Joseph Smith vs. the Prophets of God

TEXT— Amos 3: 7 (Deut. 18: 20-22; 1 John 4: 1)

Intro:  Need for Truth

(Charts of LDS Leader quotes)

I.                   Prophets and Prophecy - Amos 3: 7. (cf. 1 John. 4: 1)

  1. A Living Prophet

"Without a living prophet, the scripture is indeed what the medieval church called it: a mystery" (The World And The Prophets, Hugh Nibley, 188)

2. "14 Fundamentals in Following The Prophets" –

a. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

b. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
  - (cf. God's prophets do not contradict scripture!)

c. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
  -(cf. Heb. 4: 12; 2 Pet. 1:12-16)

d. The prophet will never lead the Church astray. (cf. Gal. 2:11-13)

e. The prophet does not have to say "Thus saith the Lord" to give us scripture (D&C 21: 4).

{Who is correct? Joseph Smith, Jr. said: "A prophet was a prophet only when he was acting as such." (History of the Church, V: 265)}

  3. Traits of God's prophets:

  a. They spoke in the name of the Lord what God said - without error –

2 Pet. 1:21, “For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.”

(cf. Balaam - Num. 23: 5, “And Jehovah put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.”

 Balaam said in verse 12, “And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?”

 Samuel - 1 Sam. 3: 19, “And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.”

b. True prophets - 100 % accuracy - Amazing reliability!

        c. They spoke regardless of the people - Ezek. 3:10-11; 2: 5.

II.                Testing The Prophets:

-         (Some LDS have said there is no accurate way to "test a prophet" except by a personal revelation received from the Holy Spirit (Moroni 10: 4-5).

-The Bible denies this! - Rev. 2:2

The three test:  The Doctrine Test, The Accuracy Test, and The Character Test

  A. The doctrine test - Deut. 13: 1-5 - What God does he preach? What standard of authority does he promote?

(1) 1 Jno. 4:1-6: What Christ does he confess? (v. 2-3) What standard of authority does he respect? (v. 6)

(2) Joseph Smith, Jr.:

(a) God: Once a man w/ a body of flesh & bones (History of the Church, V: 613; D&C 130: 22).

  (b) Christ: Spirit child of God the Father, brother of Lucifer (Satan), is not eternally God.

  (c) Many more.....LDS prophet fails the test of doctrine! (Gal. 1:8-9).

B. The accuracy test - Deut. 18: -22.

(1) Does it come to pass? (Jer. 28:7-9)

(2) If not: Not from God / Spoke presumptuously / Don't be afraid of him.

(3) Joseph Smith, Jr.:

(a) Temple Lot Prophecy – D & C 84: 1-5. (1832).

1. 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.   2. Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.    3. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.    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.

MSN Encarta Dictionary—“generation” 3. time taken to produce new generation: the period of time that it takes for people, animals, or plants to grow up and produce their own offspring, in humans held to be between 30 and 35 years

a. Leaders applied it this way for the next 50 years. When it failed, they redefined "generation" to explain it away!

(b) Civil War Prophecy – D & C 87: 1-6 (1832).

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 poured 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, as it is called, 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.

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.

1. 1832 when prophecy was made “shortly come to pass” = 30 years? 2. Country already in turmoil that war was inevitable.

a.       Quote from James David online article,

“By the early 1830's politicians knew that slavery was going to be an issue. Even when the Constitution of the United States of America was being written and approved, the slavery issue became a great disagreement between the northern and southern states, as a result, the "Great Compromise". The Constitution that gave birth to America would count a slave as "three-fifths" a person. ” (US Constitution, Article 1, Section 2)  

2. Prophecy—Verse 2 says, “War upon all nations” It didn’t happen.

a. War only took place on American Soil.  First World War not until 1914.

b. Verse 3 mentions Great Britain and other nations. 

“This prediction is clearly wrong about the civil war. Great Britain's role in the Civil War was minor at best. Britain supplied some equipment to the Confederacy during the war, but limited this capacity in fear that the northern states would retaliate. During the Civil War Great Britain traded with both the northern and southern States, and Great Britain never declared war on either.” (James David article)

c. Verse 6 mentions devastation on all nations. Again not true.

(c) The Lord's Coming in 1891 (History of the Church, Vol. II pg. 182—written 1835). 

**READ David’s Book**

"...the coming of the Lord, which was nigh - even fifty-six years, should wind up the scene."

1835 + 56 = 1891

* Joseph Smith, Jr. fails the test of accuracy!

C. The character (fruit) test - Matt. 7:15-20.

  (1) Fruit borne of true prophecy is good, pure and righteous.

 (2) Joseph Smith, Jr.:

(a) Polygamy (see: Highlights Character test).

(b) Fruit produced was adultery, fraud, deception & hypocrisy!

  (3) Joseph Smith, Jr. fails the character/fruit test!

"No Mormon truly believes the Bible, and a true Bible believer cannot be a Mormon!"

Conclusion

Joseph Smith should not be feared—Deut. 18: 22