Prophecies of Joseph Smith, Jr.

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Joseph Smith, Jr.

1805 to 1827 - 1827 to 1830
1831 to 1834 - 1835 to 1838
1838 to 1842 - 1842 to 1844
Death - Polygamy - Teachings
Prophecies - Bibliography

Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, claimed to be a prophet in the tradition of the ancient prophets recorded in the Bible. This page examines some of the prophecies attributed to him.

Contents

[edit] Prophecies published in the Doctrine and Covenants

This is a list of prophesies taken from different versions of the Doctrine and Covenants.

[edit] War poured out upon all nations

On December 25, 1832, Smith prophesied about a coming war:

"... 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. And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. 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."(The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 87:1-3)

This section of the Doctrine and Covenants also says that slaves would rise up against their masters. (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 87:4)

[edit] The building of a temple in Missouri

In The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 84:3-5, Smith prophesied that a temple would be built "in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri", "which temple shall be reared in this generation." Previous to this revelation (3 August 1831) Joseph Smith and others had placed stones to mark two of the corners where the temple would be built.

In The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 124:49-51 the project was postponed.

Most Latter Day Saint adherents generally believe that the temple will eventually be constructed on the site prepared, based on additional statements by Smith. For more information regarding the relevant events and controversy following this prophecy, please see the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), whose headquarters now resides on the grounds of the temple's predicted location. Also see the Community of Christ, whose headquarters and a temple are across the street from the Temple Lot site.

[edit] Elijah's prophecy to be fulfilled

That the prophesy of Elijah would be fulfilled, in that the hearts of the children be turned to their fathers. (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 2:2)

Smith and Oliver Cowdery claimed that Elijah returned and gave them priesthood keys in April 1836. They said Elijah was one of several heavenly messengers sent to the Kirtland Temple. (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 110:13-15)

[edit] United Order everlasting until return of Jesus

The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 104:1 says that the United Order was "commanded to be organized and established, to be a united order, and an everlasting order for the benefit of my church, and for the salvation of men until I come--With promise immutable and unchangeable, that inasmuch as those whom I commanded were faithful they should be blessed with a multiplicity of blessings; But inasmuch as they were not faithful they were nigh unto cursing." The LDS church does not currently practice a communal living system generally among its general membership. However various Mormon Fundamentalist groups do.[citation needed]

Prophecy date: April 23, 1834

An Ensign article provides the LDS explanation of the revelation made by Smith.

[edit] Word of Wisdom related conspiracies

In the Word of Wisdom (a code of health), Smith prophesied that there are now and will be conspiring men in the last days (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 89:4).

In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days...

[edit] Patten would perform a mission journey in 1839

In The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 114:1, Smith prophecied that Captain David W. Patten (one of the Twelve Apostles) would perform a mission journey in the company of 11 others (presumably the 11 other Apostles) "next spring" (that being, the spring of 1839).

Patten died October 25, 1838, prior to such a mission as a mortal person.

The following was written by Smith in October, 1838:

In the pursuit, one of the mob fled from behind a tree, wheeled, and shot Captain Patten, who instantly fell, mortally wounded, having received a large ball in his bowels. ... Captain Patten was carried some of the way in a litter, but it caused so much distress that he begged to be left by the way side. He was carried into Brother Winchester's, three miles from the city of Far West, where he died that night. ... Brother David Patten was a very worthy man, beloved by all good men who knew him. He was one of the Twelve Apostles, and died as he had lived, a man of God, and strong in the faith of a glorious resurrection ... (Smith 1902 3:171)

The LDS belief is that "the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead." (Doctrine and Covenants 138:57)

[edit] Prophesies published in Times and Seasons

[edit] Wicked swept from earth, lost 10 tribes return from north

In the Times and Seasons 5:21, November 15, 1844, Joseph Smith published a letter predicting:

And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away, before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquakes will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country.
there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled.

[edit] Prophesies published in other LDS Church writings

[edit] United States government overthrown and wasted

After meeting with Stephen A. Douglas, Smith prophesied:

I prophesy in the name of the Lord of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the saints in the state of Missouri and punish crimes committed by her officers, that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left, for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished, thereby perpetrating a foul and corroding blot upon the fair fame of this great republic, the very thought of which would have caused the high-minded and patriotic framers of the Constitution of the United States to hide their faces with shame. (Smith 1902 5:394) [1]

[edit] Smith and companions not killed in Liberty Jail

That he and his companions would not be killed in Liberty Jail, despite evidence that his captors intended to kill him. Joseph said on the morning after their capture after the Mormon War that "the word of the Lord came to me last night that ... whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives shall be taken" (Dona Hill, Joseph Smith: The First Mormon, Doubleday and Company, Garden City, NY, 1977, p. 244).

[edit] Smith will not return to Missouri

That although he was captured by Missouri agents in Illinois, he would not step foot in Missouri dead or alive. (Smith 1902 5:216)

[edit] LDS settle in Rocky Mountains

Joseph Smith may have said the following in 1842:

I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains (Smith 1902 5:85)

Smith 1902 6:225 may also refer to this prophecy.

Jerald and Sandra Tanner's investigations suggest that the Rocky Mountain section of the prophecy was written in 2 copies of a manuscript in smaller writing between the lines of the rest of the prophecy.

[edit] Smith spoken of for good and evil

That his name would be known for good or bad among "all people."

He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that 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 people (Joseph Smith — History 1:33)

[edit] Stephen A. Douglas to run for president

That Stephen A. Douglas, a prominent politician at the time, would run for the presidency. He also predicted that if Stephen Douglas slandered the Church then he would feel the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon him. (Smith 1902 5:394) [2] Smith was himself a presidential candidate at the time of his death.

[edit] Jackson County, Missouri to be destroyed

The destruction of Jackson County, Missouri, after his death. (B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:538)

[edit] Stakes established in Boston and New York

"In the great cities, as Boston, New York, etc., there shall be stakes" (Smith 1902 6:319)

[edit] Joseph and Hyrum Smith to die if re-captured

That he and his brother Hyrum Smith would die if they were re-captured. On June 22, 1844 he wrote: "I told Stephen Markham that if I and Hyrum were ever taken again we should be massacred, or I was not a prophet of God" (Smith 1902 6:546).

[edit] Dr. Richards will not have hole in garment

He also predicted that Willard Richards would escape unharmed despite being in a shower of bullets.

"Dr. Richards' escape was miraculous; he being a very large man, and in the midst of a shower of balls, yet he stood unscathed, with the exception of a ball which grazed the tip end of the lower part of his left ear. His escape fulfilled literally a prophecy which Joseph made over a year previously, that the time would come that the balls would fly around him like hail, and he should see his friends fall on the right and on the left, but that there should not be a hole in his garment" (Smith 1902 6:619)

[edit] Dan Jones to visit Wales

That Dan Jones, one of those who stayed with him in Carthage, would survive and see Wales.

Soon after Dr. Richards retired to the bed ... 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" (Smith 1902 6:601)

[edit] Orrin Porter Rockwell protected from enemies

On December 25, 1843, Joseph announced, "I prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that you -- Orrin Porter Rockwell -- so long as ye shall remain loyal and true to thy faith, need fear no enemy. Cut not thy hair and no bullet or blade can harm thee." There is no known record of his having been injured by his many enemies after this day, despite a long life filled with violence.

[edit] References

[edit] Apologist Sites

[edit] Critic Sites

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