Biblical Prophecies Atheists Love Part 4

The fourth (and possibly last one I will address) biblical prophecy that aethists love is found in the Old Testament in the Book of Judges. In Judges 13:5 an angel promises Samson's mother that Samson would "begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." No matter how forgiving you want to be with the facts of Israelite history, there is no way it can be concluded that Samson fulfilled this prophecy!

Not only did Samson fail to free Israel from the Philistines, but

• he consorted with Philistine women,
• he married a Philistine,
• he never led any Israelite troops against the Philistines, and
• the Philistines eventually humiliated him.

Most importantly Israel actually lost ground to the Philistines during Samson's tenure. Judges 13-16 illustrates Philistine encroachment into Hebrew lands. All of this is the opposite of the prophecy uttered by the angel!

So is the angel a false prophet? If we use the standard that critics of the LDS Church use with latter-day prophets then the answer must be yes! If these critics are to be consistent they must declare that the angel was bearing false witness or the Book of Judges/Bible is false!

Of course such a conclusion is silly. Angels sent from on high are not going to be making mistakes. There has to be something else so let's examine this story a little more deeply, using the rules for interpreting prophecy that we frequently reference. Fortunately LDS people can be consistent and still accept this prophecy that failed to come to pass by simply applying the standard that we use for all prophets, both ancient and modern.

The fact that Judges 13:5 failed to come to pass can be placed squarely at the feet of Samson's failure to live according to his calling as a Nazarite. Basically he did not keep the commandments. In addition to his sexual liaisons, he married a Philistine, ate unclean food, drank wine, and allowed his hair to be cut. His behavior (sins) allowed the angel's prophecy to be nullified. The angel is not a false prophet, Samuel's sins did not allow the prophecy to be fulfilled. Samuel's agency left him free to fulfill the prophecy or not; and he chose to do otherwise.

The angel announced what should have happened; what Samson was fore-ordained to accomplish, but Samson was free to live his life as he chose. He chose not to fulfill his divine appointment and the prophecy went unfulfilled. Sin can nullify prophecy the same way that it can nullify priesthood or patriarchal blessings. That in no way reflects on the inspiration behind the prophecy/blessing. Agency always holds the trump card.

Note that the angel placed no conditions on his promise that Samson would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. He simply declared that Samson would do it. Regular readers of this blog will note the parallels between the story of Samson and the story of Oliver Cowdery.

Biblical Prophecies Atheists Love Part 3

In Matthew Chapter 10 we read where the Savior says the following:

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

In this section Jesus very matter-of-factly states that His second coming would occur before the disciples returned from the mission on which He was sending them. This, of course, did not happen and as far as I know; and I'm pretty sure about this, the Second Coming still hasn't occurred! ;-}

If we use the standard enemies of the LDS Church use; and most of them claim to be Christian, then Jesus has to be declared a false prophet. Jesus is the Savior of the world, the only perfect man who ever walked upon its face. Jesus made hundreds of prophecies and this one simply requires that one understand how prophecy is to be interpreted before getting uppity and declaring the Jehovah of the Old Testament to be a false prophet. For obvious reasons, it is absurd to accuse Jesus of being a false prophet. I am simply pointing out that if our enemies are to be consistent, then it is they who must make this declaration. As Latter-day Saints, we find such an accusation to be patently absurd!

Could it possibly be that Jesus was addressing the office of an apostle instead of the men standing before him who held that office? Readers of this blog will remember that this sounds an awful lot like the story of David W. Patten.

Biblical Prophecies Atheists Love Part 2

Anti-Mormons love to quote Deuteronomy 18:20-21 as a preliminary to attacking the alleged false prophecies of Joseph Smith.

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.

Michael T. Griffith writes "Using a strictly literal interpretation of these verses as their guide, most if not all anti-Mormons insist that if a prophecy does not come to pass, it is automatically false, period. These critics don't seem to realize they are stepping into quicksand when they use this criterion to attack Joseph Smith."

One of the problems this creates is found in 2 Samuel 7:5-17, where we read that the prophet Nathan unequivocally prophesied to David that through his son Solomon the Davidic empire would be established "forever;' that the children of Israel would dwell in the promised land "and move no more," and that the "children of wickedness" would no longer afflict them. These things are clearly stated. No conditions are attached to these promises.

Any student of the scriptures knows that none of these things came to pass! So is Nathan a false prophet? If we continue to insist on interpreting prophecy literally there is only one conclusion - Nathan is a false prophet. But by applying the rules for interpreting prophecy that we covered in this post, Nathan can be validated. And that is exactly what Latter-day Saints do; we accept Nathan and all of the Biblical prophets as true emissaries from on high.

Naturally we insist Joseph Smith and his successors are judged by the same standard.

A Biblical Prophecy Atheists Love

Why would an atheist love a biblical prophecy? Because it allows them to discredit the Bible and justify their atheism. Let us examine a Biblical prophecy, which if we apply the standard that anti-Mormons apply to our prophecies, would invalidate the Bible.

W. John Walsh points out that by the standard our opponents use, Jonah would be a false prophet. The Holy Bible records that "And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." (Jonah 3:4)

But the people of Ninevah repented and the Lord withdrew the prophecy. "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." (Jonah 3:10)

By the standard that our enemies use with the Prophet Joseph Smith's prophecies, Jonah would be a false prophet and we should therefore reject the Bible. Of course this interpretation is ludicrous, as any child can point out - Jonah's prophecy was conditional (see Rules for Interpreting Prophecy). There is an implied "if" in a prophecy of this nature. "If" the people of Ninevah do not repent, then in 40 days Ninevah will be overthrown. The "if" wasn't stated, but it was there.

The experience of Jonah shows to us that the Lord reserves the right to change His commandments when He sees fit. We must never forget that Isaiah taught us that the Lord does not think like we think for "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)

Do we have a parallel in the history of Mormonism that our critics like to use to discredit us? Why yes we do. In September of 1832 the Lord commanded the Saints to build a temple in Independence, Missouri using the following language.

4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.

5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.

This prophecy/commandment was conditional and the the Lord later withdrew the requirement, just as he withdrew His word in the days of Jonah, this time because of the sins of the people of Missouri.

49 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.

50 And the iniquity and transgression of my holy laws and commandments I will visit upon the heads of those who hindered my work, unto the third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not, and hate me, saith the Lord God.

51 Therefore, for this cause have I accepted the offerings of those whom I commanded to build up a city and a house unto my name, in Jackson county, Missouri, and were hindered by their enemies, saith the Lord your God.

Oliver Cowdery

Another of the alleged false prophecies of Joseph Smith involves a promise in the D&C directed at both Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. It is found in the 110th section.

After this, 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.

Whether this prophecy has been realized in the case of Joseph Smith is debatable but Oliver Cowdery had no grandchildren. So how can this be true?

Oliver Cowdery apostatized and was removed from his position. Hyrum Smith was assigned to take Oliver's place in the Presidency and as a result ended up dying in his place at Carthage Jail. The 124th section of the Doctrine and Covenants records the transferral of these blessings from Oliver to Hyrum.

91 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,

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;

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;

Has the Church and all generations been blessed by the seed of Hyrum? Well for starters his son and grandson grew up to be Presidents of the Church. Each was considered a master of doctrine in his day and his grandson, Joseph Fielding Smith, wrote numerous books that are still blessing the world nearly 40 years since his passing. Joseph Fielding Smith's son-in-law, Bruce R. McConkie was another prolific author and apostle whose writings are still blessing the world nearly 25 years after his passing. And there are many others of this distinguished lineage - other apostles and General Authorities - that are fulfilling this prophecy to the letter. There is probably no greater example of a righteous family in the whole world.

Once again the attempts by our enemies to portray the Prophet Joseph Smith as a false prophet are shown to actually be validation that he truly was a Prophet of God. You would think that they would eventually learn not to get into such silly debates with us. The truth is on our side and therefore always wins.

David W. Patten

One of the attacks against the Church involves a prophecy concerning David W. Patten found in D&C 114 which reads

1 VERILY thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world.

2 For verily thus saith the Lord, that inasmuch as there are those among you who deny my name, others shall be planted in their stead and receive their bishopric. Amen.

Section 118 of the Doctrine and Covenants explains more about this mission and calls the Twelve to depart on the mission from Far West on April 26, 1839. David W. Patten never left on this mission because he was killed at the Battle of Crooked River when a contingent of Caldwell County militia, under his leadership, attempted to rescue three Latter-day Saints who had been taken prisoners by a company of Missourians. Since he was called to leave with the Twelve, and because of his death he failed to do so, the enemies of the Church think they have caught Joseph Smith in a false prophecy. But have they?

As a result of the persecutions against the Saints in Missouri the knees of David W. Patten had briefly buckled, and Patten signed a letter falsely accusing the Prophet of things which the Prophet had not done. His remorse over this brief period of apostacy was so great that he prayed fervently that he might be able to give his life for the cause and in retribution for his sin. When he shared this with the Prophet Joseph, the Prophet said "Oh Brother Patten, when a man with faith like yours prays like that, he will likely find his prayer answered."

That is the story behind why Joseph, upon learning that David W. Patten was dead, said "There lies a man who has done just as he said he would - he has laid down his life for his friends." Because Joseph had talked with him about his prayer to be martyred, he knew both the background and the sequel.

When D&C 114 was revealed David W. Patten was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. His successors, John Taylor, John E. Page, and Wilford Woodruff were all present at the meeting held on April 26, 1839 in Far West Missouri and left for their mission assigned by revelation from that meeting. The prophecy found in D&C 114 applied to David W. Patten the Apostle, not David W. Patten the man. The role that he filled - that of an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ - fulfilled the prophecy literally.

Our enemies love to interpret the Bible and its prophecies in non-literal ways in order to justify their doctines and defend the Bible; but when finding fault with the Latter-day Saints, suddenly they find that the only way to interpret our prophecies is to be literal. The same God who revealed prophecies to Moses, Isaiah, and Jesus of Nazareth is still revealing them today. Most of those prophecies are very clear as we have pointed out in previous posts (1, 2, 3, 4) ; but sometimes there is more of the symbolic involved. This prophecy is one of the latter.

For more information about how to correctly interpret prophecy please review this post. Please pay particular attention to item #2 and the story from 2 Kings 20:1-7 which is almost an exact parallel to the story of David W. Patten. Rather than being evidence of a false prophecy by Joseph Smith; this prophecy concerning David W. Patten validates Joseph Smith as a prophet of the Lord.

Rules for Interpreting Prophecy

Fordham explains that the second important principle in understanding prophecy, is understanding the rules for interpreting prophecy. This is important in order to remain consistent.

One of the repeated themes in the writings of our critics is the double-standard they employ when interpreting Bible prophecy when compared to interpreting prophecies put out by prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Judging the Bible by the standard they hold us to results in the Bible being declared false! Here is an example of what I mean.

In 2 Kings 20:1-7 we read of a prophecy, which if we applied the standards our critics apply to us, would make Isaiah, the prophet of prophets, a false prophet. Fordham desribes the story this way:

Here the prophet Isaiah visited Hezekiah, who was "sick unto death," and said to him, "Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live." Hezekiah, in prayer, reminded the Lord of all of his good works. The Lord, then, responded mercifully to his plea. He changed his mind and instructed Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah and tell him that his prayers had been heard; the Lord would heal him and he would live for fifteen more years. Was Isaiah any less a prophet of God because the Lord told him something would happen, and it didn't, for whatever reason?

Michael T. Griffith put together a list of rules for interpreting prophecy that, when applied to the Bible, makes all Biblical prophecies true. That is a standard our critics can not disagree with. However we insist that the same tests be applied to LDS prophecies and prophets before declaring them false. Here is his list of rules for interpreting prophecy:

1. Almost all prophecy is conditional to one degree or another, even if this is not stated in the prophecy itself.
2. In many cases human actions and choices can alter, postpone, or prevent the fulfillment of prophecy.
3. A prophecy is not always telling us what will happen, but what could happen under certain circumstances.
4. A prophet can misunderstand the timetable for a prophecy's fulfillment.
5. A prophet can be mistaken about certain details of a prophecy but correct with regard to its central message.
6. A prophecy can apply to more than one occurrence or time period, i.e., it can have dual application.
7. A prophecy's fulfillment can be intended to take place in the spirit world or during the millennium, even if this is not stated in the prophecy itself.
8. The fulfillment of prophecy can go unobserved and/or unrecorded.
9. A prophecy can contain rhetorical overstatements. For example, a prophecy might read that "every single house" in a certain town will be "leveled to the ground," when what is really meant is that the town will suffer heavy destruction.
10. Such terms and expressions as "soon," "quickly," "in a little while," "shortly," etc., are often given from the Lord's perspective of time--so that "soon," for example, might turn out to be a very long time by our reckoning.
11. The text of a prophecy can undergo alteration to the point that it no longer reflects the original intent of the prophecy.

Fordham writes that "most critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints judge Joseph Smith's prophecies with a standard that is just as damaging to Biblical prophecies, thereby showing a double standard of interpretation. They seem willing to allow any possible explanation and exception for Biblical prophecies, but none for those of Joseph Smith. Critics don't seem to realize that the standards they use to judge Joseph Smith can also be used to attack the Biblical prophets and Jesus Christ. "

If we follow Griffith's list above, the truth of the Bible can remain unassailed, and the same will be true for the Latter-day Saint prophets and prophecies. Given the fact that the source for both is the same, it is not surprising!

Definition of Prophecy

In preparation for a closer examination of some of the "failed prophecies" of Joseph Smith it is essential that we review the vocabulary we will be using. This post is designed to lay some of that groundwork.

Random House Webster's College Dictionary defines prophecy as follows:

prophecy n., pl. -cies. 1. the foretelling or prediction of what is to come. 2. something that is declared by a prophet, esp. a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation. 3. any prediction or forecast. 4. the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.

LDS apologist Michael W. Fordham writes that "The term "prophesy" can be used in conjunction with false prophets as well as true prophets. So how do we tell the difference? A false prophet is not necessarily one who makes false prophecies. A prophet is a teacher. A false prophet is one who teaches false doctrine. A true prophet is one who teaches true doctrine. So how does Joseph Smith fit this description? Keeping the words of Christ in mind, when he said to his apostles concerning others who were casting out evil spirits, we find a clue in Mark 9:38-40.

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.

'Anyone who has read the scriptures brought forth by and through Joseph Smith will readily see that he was not against Christ. Anyone who has read other, non-scriptural, writings and sermons of Joseph Smith will readily see that he was not against Christ. Anyone who has read the writings of those who personally knew Joseph Smith will readily see that he was not against Christ. Anyone who knows the historical fact that Joseph Smith gave his life for his belief in, and devotion to, the Savior knows that he was not against Christ. Since Joseph Smith was not against the Savior, then he was "on our part," as Christ said. So why then, are men … who proclaim themselves Christians, who claim to follow Christ, so eager to malign Joseph Smith?

So is Joseph Smith a false prophet of Jesus Christ? Certainly he was not against Christ, and Christ himself said that his disciples should "Forbid him not" unless he actively opposes Christ. So he passes our first test.

Did he teach false principles? While different denominations may disagree with his teachings, a fair examination of them cannot truthfully declare them false. Disagreement does not make something false. Honest brokers can acknowledge the legitimacy of a contrary view without accepting that view.

Therefore we are left with the definition of prophecy that concerns itself with inspired predictions of future events. Joseph Smith passes the first two tests of prophecy and so far we have shown many instances (1, 2, 3, 4) of his passing the third test - uttering inspired predictions of future events. Next we will cover how to correctly interpret prophecy before we examine the first of our "failed prophecies", the prophecy found in D&C 114 concerning David W. Patten.

Zion's Camp

This post on one of the more dramatic prophecies of the Prophet Joseph Smith will be the last one for awhile. My next few posts will address putting prophets and prophecy in context and then next week I'll start the promised series of posts addressing some of the claims of failed prophecies made by our critics.

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism states that Zion's Camp was "a Latter-day Saint expedition from Kirtland, Ohio, to Clay County, Missouri, during May and June 1834. The Mormon settlers in adjacent Jackson County, Missouri, had been driven out in the fall of 1833 by hostile non-Mormon elements, and the initial objective of Zion's Camp was to protect those settlers after the Missouri militia escorted them back to their homes."

In our primary manual we read the following:

Early in the march Joseph Smith gave Zion’s Camp a prophetic warning. He told the people in the camp that if they quarreled and complained and did not keep the Lord’s commandments, a scourge (a great affliction or illness) would come upon the camp. The Prophet even prophesied that some people would die because of the scourge. But he also said that if the people would humble themselves and repent, most of the scourge would be turned away.

About three weeks later this prophecy came to pass when a violent illness called cholera hit the camp. The illness attacked those who had been obedient as well as those who had quarreled and complained. Even the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum became sick. ...

After eight days of illness in the camp, Joseph met with many of the group and said that if they would humble themselves before the Lord and covenant to keep his commandments, the cholera would leave immediately. The men raised their hands and covenanted with the Lord, and the illness stopped. About sixty-eight people of Zion’s Camp had suffered from the disease, and fourteen people had died.

Some journals from that time quote Joseph as saying that many would die horrible deaths. A death by cholera in those days was definitely a horrible death. Although it took 3 weeks, the words of the prophet were fulfilled to the letter both when he prophecied the curse, and later when he prophecied the lifting of the curse.

Dan Jones

The night before Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage Jail, he prophesied that Dan Jones would survive to serve a mission in Wales. That event is recorded in History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 601:

Soon after Dr. Richards retired to the bed which Joseph had left, and when all were apparently fast asleep, Joseph whispered to Dan Jones "are you afraid to die?" Dan said, "Has that time come, think you? Engaged in such a cause I do not think that death would have many terrors." Joseph replied, "You will yet see Wales, and fulfill the mission appointed you before you die."

Later that year, in August of 1844, he went to Wales with Wilford Woodruff to do missionary work in that land. His work led to the conversion of hundreds of people. He started the first foreign-language magazines for the Church, publishing a magazine in the Welsh language beginning in 1846. According to an article on "International Magazines" in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 2,

"Dan Jones edited and published thirty-two issues of Prophwyd y Jubili, Neu Seren y Saints (Prophet of Jubilee, New Star of Saints), filled with doctrinal and historical articles, messages from Church leaders, and replies to attacks from antagonists of the Church. Other [non-English] magazines followed."

The gift of prophecy was with the Prophet Joseph up until the last hours of his life. As Truman Madsen said "Joseph Smith lived his life in cresendo, there was no diminuendo."

Hat tip to Jeff Lindsay.

Promise of Three Witnesses

In the Doctrine and Covenants Joseph Smith made public to the world that their would be Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. This promise is found in D&C 5:11-13 where we read:

11 And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you.
12 Yea, they shall know of a asurety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them.
13 I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are;

Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris did later see the gold plates and hear the voice of God declare unto them that the translation made therof was by the gift and power of God. That is an amazing prediction for an imposter or fraud to make. However when a prophet does it we call it prophecy.

Night of the Falling Stars

Mark L. McConkie tells the story of the "Night of the Falling Stars" that is a powerful display of the gift of prophecy that Joseph Smith often had. This excerpt is taken from Mormon Life which cited an article written by Philo Dibble, and which was originally published in the Juvenile Instructor in January of 1892.

On one occasion Joseph was preaching in Kirtland sometime in the fall of 1833. Quite a number of persons were present who did not belong to the Church, and one man, more bitter and skeptical than others, made note with pencil and paper of a prophecy uttered on that occasion, wherein Joseph said that "Forty days shall not pass, and the stars shall fall from heaven."

Such an event would certainly be very unusual and improbable to the natural man, and the skeptic wrote the words as a sure evidence to prove Joseph to be a false Prophet.

On the thirty-ninth day after the utterance of that prophecy a man and brother in the Church, by the name of Joseph Hancock, who is yet living, in Payson, Utah, and another brother were out hunting game and got lost. They wandered about until night, when they found themselves at the house of this unbeliever, who exultingly produced this note of Joseph Smith's prophecy, and asked Brother Hancock what he thought of his Prophet now, that thirty-nine days had passed and the prophecy was not fulfilled

Brother Hancock was unmoved and quietly remarked, "There is one night left of the time, and if Joseph said so, the stars will certainly fall tonight. This prophecy will all be fulfilled."

The matter weighed upon the mind of Brother Hancock, who watched that night, and it proved to be the historical one, known in all the world as "the night of the falling of the stars."

He stayed that night at the house of the skeptical unbeliever, as it was too far from home to return by night, and in the midst of the falling of the stars he went to the door of his host and called him out to witness what he had thought impossible and the most improbable thing that could happen, especially as that was the last night in which Joseph Smith could be saved from the condemnation of "a false prophet."

The whole heavens were lit up with the falling meteors, and the countenance of the new spectator was plainly seen and closely watched by Brother Hancock, who said that he turned pale as death, and spoke not a word.

After that event the unbeliever sought the company of any Latter-day Saint. He even enticed Mormon children to keep him company at his house. Not long afterwards, too, he sent for Joseph and Hyrum to come to his house, which they did, but with no noticeable results, for I believe he never received the gospel.

This isn't the only recording of the event. Many people's journals reflect the same amazement on the same dates. The Little Rock Gazette wrote of it as follows on December 11, 1833.

The Falling Stars - The meteoric phenomenon witnessed here on the morning of the 13th ult. was general throughout the United States. The Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York Papers, give the same description of it, as those who witnessed it in this region, and to the north and south of us.

Scientists now refer to this event as the Leonid Meteor Shower which was unknown at the time of Joseph Smith. This all points to an amazing display that God was with Joseph when he uttered this amazing prophecy. There is nothing unclear about what he said, or how it was dramatically fulfilled. This is evidence of a true Prophet of God.

March 1839

Sections 121, 122, and 123 of the Doctrine & Covenants we all given while the prophet was a prisoner in Liberty Jail in March of 1839. The closing verses of Section 122 read as follows:

Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

All of this is common knowlege but what is less well-known is that in The Life and Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Truman Madsen showed that what Joseph was really told was that he had "about 5 years". This information he shared with his mother and a few other close associates. We suppose that it is also the reason behind his rolling off the kingdom onto the shoulders of the Twelve in March of 1944, exactly 5 years from the day he received the revelation that he had "about 5 years". Wilford Woodruff records that event as follows in the Millenial Star in November of 1887:

I, Wilford Woodruff, being the last man living in the flesh who was present upon that occasion, feel it a duty I owe to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to the House of Israel, and to the whole world, to bear this my last testimony to all nations, that in the winter of 1843–4, Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, called the Twelve Apostles together in the City of Nauvoo, and spent many days with us in giving us our endowments, and teaching us those glorious principles which God had revealed to him. And upon one occasion he stood upon his feet in our midst for nearly three hours, declaring unto us the great and last dispensation which God had set His hand to perform upon the earth in these last days. The room was filled as if with consuming fire; the Prophet was clothed upon with much of the power of God, and his face shone and was transparently clear, and he closed that speech, never-to-be-forgotten in time or in eternity, with the following language:

“Brethren, I have had great sorrow of heart for fear that I might be taken from the earth with the keys of the kingdom of God upon me, without sealing them upon the heads of other men. God has sealed upon my head all the keys of the kingdom of God necessary for organizing and building up of the Church, Zion, and kingdom of God upon the earth, and to prepare the Saints for the coming of the Son of Man. Now, brethren, I thank God I have lived to see the day that I have been enabled to give you your endowments, and I have now sealed upon your heads all the powers of the Aaronic and Melchizedec priesthoods and apostleship, with all the keys and powers thereof, which God has sealed upon me; and I now roll off all the labor, burden and care of this Church and kingdom of God upon your shoulders, and I now command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to round up your shoulders, and bear off this Church and kingdom of God before heaven and earth, and before God, angels and men; and if you don’t do it you will be damned.”

And the same Spirit that filled the room at that time burns in my bosom while I record this testimony.

Five years from March of 1839 was March of 1944. Joseph Smith died 3 months later. Even little words like "about" apparently have meaning.

Prophecy

One of the signs of divine investiture of authority has always been the gift of prophecy. Joseph Smith had this gift in abundance as did Heber C. Kimball. The reason this is so significant is that only God knows the future and it is impossible for an ordinary human to predict what will happen with any degree of accuracy.

Not all prophets prophesy. John the Baptist was one of the greatest prophets according to the Savior, yet we have no record of him offering a single prophecy. So we are not suggesting that it is a mandatory gift for a prophet to have, only that when one does have the gift, it is evidence of divine authority.

People like Edgar Cayce and Nostradamus never pass this test because of their numerous predictions that did not come true. Also, they tended to use vague word choices that could be interpreted any number of ways. This is especially true for Nostradamus. That is the same game that modern psychics play.

In coming weeks I intend to cover prophecy by sharing some of the less well-known prophecies of Joseph Smith, and also addressing some of the "failed prophecies" that our enemies claim.

Hat tip to Mark Giles.