunching software back in the 1980’s, however she did not mention why I became so obsessed.
It all began in about September or October of 1988 when a friend named Eric who I had not seen for a few years, knocked on the door of my new home in Holiday Utah and told me he had a video I needed to see. It was about the “seven seals” and the “prophetic time line of the earth”.
That was a topic I had always had a keen interest in. I dropped everything and viewed it with great interest… little did I know that my life and my priorities were about to change dramatically.
In the video, a “Brother Nelson” (who was a young insurance salesman) was giving a seminar on the time line of the earth. He quoted many of the time line related scriptures found in the Book of Revelation and section 77 of the D&C.
I had previously read several articles about the seven thousand year time line including a 1983 Ensign article and I had been amazed at how incongruent all of the information I had seen had been with the revealed word of God.
The book of Revelation makes it clear that after the first six thousand years are fulfilled, the seventh seal opens and an hour of judgment takes place, following the hour of judgment, the millennium begins. Following the millennium, a little season takes place before the earth is celestialized. Clearly, the entire time line as revealed in the scriptures could not possibly fit into a seven thousand year time period.
The novel thing about the time line theory being promoted in the video by “Brother Nelson” was what I will refer to as the “overlap” theory.
In short, the theory proposed that the sixth seal and the seventh seal overlapped each other and that the seventh seal began before the sixth seal finished.
Eric and I went to the next scheduled time line seminar to hear the time line presentation in person. While watching the video, I had had a strong impression that that the person who had originated the overlap interpretation was actually someone other than Brother Nelson. After attending a live presentation I asked Brother Nelson if he would be kind enough to give me the contact information of the person who had originated the theory and taught him what he was teaching.
My question surprised him because he was teaching the information as if he had discovered the concepts of the theory from the scriptures himself, but with a little further prodding he finally gave me the name and phone number of a “Brother Edmonds” who lived in Mapleton Utah.
Eric and I contacted Brother Edmonds and requested a meeting with him. If my aging memory serves me correctly, we sat spell bound from about 4 PM to about 4 Am in his living room as he shared with us his version of the divine time line of the earth and the associated prophesies of the last days.
We then returned the following day and had another all night session.
Brother Edmonds was an elderly mam who had been a convert to the Church. As I recall, he was part Indian. I would describe him as fascinating, passionate, eccentric and fanatic… all in a good way. He had a very harsh warning for those who had not prepared temporally for the judgments that were about to hit the world.
He had a self contained retreat that could function off the grid. He had developed an apparatus for generating his own electricity and a large barracks filled with food storage, clothing and survival equipment. He was financially independent and was somewhat of an alchemist who had developed a secret process for refining gold.
Brother Edmonds claimed to have been very close personal friends with President Joseph Fielding Smith and other prophets of the Church. He claimed that the divine time line, including the overlap theory which he taught had been taught to him by President Smith.
As Brother Edmonds shared the parable of the goodman of the house who was to be watching lest the thief come and break in, etc., the message penetrated my heart in such a way that changed my life forever. I feel as it I have been sleeping with one eye open ever since!
That was the experience 21 years ago that got me searching the scriptures in a much deeper way than I have ever searched them before.
Following that experience I purchased some scripture searching software and became obsessed with doing key word, key phrase and key topic searches. There were days I would spend 8- 10 hours at a time following the various search strings I was working on.
Although the topics I began with was that of the divine time line of the earth and end times prophecy, I soon found that every topic I would search would lead me to several other gospel topics and on and on. The more I learned, the more I realized how little I knew! I have now studied enough to realize I know NOTHING! lol
In the weeks following my initial visit with Brother Edmonds I began researching what President Joseph Fielding Smith had written about the divine time line of the earth.
After reading what he said in Doctrines of Salvation, I was shocked to find that President Smith had taught something quite different than what Brother Edmonds was teaching. To my surprise, President Smith did not teach about the overlapping of the sixth and seventh seal and a seven thousand year timeline, in fact, he taught that the divine time line actually consisted of eight thousand years instead of seven thousand years!
“We have evidence beyond dispute that Adam was driven out of the Garden of Eden about 6,000 years ago, or perhaps a short time less. It is possible using bible chronology and that given by the Lord in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants to figure this almost accurately… Moreover, our Savior came in the meridian of time… This means that it was about half way from the beginning of “time” to the end of “time”. Anyone who desires can figure it for himself that our Lord came about 4,000 years from the time of the fall. The millennium is to come some time following the 2,000 years following to 2,000 years after his coming. then there is to be the millennium for 1,000 years, and following that a “little season” the length of which is not revealed but which may bring “time to its end about 8,000 years from the beginning.” (Page79-81 Volume One Doctrines of Salvation See also the thesis of Arch Bishop Ussher who spent his life studying the time line of the earth from a literal interpretation of the Bible)
President Smith taught, according to my interpretation of his writings and in conjunction with the word searches I have done, that the seven seals mentioned in the book of Revelation did not represent the entire time line of the earth.. it only had reference to the seven thousand year portion of temporal time that the earth is passing through but he revealed that during the seventh seal, the earth would leave temporal time and go into eternity where it would experience a paradisaical millennium. It would leave this telestial order shortly after the seventh seal begins and go into a paradisaical (terrestrial) order. It would be gone from our telestial reckoning of time for the space of a thousand years and then it would return back to temporal time and finish the remainder of the seventh seal in temporal time.
He taught that the paradisaical millennium that takes place in eternity was separate and distinct from each of the seven millenniums that take place in temporal time.
I returned to brother Edmonds and confronted him about the apparent discrepancy between his interpretation of the time line vs the interpretation provided by President Smith in Doctrines of Salvation.
Although it was not my intent to challenge his sincerity or integrity, I fear that is how he perceived the grilling he was getting. His response was not a pleasant one. It resulted in an unpleasant exchange between the two of us… we parted ways on a rather sour note, never to see each other in this life again.
I must say however that I feel eternally indebted to Brother Edmonds for his passion about prophecy and for instilling in me a desire to know where I stand in time and the importance of having the spirit of watching and waiting.
He has since passed on, but I shall always be grateful that he was the catalyst for a profound and defining experience in my life.
Needless to say, the time line being presented by Brother Nelson and Brother Edmonds created no small stir among many people back at that time.
There have since been several groups that have created their own variations of that time line, or were inspired to create different theories altogether, some of them have promoted their own time line videos.
At the time that all of this fuss was taking place, there were rumors about the general authority, under whose stewardship Mapleton Utah, fell, who was Paul H. Dunn, meeting Brother Edmonds and also with Brother Nelson and warning them to tone things down and to not circulate inaccurate information.
Apparently church headquarters was getting lots of calls and letters from members of the church who were beginning to panic about the perilous time they felt we were entering into.
In an effort to sort things out in my own mind on these issues and to see if the church had an official position on the matter, I wrote a letter to Elder Dunn inquiring about the time line doctrine being taught by Brother Edmonds and the discrepancies I had found between his teachings and those written by President Smith. I included a diagram of my own interpretation of the timeline for his review.
I was curious to know what the official position of the Church was on the time line of the Church.
He was kind enough to respond to my inquiry and to provide a copy of a letter he had recently received from brother Nelson.
At the time, I found it disconcerting that Brother Dunn would commend me for coming to the “proper source” on such doctrinal matters while failing to respond to the doctrinal observations and questions I asked.
As a heretic that tends to be somewhat of a non-conformist, I have tried to find discrepancies in the general nine part time line taught by president Smith as I have searched the scriptures. After 21 years, I have yet to find a major discrepancy in it. In my opinion, his general time line interpretation fits perfectly with every time line statement in the scriptures. Below is my interpretation of the time line based on the scriptures and the writings of President Smith.
1- 1st Seal (one thousand years)
2- 2nd Seal (second thousand years)
3- 3rd Seal (third thousand years)
4- 4th Seal (fourth thousand years
MIDDLE OF TIME
5- 5th Seal (fifth thousand years)
6- 6th Seal (sixth thousand years)
7- Beginning of the 7th Seal (Hour of Judgment/Redemption+ possibly about 41 years although the days will be cut short)
8- Paradisaical Millennium (“There shall be time no longer” the earth leaves temporal time for the “space of 1,000 years”
9- Remainder of the 7th Seal (“Little Season” possibly about 959 years)
(click on the graphic to larger picture and additional info)
The above time line which is patterned after the writings of president Smith and many of the time line related prophecies, solves many of the discrepancies found in many of the articles written about the seven seals. Aside from the fact that the time line of the earth revealed in the scriptures cannot possibly fit into a 7,000 year period, another of the glaring discrepancies that most articles pertaining to the seven seals creates, has to do with the term “meridian”.
President Smith taught that the term meridian, as used in this context, means “middle’ and “high point” of time. As you can see from the proposed time line spoken of by President Smith, the coming of Christ did in fact take place in the middle of time;
If the above scenario is anywhere close to being correct, we are very close to the end of the sixth seal… and very close to the events spoken of by Christ that will take place in the last generation of probationary time (which take place before the seventh seal opens)
Of course Joseph Smith and many of the other general authorities from earlier times have been warning the Saints for a long time that we are getting near to the end of the six thousand year period spoken of in the scriptures, but perhaps one of the most disruptive scriptural interpretations derived from the Edmonds time line presentations is found in section 20 of the D&C;
“The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April— ” D&C 20:
The reason this scripture is so disruptive is because in the past, the six thousand year period was spoken of in a vague context, taking for granted that our current calendar is not completely accurate and that we didn’t know the exact date of Christ’s birth, hence we don’t know when the six thousand year period comes to an end and we therefore don’t know exactly where we stand in time.
However a literal rendering of section 20 enables us to identify with pinpoint accuracy when the fall of Adam, the birth of Christ, the atonement of Christ and the end of the sixth seal takes place!
In essence, it tells us where we stand in time!
But can we take those passages in section 20 literally?
In another post I addressed the fascinating history behind section 20 and pointed out that it was actually written by Oliver Cowdery, not Joseph Smith. There is some disputation upon whether or not it should be consider an inspired writing or an actual revelation. In later years historical documents have surfaced that indicate that it was in fact a direct revelation from God.
Apparently President Kimball did take section 20 literally. On Easter Sunday April 6th 1980 he made the following statement;
“My brothers and sisters, today we not only celebrate the Sesquicentennial of the organization of the Church, but also the greatest event in human history since the birth of Christ on this day 1,980 years ago. Today is Easter Sunday” (May 1980 Ensign)
Harold B Lee also apparently agreed with the proposition contained in section 20 verse one;
“This is the annual conference of the Church. April 6, 1973, is a particularly significant date because it commemorates not only the anniversary of the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation, but also the anniversary of the birth of the Savior, our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ…” (ref)
When does the Sixth Seal End?
Recently I was asked by a friend, “Why didn’t anything happen on April 6th 2000?”
His question was based on the following assumptions;
1- 1- The Meridian (or Middle) of time is marked by the Birth of Christ
2- 2- The probationary period of mankind is six thousand years
3- 3- Section 20 reveals that our current calendar is correct to within a few months stating that on April 6th 1830, it had been 1830 years since the birth of Christ.
Based on the above assumptions, the end of the sixth seal would have been April 6th 2000. For this reason some people were anticipating that something might happen on that date.
Although I agree with President Smiths nine period chronology of the divine time line and with his definition of “Meridian” meaning middle and high point of time, I disagree with the assumption some people make when they identify the birth of Christ as the “coming of Christ” . I think this is an erroneous application of the term meridian.
Edmonds identified the birth of Christ with the scriptural phrase “coming of Christ”. he felt that the birth of Christ was a prophetic marker pointing to the middle or high point of time.
I am going to suggest that the middle of time and the high point of time was not the birth of Christ, rather it was the Atonement of Christ. (or possibly half way between the birth and atonement of Christ)
Notice the curious scripture found in the Pearl of Great Price;
And it came to pass that Enoch looked; and from Noah, he beheld all the families of the earth; and he cried unto the Lord, saying: When shall the day of the Lord come? When shall the blood of the Righteous be shed, that all they that mourn may be sanctified and have eternal life? And the Lord said: It shall be in the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and vengeance. And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.” Moses 7
It appears to me that the meridian of time is being linked with the day of the Lord which is clearly identified by the wickedness of those who shed the sanctifying blood of the righteous Savior. Clearly the emphasis pertaining to the events associated with his coming in the MERIDIAN of time is being placed on the crucifixion and the atonement of Christ, not his birth!
It is understandable that one would think that Christ has delayed the time of the end of probation and his return in glory in the beginning of the seventh seal if one assumes that the meridian of time is based on the birth of Christ. But I would suggest that is a false premise.
IF the following suppositions are true, then the end of the sixth seal would be closer to April 6th 2033 than to April 6th 2000;
· probationary time does consist of six thousand years
· section 20 is accurate in validating what the true calendar is
· the term Meridian does have reference to the middle and high point of the divine time line
· the high point of time was in fact the atonement of Christ
Of course we know that the events of the last generation leading up to the end of probationary time, as described by Christ in Matthew 24 must take place sometime during the last biblical generation of the sixth seal.
That would possibly mean that the last 40 year generation of the probationary period before the judgment which takes place in the beginning of the seventh seal, would have possibly begun in 1993 and will possibly end in 2033, or some time sooner since we not that things will be cut short!
Obviously, the events mentioned in Matthew 24 don’t necessarily begin when the generation begins, they simply take place sometime during that generation. Additionally, they are all completed before the entire generation expires for we are told that those days will be shortened;
“And except those days should be shortened, there should none of their flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake, according to the covenant, those days shall be shortened.” JS-M 1: 20
The thought that the last generation might have begun back in 1993 is an awesome thought to ponder.
The thought that we are currently living in the tail end of the six thousand years is really not a far stretch, after all, as pointed out earlier, President Smith declared that we are nearly at the end of the first six thousand years period. Joseph Smith also declared that those living in his day were living close to the end of the six thousand years;
“The world has had a fair trial for six thousand years; the Lord will try the seventh thousand Himself..” TPSJ 5:252
If those living at the time of Joseph Smith were nearing the end of the six thousand year period, then we know that we are even closer to it!
The comments from Joseph smith would indicate that section 20 could be accurate.
Joseph Fielding Smith has since echoed those sentiments with even more specificity;
“We have evidence beyond dispute that Adam was driven out of the Garden of Eden about 6,000 years ago, or perhaps a short time less. It is possible for us, by using the Bible chronology and that given by the Lord in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants to figure this almost accurately.” Doctrines of Salvation
Ezra Taft Benson also felt we were close to the end of the six thousand year probationary period:
“For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming…” (ETB, Spoken to a gathering of youth in Southern California after he became President of the Church)
Ezra Taft Benson also made the following comments to a youth group:
“Youth of Zion, do you realize you are living in the days of the fulfillment of these signs and wonders? You are among those who will see many of these prophecies fulfilled. Just as certain as was the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews, so shall these words of the Savior be certain to your generation.
We know not the day nor the hour of His coming, but of this you may feel assured: You stand close to the great day of the Lord! In His words of modern revelation, we say to you, “Seek the face of the Lord, always” (D&C 101:38).
Could it really be possible that we are already living during the last generation of probationary time?
1993 was a year to remember for many people, for many reasons.
Just to jog your memory, the most popular show was “60 minutes”, and the academy award for the best picture that year was given to “Schindler’s List”. That year the Nobel Peace prize was awarded to Nelson Mandela .
The most popular fiction that year was “The Bridges of Madison County” starring Clint Eastwood, written by Robert James Waller.
The four most popular Nonfiction books that year were written by an eccentric conservative political talk radio host who would gain such popularity that he would affect politics in a huge way, a degenerate sex pervert who would have been jailed for his antics in the previous generation, but with the downward trend in morals has become worshipped and revered by men and women alike, a stand up comedian that would create an award winning sitcom based on nothing, and a disenfranchised Latter day Saint who claimed to have died and seen the after life, creating her own quasi-new age religion mingled with bits and pieces of Mormon Doctrine;
1.”See I Told You” … Rush Limbaugh
2.”Private Parts” … Howard Stern
3.”Seinlanguage” … Jerry Seinfeld
4.”Embraced by the Light” … Betty J. Eddie with Curtis Taylor
Such were the latter day movers and shakers shaping the thoughts of our present generation in 1993. Those were the books being embraced by a depraved nation with darkened minds.
If indeed 1993 was the beginning of the last 40 year generation of probationary time, it is not unreasonable to suspect that a very significant event might have taken place that year as a prophetic marker indicating where we stand in time.
I have listed below, some of the major events that took place that year. There is one of them in particular that I find to be very significant.
How about you?
Do you find anything in the following list to be a significant prophetic event? Or are you aware of another event that took place in 1993 that is not on the list that might have been significant?
Assuming that 1993 was the beginning of the last forty year generation of probationary time, those who are watching have great cause to be very anticipatory.
We are now over 1/3 the way through the last generation in the sixth seal during which the preparatory event for the Lords Second coming in glory will take place before the final judgments in the beginning of the seventh seal will take place.
While many believing Mormons, Protestants and Catholics are watching for the judgments to take place in the opening of the seventh seal and the second coming of the Lord in glory, those who understand the three watch doctrine realize that the Marvelous Work and a Wonder must first take place BEFORE the seventh seal can begin.
Our Father Adam and the Seer and the Spokesman and the rest of the first laborers of the last kingdom must first make their appearance to seal up the righteous and the wicked.
During this time the Savior will return to the vineyard in secret. All of this must happen BEFORE the judgments of the seventh seal and the second coming in glory can take place.
The return of the servants and the testimony of the Servants to the world will be followed by the testimony of earthquakes and the voice of thunderings and the voice of lightnings and the voice of tempests and voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. (See section 88)
As we watch in anticipation for the events to take place, the Lord has given many signs of the times for us to be watching for. Additionally there are other keys to help us understand what is to take place in the near future.
Among them, the dates that revelations took place in the D&C can possibly be very helpful.
Understanding the feasts of Israel and the meaning and sequence behind them and how they related to prophecy can be very helpful.
Perhaps another key was given in section 59
On August 7th 1831 the Lord said;
“Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
Nevertheless thy vow shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times; But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.
And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.“
Although that revelation was given on a Sunday, verifying that the Lords Sabbath day is indeed on Sunday during this period time, it is interesting to note that it was also given on a NEW MOON!
Hence, the statements from Isaiah and other prophets about the significance of the New Moon are still very applicable. It may be helpful to keep your eyes on the New Moon dates coming up.
This site is very helpful for researching past New Moon dates as well as future ones- Phases of the Moon Calendar
We live in amazing times.
Are you waiting and watching?
Will you be one of the ones that they find, just as the Lord found Philip?
Perhaps you will be one of the first to find them.
Perhaps you, like Andrew, will have the privilege of seeking out your beloved brother or sister and declaring “I have found them! The Servants have returned!”
Perhaps just as Philip found Nathanial, you will find your fellow believers and declare;
“I have found those who have been identified in the scriptures as the first laborers of the last kingdom, they have returned just as the Lord God of Israel has promised!”
May 25, 2009
Categories: Articles by OWIW, Atonement, LDS, Other Topics, Prophecy, Uncategorized . Tags: eight thousand years, end times, hour of judgment, Last Days, little season, meridian, Millennium, Prophecy, seven seals, time line, time no longer . Author: onewhoiswatching Edit this entry
39 Comments
Comment by truthseeker on May 26, 2009 4:22 pmGreat post!
I hope the next one is soon. I will have to watch the playoffs for now.
Comment by pslovealways on May 27, 2009 12:04 amBeautifully written onewhoiswatching. Beautifully written…
Now, you are finally writing.
Blessings ahead of you…
Isn’t it one of the most glorious times to be living?
My favorite part of your post?
““Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
Nevertheless thy vow shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times; But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.
And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.“
and there are bigger reasons why than you realize…
It is a part of the last sacrifice that will close the sixth seal.
lovealways
little liahona
Comment by truthseeker on May 27, 2009 12:34 pmOWIW
You have been writing very well for a long time:) Because newagers think they are God they can unintentionally be a little degrading… HA
Comment by Troy on May 27, 2009 1:19 pmTruthseeker,
could you please consider not bringing divisiveness to this site. Open criticism seems fine but comments that do no more then insult should be withheld. There is enough anger and unkindness in the world, lets not bring it here too.
Thanks.
Troy
I got an email from someone asking which future New Moon in August I was alluding to in the article. I did not mean to imply that I was thinking about a specific date nor that it would necessarily be in August.
The purpose of providing the link to the New Moon Calendar is just for those wanting to do historical research on which days fell on a New Moon in the past as well as viewing future days that will fall on a New Moon.
I have reworded that portion of the article… Sorry for being a little bit ambiguous on that issue.
Comment by pslovealways on May 27, 2009 7:25 pmThank you sincerely Troy. (Gentle smile) I appreciate a beautiful heart able to speak truth. It such a good thing to see in this world currently.
love always
P.S. Do not mistake a heart full of intelligence and confidence for arrogance. As these are the humble traits required to stand up to a world in adversity. lol…
Comment by pslovealways on May 27, 2009 7:39 pmThose who are to be prepared for a greater work, are to be further lifted in confidence when their ability rises in earnest progression. Those that cast stones are a sign that we are headed in the right direction. For the adversity comes first, before any full dawn.
Keep going onewhoiswatching. Your writing is progressing very well!
sweet dreams all
Comment by truthseeker on May 28, 2009 6:35 amTroy and psla
To make statements like “Your writing is progressing well” and “Now, you are finally writing.” implies that you are in a position of authority on a subject. YOUR NOT. PSLA Let me help you on an appropraite non condisending way to compliment somoene that deserves a little respect for the work they have done;
Dear OWIW I very much enjoyed your post. I especialy liked the stories and the love and that you didn’t sneak any hard doctorine that disagrees with my current world vew this time.
Love pslovealways
Dear Troy, psla (Birdie) and Truthseeker
I am going to be going on an unusual journey and I am hoping the three of you will join me.
I will be giving the details of the journey at http://www.threewatches.blogspot.com.
They will not be posted for several days so be patient. I am just giving you a heads up so that you can plan your schedules accordingly. I know you probably have lots of things planned for this summer, and I realize this trip may not work into your busy schedules.
I am not in a position to be very flexible about the date we leave and the date we return, I will understand if any or all of you are unable or unwilling to join me.
Please don’t reject this invitation until you hear the details.
I realize the three of you are probably not very excited about going on a trip with each other, and I don’t blame you, however, please give me the opportunity of providing the details BEFORE you reject my offer.
Conversely, please don’t accept my offer until you hear the details.
I wish I could give you more details right now but I can’t.
Please Keep Watching
Comment by Troy on May 28, 2009 9:08 amI am certainly interested OWIW. I look forward to the details.
Comment by pslovealways on May 28, 2009 10:25 amTruthseeker,
Is life for the purpose of progression? And if it is, then how is it possible that during a life of progression a writing could not progress to it’s fullest extent? How is it that one could stop growing while on earth?
Because I do not praise according to your understanding, does not make the praise condescending. It is your own mind that chooses to see it such a way. Which signals a need for further progression within you…
Beyond you truthseeker which this thread is not about, one who is watching is beginning to write in a style that could potentially influence millions.
Now if you would be kind enough to gently remove your hands from the way of adversity, he could continue on.
Thank you
pslovealways…
Love You!!!
Comment by pslovealways on May 28, 2009 12:22 pmI too look greatly forward to the details.
It should be intriguing. I do hope that you will include within your description, the full purpose and intent.
love always
Comment by pslovealways on May 28, 2009 3:06 pmI was going to comment on your post regarding a portion of it and the overlap. Which is true… And I could fully explain…
However, it really doesn’t matter. And I am truly not here to educate. Rather I have a job to perform on earth away from everyones eyes. It is interesting how the most intelligent beings are treated…
I won’t be joining you. Responsibilities dictate every day life. That, and with the possibility of such a cruel person to be in my midst… Well, any woman holds the right to refrain from such exposure.
Truthseeker, you are solely responsible for closing down all gates of communication till the end. Your inability to act accordingly towards the law of love, has created such.
From this time until the eighth dispensation, will you no longer judge any another. Lest ye be cursed without a voice to speak.
This is my prayer Father. In the name of Jesus Christ.
love always
Comment by truthseeker on May 29, 2009 6:12 amSpread your Voodoo somewhere else love… You show love only when it is conveinent. You threaten with a power you do not hold. You have no control over me or your own mind. Your prayer contradicts the teachings of our Lord and Saviour and so do my actions. I will work on that…
I wish you the best and may you recieve the gift of selfawareness one day soon.
“It is interesting how the most intelligent beings are treated…”
PS
It is also interesting how the best looking of us are treated as well… LOL barf
Comment by truthseeker on May 29, 2009 6:19 amOWIW,
I’m in for the trip. Troy and I can do a ropes course or something. I’m ready for the details. I hope you can help my pettiness and quick trigger.
It sounds like two out of the three of you are at least willing to listen to the details of my offer.
I appreciate your willingness to hear me out. Even if you ultimately decide not to join me after hearing the details, it shows great humility and an open and seeking heart to at least hear the details before rejecting the offer.
I look forward to giving you the details. Please be patient, it will be at least several days before I am able to give the details.
Keep Watching
Comment by Malachi on May 29, 2009 7:08 pmHi there Watcher I enjoyed your post very much and agree with the 8,000 year and the middle of time being the crucifiction etc.
I do not disagree with anything you’ve presented, I would only attempt to add to your presentation and give my explanation of the remaining time we have before 2033.
I personnally believe that we are given a more specific chronology of how the 3rd watch marvelous work will come down. I wish I could quote someone on the internet or some authority general or not but I can’t find anyone that can give me a viable explanation of the part of Revelation that I love to deal with. Please allow me to suggest some things that I see in the Book of Revelation and that I think are corroborated by the D&C.
I do not believe that the 6th thousand years and the 7th thousand years overlap like
Bro Edmonds, I believe they are set in stone and the handoff is in 2033. But I do believe that there is an overlapping or a bridging of the 2033 date by the hour of judgment. There is that weird part of the hour of judgment that is called the 1/2 hour of silence that no one seems to have an explantion for. I believe that the opening of the 7th seal is a seperate and distinct term from the 7th thousand year period. I believe that the 7th seal is opened by the Lamb and the 1/2 hour of silence begins in 2012 a little over 20 years before the 7th thousand years begins.
Allow me to explain that a little.
Lets go back to Revelation 5. I believe that chapter 5 occurs at the beginning of the marvelous work. There’s a little drama that’s being played out. Where no one can be found who can open this very special book, then out of the blue there’s a Lamb that can open the book and he takes the book from Him who sits on the throne and all of heaven praises and worships the Lamb. The lamb then begins to open the 7 seals which bind the book shut. I believe that when he opens a seal it represents a specific event of the 3rd watch. Many Protestent sites on the web give a somewhat similar explanation of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, but have no explanation of the other seals that the lamb opens.
1st seal = the servant of God on a white horse going forth with power
2nd seal = the fall of Babylon & peace being taken from the earth
3rd seal = the setting up of the Kingdom of the Beast
4th seal = the reign of Satan himself on the earth
5th seal = a statement of reassurance to the righteous meridian saints
6th seal is the special one, it’s the only one seemingly that makes sense to everyone. We all know that there will be a great earthquake and that the sun, moon and stars will go crazy and that everyone will hide from Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. It’s during the opening of this seal that the 144,000 are sealed up. This is a pivital event that is essential to the events of the opening of the 7th seal and the 1/2 hour of silence.
7th seal = the 1/2 hour of silence which begins during the 6th thousand year period. It’s during the 1/2 hour of silence that the temple in Jackson Co is built and the House of Israel is gathered to it. This is the work of the Father where all Israel will be saved, except for the Jews of course which have a special suffering that they are required to experience.
Now allow me to refer to two scriptures in the D&C that I believe support these ideas.
D&C 77 is the question answer section on the Book of Revelation. Verse 12 is the specific verse concering the 7th thousand year and it even skirts the issue of the 1/2 hour of silence. 77:12 asks the question “What are we to understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned in the 8th chapter of Revelation?” The answer is given that “the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years” The Lord totally ignores the 1/2 hour of silence because I believe it begins in the 6th thousand year. The Lord isn’t overlapping the 6th thousand year and the 7th thousand year he is overlapping the opening of the 7th seal by the Lamb with the 6th thousandth year.
D&C 112 speaks of the overlapping of the dispsations which I believe is talking about this same relationship. Here we learn that the dispensation of the fulness of times begins during the dispensation of the last days.
30 For unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.
The dispensation of the last days seems to be the equivalent of the 6th thousand years
of the times of the gentiles because the apostles spoke about them being in the dispensation of the last days.
The dispensation of the fulness of times is the restoration of all the dispensations which the opening of the 7 seals also seems to represent, at least to me.
I hope my thoughts are as clear as mud.
I found myself wondering what the majority of the comments had to do with the watchers fine blog. Maybe someone could start another blog where bickering is loved and appreciated. Other than a little praise I didn’t see anything specific to the ideas presented in the blog. As for my comments I desire no praise, but an analysis and critique on the ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Comment by NEPT on May 29, 2009 9:03 pmHey OWIW! You coming to NC??!! I could use a pow-wow.
Malachi my friend
Thank you for your comments and for sharing the additional specifics on your interpretation pertaining to the specifics pertaining to the parts of the timeline I pretty much left blank.
Since I am out of town celebrating Mrs Watchers and my 31sr year of heretical bliss in a condo in the mountains with sporadic opportunity to find wireless access to the internet, I have not studied your response in depth… I know we have discussed this before but I look forward to studying it in greater detail when I can.
Watcher
Watcher, thanks for bringing this topic up. I have always subscribed to Joseph Fielding Smith’s time line views and have often considered the meridian = atonement idea (2033 end), but never actually took the time to research the scriptures to come to any adequate conclusion. This post has caused me to finally do a study and I thank you for that.
My current understanding is that the “meridian of time” does not refer to the birth of Christ nor to the Atonement of Christ, but to the entire life of Christ, meaning from His birth to His death, or the full 33 years. These 33 years are the halfway point of the 8000 years of Earth’s existence. So, He was born towards the end of the 4th thousand years and He died near the beginning of the 5th thousand years. Which means that the middle point of time would be exactly 16.5 years from his birth, or October 6 of the year 16. Which means that the 5th thousand years ended on October 6, 1016 and that the 6th thousand years will end on October 6, 2016. At which point the 7th seal will open.
This interpretation seems consistent with both the scriptures and my understanding of the signs of the times that are taking place and “where we are” time-wise according to those signs. I’ve discussed this with what4anarchy and he also seems to think that October 6, 2016 seems about right for the end date of the 6th seal.
Here are all the scriptures that mention the meridian of time:
26 Not only those who believed after he came in the meridian of time, in the flesh, but all those from the beginning, even as many as were before he came, who believed in the words of the holy prophets, who spake as they were inspired by the gift of the Holy Ghost, who truly testified of him in all things, should have eternal life, (D&C 20: 26)3 The same which came in the meridian of time unto mine own, and mine own received me not; (D&C 39: 3)
57 For they would not hearken unto his voice, nor believe on his Only Begotten Son, even him whom he declared should come in the meridian of time, who was prepared from before the foundation of the world. (Moses 5: 57)
57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time.
• • •
62 And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time. (Moses 6: 57, 62)46 And the Lord said: It shall be in the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and vengeance. (Moses 7: 46)
Comment by Malachi on June 1, 2009 4:51 pmThat’s interesting Anachrist now we even have another date to watch. Like how did you come to that realization? I see 6 instances of the use of the phrase “meridian of time” I read your explanation of halving the 33 yrs and that’s interesting but it’s a bit of a jump for me at the moment. Is there anyother reason to grab onto this idea?
LDSAnarchy
Yes, as I mentioned in my article, in addition to the possibility of the atonement date being the middle point of time, there is a possibility that the middle of time is marked by identifying the middle date between the birth and atonement;
“I am going to suggest that the middle of time and the high point of time was not the birth of Christ, rather it was the Atonement of Christ. (or possibly half way between the birth and atonement of Christ)”
I certainly would prefer it to be the mid point between the birth and death of Christ, that way, and it would seem to make more sense in that it doesn’t seem like we need until 2033 for all of the events to happen. (of course we don’t need that much time anyway as we have been told the time will be cut short)
The scenario you have accepted also makes more sense to me from the stand point that Arch Bishop Ussher would not have been quite so far off in his projected date for the fall of Adam!
Nevertheless, I guess the two reasons why I still lean toward the atonement date, and not the mid point date between the birth and atonement are as follows;
1- HIGH POINT; If the contextual term for meridian only means “middle” then the mid point between the birth and meridian would probably make the most sense to me, however, President Smith’s claim that it also means “high point” rings true to me. And, I suspect it means something different to me as well. He seems to be deriving his thoughts from one of websters definitions of meridian which is as follows;
“The highest point; as the meridian of life; the meridian of power or of glory.”
I really think the term “meridian of time” is not only the middle point of time but also the “High Point” of Christ’s power and glory.
It seems to me that the high point of Christs power and glory would have been when he broke the bands of death and atoned for our sins, etc.
When he prayed the intercessory prayer, just before the crucifixion he prayed these words;
“Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee..”
It seems to me that the breaking of the bands of death and the atonement that Christ accomplished during his ministry at the age of 33 is more likely to be considered the high point that anything Christ may have been doing at the age of 16 or 17, long before his formal ministry began.
2- PROPHETIC MARKER: As I mentioned in the article, it seems to me that the beginning of the last 40 years of probationary time might well be marked for those who are watching with a prophetic marker. I can see several significant events that took place in 1993… and one in particular, that could be of prophetic magnitude. However, I have briefly reviewed the time period that would have been the beginning of the last 40 year period based on the mid point being between the birth date and death date and I don’t see a “stand-out” prophetic event that seems like a prophetic marker.
Admittedly I have looked that hard. Perhaps I have not looked hard enough, or perhaps there just isn’t a prophetic marker to mark the beginning of the last generation.
Although there are several reasons why I like the date that you have chosen as the high point of time, I guess I am still 51 % leaning toward the atonement as the high point meridian and 49% leaning toward the date you are postulating.
To me it is somewhat of a moot point since we both agree that the time for the servants to make there appearance is very soon and we know things will progress pretty quickly from that point on.
It appears that the Lord will shorten the days contained within this generation. Regardless of whether he only shortens them by a shorter period or a longer period really doesn’t matter that much. What matters is that we recognize the servants when they get here and accept the fulness of the Gospel
Thank you for sharing your beliefs and predictions. We don’t need to wait long to see what the exact details of the time line are!
Dear Brother Malachi
Thank you so much for sharing your interpretation of the more detailed break down of the timeline of events pertaining to the end of the sixth thousand year period and the beginning of the seventh thousand year period.
Just to reiterate and clarify, for those who are new to this topic, I am suggesting that the “hour of judgment” which is possibly also referred to as the “hour of redemption” is composed of the “half hour of silence” followed by the remainder of the hour during which the judgments and plagues listed in the Book of Revelation.
My interpretation is that this hour, which is broken into two parts, is the beginning of the seventh seal.
If I understand your interpretation, you would agree that the Hour of Judgment is divided into the two parts as mentioned above, however you believe that the first half hour represents the tail end of the sixth seal and the second half hour represents the beginning of the seventh seal.
Let me begin by saying that if we were voting on which of the two interpretations we want to be correct, I would certainly vote for yours! This is because, in my opinion, if your interpretation is correct, it would require a 3 ½ year period of warning by the servants to begin within the next 30 to 90 days in order for that period of time to be completed prior to 2012!
The very thought that the servants could be returning that soon is exhilarating and exciting to me… and I am hopeful that they will return that soon even though my interpretation of the placement of the hour of judgment does not require such an early return of the Servants.
Interestingly, my hopefulness that the return of the servants is soon, is based on other criteria which I have already covered in previous posts.
Revelation 8:1 Says; “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.”
According to the above verse the half hour of judgment does not begin until the seventh seal is opened. It then goes on to clarify that the judgments of God follow after the half hour of judgment.
How do you reconcile that scripture with you belief that the half hour of silence is in the sixth seal?
Comment by Malachi on June 2, 2009 5:21 amI believe there is a difference in the act of the Lamb opening the 7th seal on the book and the 7th thousand year period that begins in 2033 and the Lord is using that similarity in terminology to hid the overlapping of the opeing of the 7th seal by the Lamb into the 6th thousand year period by 20 years.
I’ll reiterate: I believe that the opening of the 7th seal by the Lamb is not the beginning of the 7th thousand year period but an event of the 6th thousand year period. The opening of the 7 seals by the lamb are events of the 3rd watch / marvelous work. The easiest event to see is the opening of the 6th seal with the great earthquake and the sun, moon and stars going crazy. But the 1/2 hour of silence is also an event. The event begins the dispenation of the fulness of times and the gathering together all things into one. The 1/2 hour of silence is the building up of Zion and gathering the House of Israel.
I gain strength for this interpretation because of two scriptures.
In D&C 77:12 which is the Lords explanation of Revelation 8 the Lord points out that at the beginning of the 7th thousand years will be the sounding of the 7 trumps. He says nothing about the 1/2 hour of silence because it is an event he has placed during the end of the 6th thousand thousand year period.
I believe the 6th thousand years period of time is the dispensation of the last days and the 7th thousand years period of time is the dispensation of the fulness of times which are overlapped using the 1/2 hour of silence. We know this overlapping occurs because of 112:30. The overlapping of the dispensation of the fulness of times is the opening of the 7th seal, which is the 1/2 hour of silence at the end of the 6th thousand year period.
This of course is my personal interpretation which can only be verified by the passing of a few years or the return of the servants.
Malachi
Thank you for clarifying your thinking on that issue. I realize you have explained this to me multiple times in the past but I thought it would be helpful for others to understand what may appear as an “apparent discrepancy” to someone that doesn’t understand your thinking on that issue..
Watcher
Comment by Younger Dude on June 3, 2009 12:55 amI love reading about Nathanael’s first encounter with Jesus. It didn’t take much convincing for him to believe. It makes me laugh when Jesus says “Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under a fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.”
OWIW,
What is the prophetic event in 1993 that you find very significant? Is it the LDS apostles offering their sacrifices and oblations in the Kirtland Temple?
Watcher,
In the beginning of this post you said;
” I suppose one of the most stirring passages of scripture that characterizes the spirit of watching is found in the 1st Chapter of the Gospel of John.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
And he brought him to Jesus”
I imagine the joy of getting to share the most important information, ever, with anyone. As I read the different posts by you, Watcher, and the responses by others, I feel the love and desire to understand and share the most important thing to all of us…..that of finding Jesus Christ through His Word confirmed by His Spirit.
Brother Malachi,
You said
“I believe there is a difference in the act of the Lamb opening the 7th seal on the book and the 7th thousand year period that begins in 2033″
When I read your response I remembered in D&C 77:10 that the Lord does not differentiate the use of opening a seal and that same thousand year period.
Q. What time are the things spoken of in this chapter to be accomplished?
A. They are to be accomplished in the sixth thousand years, or the opening of the sixth seal.
From these verses I think it establishes that a thousand year period and the opening of a seal are synonymous.
I love how we have been able to study with you and Mrs. Malachi over the years and the incredibly sweet experiences in the Word we have enjoyed with you.
LDSAnarchy
There is actually a third reason why I believe the Meridian of Time may have reference to the time of the Atonement when Christ was given the height of his glory, rather than when he was 16 years old.
Again, I don’t think this is a terribly huge issue at this point in time since the important thing sor us to be watching and waiting for the return of the servants and to identify the season that they will return, which we seem to be agreed upon, but the reason I want to share this third conjecture is that it demonstrates another possible time line related reason why Joseph Smith might have already returned.
This of course is total speculation and is really far out there… but hey, speculating on various time lines is what those who are watching do… right?
Here is a potential scenario from the scriptures;
Section 77:12 Tells us that the coming of Christ in his glory takes place in the 7th seal after he completes the salvation of man.
Section 88 gives additional details about this. Among other things, verse 95 reveals that at the end of the half hour of silence, the curtain of heaven is unfolded and the face of the Lord is revealed to the whole world. this is very possibly a description are target date for the season of the second coming in glory.
If in fact the time of the atonement is the middle-high point of time, then April of 2033 is the approximate time of the ending of the sixth seal (and the end of probation).
By adding nearly 22 years (half an hour of silence according to Gods reckoning of time) then the year 2055 brings us to the end of the half hour of silence in the seventh seal when the season of the second coming in glory begins. (I am not trying to identify a day and hour)
Now then, with those potential time line target dates in mind, lets review the revelation Joseph Smith received when he asked about when the coming of Christ in glory would be;
“I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.” D&C 130: 15
One way to interpret the above revelation is that Joseph Smith needs to be on this earth in the flesh during temporal time for approximately 85 years before the second coming in glory will take place.
Joseph was born in Dec of 1805 and died in June of 1844. He died at the age of 38. That means that he needs to return and live approximately another 47 years in temporal time before the second coming in glory can take place.
If we back up 47 years from 2055 it brings us to the year 2008 (which technically ended April 5th 2009) which would indicate that Joseph may have returned already to deliver the proclamation to the governors of all the nations of the world (see section 124) and now he is about to make his appearance to the inhabitants of the world who are being governed.
I realize this is pretty far fetched… and I am terrible with numbers, having failed just about every math class I have taken, hence, my figures may be off by a decade or two.
Comment by TruthSeekerToo on June 3, 2009 3:22 pmDoes anyone else think that the second coming of Christ could be both a literal/global event and a personal/spiritual event?
All the numbers continue to amaze me.
Do we have any details on the Kirtland Temple event in 1993?
October 6, 2016. Interesting.
Now, we have 3.5 years from April 2009 to December 2012. Then, a little more than 3.5 years to October 2016. It doesn’t fit exactly, but very close.
Comment by Malachi on June 4, 2009 5:11 amHi there Bounce back
Q. What time are the things spoken of in this chapter to be accomplished?
A. They are to be accomplished in the sixth thousand years, or (equal or not equal that is the question) the opening of the sixth seal.
I appreciate you pointing that out. My first reaction to that scripture was that the “or” meant equal and in an sense they are equal but then not the same. They are the same in that the opening of the 6th seal does in fact occur within the 6th thousand year period. Therefore the events of Revelation 7 occur in the opeing of the 6th seal or the 6th thousand year period of time. They are not the same in that the opening of the 6th seal is one isolated event and the 6th thousand year period is a long time.
Comment by pslovealways on June 4, 2009 2:23 pmDear people who read this blog and especially one who is watching,
I would like to deeply apologize for my most recent release of fear and frustration. In person you would not recognize such a fearful person. It is that the past two years I have been dealing with the ex wife of my husband who is a foreign national within our country, here on a green card because of my husbands giving. She has caused a great deal of grief within our life that I have never had to deal with before. In which I haven’t been sure how to handle. And the only way that I have been able to cope is to write out my frustration towards God, as in my life I have never done something so drastic as to deserve such treatment by any other. I have had a hard time understanding why God would allow such a thing to happen to an undeserving person.
However, I believe the dawn is finally breaking. Hard evidence has been found of her actions. Soon she will be in custody and every thing we have gone through will be over…
Today is a day to cry thankful tears.
Again, I am so sorry. I hope you understand… It has been very difficult to hold it together because of her. I almost completely fell apart as you witnessed.
please be well
love always,
pslovealways
pslovealways
It sounds like you are going through the refiners fire. I can’t imagine how difficult of a situation you must be going through.
I think we all fluctuate between love and fear during this mortal state. You are not alone.
May the Lord bless and sustain you in this difficult time
Watcher
[…] We have found the Messias! […]
Anarchist
You said
“My current understanding is that the “meridian of time” does not refer to the birth of Christ nor to the Atonement of Christ, but to the entire life of Christ, meaning from His birth to His death, or the full 33 years. These 33 years are the halfway point of the 8000 years of Earth’s existence. So, He was born towards the end of the 4th thousand years and He died near the beginning of the 5th thousand years. Which means that the middle point of time would be exactly 16.5 years from his birth, or October 6 of the year 16. Which means that the 5th thousand years ended on October 6, 1016 and that the 6th thousand years will end on October 6, 2016. At which point the 7th seal will open.
This interpretation seems consistent with both the scriptures and my understanding of the signs of the times that are taking place and “where we are” time-wise according to those signs. I’ve discussed this with what4anarchy and he also seems to think that October 6, 2016 seems about right for the end date of the 6th seal.”
in light of those remarks and particularly the date of 2016 you may find the following video interesting if you have not already seen it.
Watcher
10 Comments | end times, last days, prophecy, Uncategorized | Tagged: gentiles, Jesus Christ, jews, marvelous work, second coming, stone, strange act | Permalink
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NEPT said 6 days ago:
I thought I could add, or at least support, a notion you proposed, Watching, regarding the ‘fit’ man who sends the scapegoat off to Azazel in the wilderness…
In his attempt to render a more accurate translation from the Hebrew of the five books of Moses, Robert Alter writes,
“And Aaron shall lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the transgressions of the Israelites and all their sins, according to all their offenses, and he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it off in the hand of a man for the hour to the wilderness. And the goat shall bear upon it all their transgressions to a remote region, and he shall send off the goat to the wilderness.”
He includes a footnote that reads that reads, “The literal sense [for ‘a man for the hour’] is a ‘timely man,’ and it probably indicates a man chosen to serve for this time and task.”
What really caught my attention was an excerpt from a talk entitled, “Brigham Young: “The Man for the Hour Will Be Ready Whenever the Hour Strikes”, given by one Larry C. Porter, a BYU professor of church history and doctrine. He says:
“Following the death of President Joseph F. Smith in 1918 and the transition of administration to President Heber J. Grant, apostle Orson F. Whitney reflected on the lives of the seven prophets who had thus far graced the dispensation of the fullness of times. He wisely observed:
Each succeeding President of the Church ought to vary in some respects from all other incumbents of that high and holy position. For this reason: The work of the Lord is always progressing, and consequently always changing–not its principles, nor its aims; but its plans, its instruments, and its methods of procedure. These are constantly changing, in order to meet new conditions and profit by them. Hence a variety of leaders is essential. To-day is not Yesterday, nor will To-morrow be To-day. The Lord provides the men and the means whereby He can best work, at any given time, for the carrying out of his wise and sublime purposes. The Man for the Hour will be ready whenever the Hour strikes [Orson F. Whitney, “The Man for the Hour,” Millennial Star 83, no. 49 (December 8, 1921): 778].
I think there is probably more to this than meets the eye, and by posting this I likely bring up more questions than provide any answers. But I must say, sometimes, literal fulfillment of prophecy can scare the devil out of you.”