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Testing a Prophet
Was Joseph Smith A True Prophet?
4 Biblical tests of a true prophet
Ed Decker
James Talmage stated the challenge quite clearly in the book, The Articles of Faith.
The question of this man’s [Joseph Smith] divine commission is a challenging one for the world today. If his claims to a divine appointment be false, forming as they do the foundation of the Church in this last dispensation, the superstructure cannot be stable; if however, his avowed ordination under the hands of heavenly personages be a fact, one need search no farther for the cause of the phenomenal vitality and continuous development of the restored church. (The Articles of Faith, p.8)
Joseph Smith, himself, put it all into boastful perspective when he said:
I have more to boast of than any man had. I am the only man that has been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter nor Jesus every did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet. (History of the Church, vol.6, pp.408-09, 1844)
Elder Talmage, we accept the opportunity to test the Prophet Joseph Smith because upon his honor rests the honor of the Mormon gospel.
Tests of a Prophet
The Word of God is amazingly clear in the testing of a prophet. Numerous scriptural tests are available, in detail and with enough backup scripture to confirm the validity of each test. Although there are many tests, we will limit ours to four areas.
Test #1—Other Gods
If there arise among you 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, or that dreamer of dreams…and that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death.—Deuteronomy 13:1-5.
A true prophet of God will not teach a conflicting doctrine of God. Not only does the Mormon doctrine of God (the Law of Eternal Progression) totally conflict with the basic scriptural God, but it is even in conflict with Mormonism’s teachings.
First, the “official” version of the first vision is in major conflict with the “only known account of the vision in Joseph Smith’s own hand,” which was written about six years before the official account as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. It states that
… the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness and while in the attitude of calling upon the Lord in the 16th year of my age a pillar of light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the spirit of god and the Lord opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph my son thy sins are forgiven thee, go thy way walk in my statutes and keep my commandments
behold I am the Lord of glory I was crucified for the world that all those who believe on my name may have Eternal life behold the world lieth in sin at this time and none doeth good no not one they have turned aside from the gospel and keep not my commandments they draw near to me with their lips while their hearts are far from me and mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth to visit them according to their ungodliness and to bring to pass that which hath been spoken by the mouths of the prophets and Apostles behold and lo I come quickly as it was written of me in the cloud clothed in the glory of my Father.…
This account was taken from BYU Studies, Spring 1969, p.281. Dean C. Jessee, Church Historical Department states: “This is the only known account of the vision in his [Joseph Smith’s] own hand.” (Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Spring 1971, p.86).
There was no mention of God and Jesus in the flesh, only Jesus in a vision into the Heavens.
Secondly, the God of Mormonism and the Law of Eternal Progression do not agree with the Book of Mormon spoken of as containing the “Fullness of the Everlasting Gospel” (D&C 27:5). Nowhere in its pages is there any reference to either the God of Mormonism or the Law of Eternal Progression. In fact, quite the opposite. One of the many Mormon scriptures that describes the nature of God is as follows:
And now Abinadi said…I would that ye should understand that God Himself should come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people, and because he dwelleth in the 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.
The Father because He was conceived by the power of God; and the Son because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and the Son— And they are one god, ye the very eternal Father of heaven and earth. And thus the flesh becoming subject to the spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God.Book of Mormon, Mosiah 15:1-5.
Test #2—False Prophecy
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.—Deuteronomy 18:20-22.
A true prophet of God cannot utter a single false prophecy, not one! At no time can he give out a “Thus saith the Lord” and have it not come to pass. Joseph Smith gave forth approximately 64 prophecies. 64 times he said, “Thus saith the Lord.”
If even one single one of these prophecies failed to come to pass, the scriptures call Joseph a false prophet. Some very comprehensive research has gone into this area. It is easy to do research on historical events. Out of 64 prophecies, 58 of them fail the test! Only six of them came to pass!
Even granting the ability of the Mormon challenger to persuade the researcher to ignore or disregard 50 of them, the remaining eight still totally destroy (eight times) the honor of Joseph Smith as a prophet of the God of Abraham, of Moses and of John the Baptist.Let’s look at a few of these prophecies.
The Civil War Prophecy
Every Mormon should be familiar with the prophecy concerning the Civil War. But have you really looked at it in its entirety and checked it out?
1. Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls;
2. And the time will come that war will be pour out upon all nations, beginning at this place.
3. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain…and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations.
4. And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war.
5. And it shall come to pass also that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves, and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation.
6. And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations.
7. That the cry of the saints, and the blood of the saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies.
8. Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen. (Doctrine and Covenants, §87)
First, it was given on Christmas day, 1832, in appearance almost 30 years before the Civil War began. Yet, in actual fact, Congress had passed a tariff in July of 1832 that South Carolina declared unacceptable. Six months later, or during Christmas season, 1832, the nation’s press expected and wrote about an immediate outbreak of Civil War to being with this South Carolina rebellion. Even the US Army was on alert in the matter. With this in mind, it was no great revelation to predict the events stated in verse #1.
In fact, however, the outbreak did not come to pass. The entire prophecy was shelved and never appeared in print during Joseph Smith’s lifetime! The first two editions of the History of the Church did not include it even though it was in the handwritten manuscript. It did not appear in print until 1851, when the nation was again having problems between the north and the south.
Secondly, the scope of the prophecy is that the war would begin locally and pour out upon all nations, and it shall be the direct cause of an international global war. This is a definite prophecy that DID NOT come to pass at all.
Third, verses 3-6 state that the slaves shall rise up, the “remnants left in the land” shall come against the Gentiles (non-Mormons) and the bloodshed, famines, plagues (caused by this great war) shall bring, with God’s wrath, “a full end of all nations.” Again, a definite, tangible prophecy that DID NOT come to pass.
By any test, within any standard, the prophecy on the Civil War was and is a false prophecy.
The Grease Spot Prophecy
On 16 December 1843, Joseph Smith spoke of a petition he had filed with Congress for protection of the Latter-Day Saints:
While discussing the petition with Congress, I prophesied by virtue of the Holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government, and God shall damn them and there shall nothing be left of them—not even a grease spot. (Millennial Star, vol.22, p.455)
Needless to say, Congress did not grant the petition and the government grew to be the most powerful government in the world! Another false prophecy!
Jesus’ Return
While Ezekiel and other prophets of old set the stage for specific events to unfold over the centuries, Joseph Smith was talking in the NOW times, not in the distant future. In 1835:
President Smith then stated…it was the will of God that those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, would be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord which was nigh, even fifty-six years should wind up the scene. (History of the Church, vol.2, p.182.)
He later added that if he met with a violent end, the scene would wind up a good ten years earlier. Well, 1881 and 1891 came and went without any return of Christ. Another specific test of exact prophecy and another failure.
Who Is Oliver Granger?
Just one of the simpler prophecies dealt with the great fame of one Oliver Granger.
And again I say unto you, I remember my servant, Oliver Granger; behold, verily, I say unto him that his name shall be hand in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever; saith the Lord.—(Doctrine and Covenants 117:12)
Silly? Yes! Of great importance? No! False? Yes, unless you and three out of four Mormons you ask tell you with fond remembrance, just who Oliver Granger really was.
Test #3—Out of Harmony with Other “True” Prophets
To the law and to the testimony: If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them—Isaiah 8:20.
Joseph Smith not only falls out of harmony with the Bible with his doctrines on God, but is also in disharmony with the Word of God in several other areas.
The Mormon Apostasy not Scriptural
Joseph Smith claims a total, complete apostasy took place. This, in spite of numerous scriptures promising that Christ shall come and establish His Church and it shall never be taken from us. Matthew 16:18 says:
And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter [Petros = “little stone”], and upon this rock [Petra = “Bedrock” = Jesus] I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [See 1 Cor.10:4 for the same use of the word “Rock”]
The Mormon Priesthood Not Scriptural
The LDS Church teaches that Christ established the “true church” government before He ascended. Where is the establishment of the Melchizedek Priesthood? Where is the witness of even one scripture where Christ laid hands upon any man and ordained him to the Melchizedek or Aaronic Priesthood?
Further, where in the New Testament does Jesus confirm the Old Testament Priesthood to be established order for His Church? Quite the opposite was actually true! (See Matthew 16:5-12)
In fact, John the Baptist, the man who Joseph Smith said came down from heaven and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood NEVER even had that authority! (See Matthew 21:23-27) If he did, the people who controlled the Aaronic Priesthood in those days surely didn’t know about it!
Where in the New Testament does Christ establish temple ceremonies—the rites and rituals, blood oaths, secret words, names, combinations? The wearing of specially designed and marked garments?
Where did He establish His 12 apostles to be under the control and direction of a prophet and his two counselors? Who was the first Prophet, Seer and Revelator so established? Where in the New Testament was he set apart and ordained as such?
Where did Jesus establish polygamy as the path to righteousness—as the “New and Everlasting Covenant” with God?
If the Church Jesus established was “God’s Perfect Church” (Mormon emphasis), how could Christ establish it forever and miss all these highly important items?
Test #4—A Lying Prophet
The ancient and honourable, 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—Isaiah 9:15-16.
The the LORD said unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: the prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart.—Jeremiah 14:14.
Joseph Smith openly violated this trust many times. Two of the more significant times he knowingly lied while the Prophet and spiritual leader of the LDS people are herein mentioned. Both times, his position would have been in serious jeopardy had the real facts been known!
Joseph the Glass Looker
It was charged that Joseph Smith was accused and found guilt of parting a local farmer from his money in a less than honest scheme, commonly money digging or glass looking. It was reported to have been an activity that brought him rebuke from his soon-to-be father-in-law, Isaac Hale. It is also historically recorded that he was removed from membership in a local Methodist church because of the activity and trial results.
Joseph Smith skims over the specific event leading to the trial in the Pearl of Great Price (Joseph Smith—History 1:56) explaining that he was only a day worker for the man so engaged and not personally involved. Mormon writers have continually challenged its doubters to find the records (seemingly lost) and prove Joseph Smith a liar or stop the attacks.
Mormon writer Hugh Nibley, in The Myth Makers, p.142, says:
If this court record is authentic it is the most damning evidence in existence against Joseph Smith.
Well, in spite of 140 years of silence, the records did turn up. In 1971, Reverend Wesley Walters discovered them in the basement of the Chenango County, New York jailhouse.
The records, affidavits, and other data show conclusively that Joseph Smith was arrested, went to trial, was found guilty as an imposter in the Stowell matter of “glass looking.” It is not a matter of debate, opinion or religious preference. It is a proven historical fact.
The key issue here is NOT where he did or did not indulge in the practice. The issue is that Joseph Smith LIED in the matter.
Joseph the Polygamist
In the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the issue of polygamy was very definitely spoken out against.
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 that in the event of death when either is at liberty to marry again. (Doctrine and Covenants 101:4, 1835 edition)
In other words, no man could marry a second wife unless the first one died. No divorce and no polygamy. It was labeled a CRIME! That was the “Word” from God.
However, Joseph Smith didn’t exactly live as he preached. In 1887, Andrew Jenson, Mormon Church Historian, listed 27 women who were married to Joseph Smith, officially, during the time such such a union was a “crime” before God.
Fawn Brodie, in her book, No Man Knows My History, (Appendix C) lists each in detail and brings the number to a total of 48 women who were sealed to the Prophet and united with him in “Holy Polygamy.” These marriages are not to be confused with later “proxy” sealings to the dead Joseph Smith. 149 additional dead women were later sealed to him in temple ceremonies, according to Brodie.
It was only when it became so openly known that Smith finally admitted it and declared it a special gift of God and released the now “scripturized” law of polygamy given in Doctrine and Covenants §132. Although this “revelation” came forth in 1843, it not not show up in “scripture” until 1876. The earlier warning against polygamy (Doctrine and Covenants 101:4, 1835 edition) just disappeared without not or explanation.
It should be noted that Joseph’s new “revelation” giving God’s sanction for what was a crime before Him only a few years earlier, DID NOT retroactively absolve Joseph of all wrong. Doctrine and Covenants 132:61 states.
If any man espouse a virgin and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, 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.
First, Joseph had already been quite active in the “espousing” business long before his wife heard of the doctrine, long before she reluctantly gave consent to be party to it.
Second, seven of the ten wives he already had were already married to other living men in complete opposition to the new “revelation” Joseph received! Joseph received “Marriage for eternity, with concubinal privileges” while the husbands had married for “Time only.”
Third, notwithstanding the problems already stated, the whole idea of multiple wives was (and still is) in total disagreement with Doctrine and Covenants 42:22 which says, “Thou shalt love thy WIFE with all thy heart, and shall cleave unto HER and NONE else.”
A Lie is a Lie
Friends, a lie is a lie is a lie, and when it comes out of the mouth of a man proclaimed to be a prophet of God, that man is sent not of God, neither has God commanded him. He speaks only out of “the deceit of his heart.” (Jeremiah 14:14)
Joseph the False Prophet
I beseech you to seek further in the Word of God, the Bible, to test all things by it and through it. The salvation Joseph Smith taught is not of the Lord. He has led you to follow after other gods and he has led you away from the true Word of God into false scripture.
MORMONISM, AS THE “ONLY TRUE CHURCH,”
CANNOT BE PARTIALLY TRUE!
IT MUST BE TOTALLY CORRECT OR TOTALLY WRONG.
IT IS MY TESTIMONY TO YOU THAT IT IS TOTALLY WRONG!
You may look about you in a Sacrament Meeting and find my words harsh and difficult to accept among all the smiling, radiant faces. But Satan is not going to come to you looking like a 14-foot frog with hair and fire coming out of his nostrils. He is going to look just like an “angel of light” and so will his ministers (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
My heart weeps because the scriptures are clear in the warnings as to the end of those who follow such prophets and their ministers.
For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.—Isaiah 9:16.
Ed Decker
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