Joseph Smith - Prophet? Part 4

In this post we will look at eleven more prophecies by Joseph Smith and examine whether or not they came true.

This first one was cited in Fawn Brodie’s book, No Man Knows My History, on p. 195, and is recorded in The Millennial Star, vol. 19, p.343. 

18.  "The Kirtland Bank was said to have been established by a revelation from God [in late 1836], and rumor skipped through the town that the prophet had predicted that like Aaron's rod it would swallow up all other banks 'and grow and flourish, and spread from the rivers to the ends of the earth, and survive when all others should be laid ruins.'"

[Footnote] "According to Warren Parrish, who succeeded Joseph as cashier of the bank, in a letter dated March 6, 1838, published March 24, 1838 in Zion's Watchman.  This letter was certified to be a statement of fact by Luke Johnson and John F. Boynton (former apostles) and Sylvester Smith and Leonard Rich (former seventies)."

What was the final disposition of the Kirtland Bank?  It failed within a fairly short time.  Was this in accordance with the prophecy?  Absolutely not - the prophecy failed.

19.  D&C Section 111 (Aug. 6, 1836 in Salem, MA): “I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality.... And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours.  Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them.... This place you may obtain by hire.  And inquire diligently concerning the more ancient inhabitants and founders of this city; for there are more treasures than one for you in this city.” 

As noted in the booklet, ...And it DIDN’T Come to Pass..., by J. Edward Decker & William J. Schnoebelen, "Neither Smith nor other LDS leaders ever found any treasures in Salem.  They did not take control of Salem, nor have any Mormons since.  The 'many people' were never gathered out, as only 13 were baptized out of the whole city.  The silver and gold prophesied was never found.  They returned to Kirtland without funds to pay their debts." 

Since none of these things took place as specified, doesn't that make this a false prophecy?

20.  The Latter-day Saint Messenger and Advocate, April 1837, p.488 quotes Joseph Smith as saying: “This place [Kirtland, OH] must be built up, and every brother that will take hold and help secure these contracts [for land] shall be rich.” 

No one became rich, the Mormons were driven out of Ohio, and the Bank failed, with even Joseph going bankrupt.  How is this accounted for; is this not a false prophecy?

21.  D&C Section 112:4-9 (July 23, 1837, to Thomas Marsh): “...thou shalt bear record of my name not only unto the Gentiles, but also unto the Jews; and thou shalt send forth my word unto the ends of the earth.  ...for I, the Lord, have a great work for thee to do, in publishing my name among the children of men.... And by thy word many high ones shall be brought low, and by thy word many low ones shall be exalted. Thy voice shall be a rebuke unto the transgressor; and at thy rebuke let the tongue of the slanderer cease its perverseness.” 

Marsh was excommunicated from the church less than two years later.  Although he did rejoin the church 20 years later, during his absence he was a bitter enemy of the church.  He never did any of the works this prophecy claimed he would do.  If this was a prophecy of God, how can this be explained?

22.  D&C Section 114:1 (Apr. 17, 1838):  “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.’” 

Six months later David Patten was killed in Missouri.  Did God not know that would happen?  The LDS church, in an effort to weasel out of this blatantly false prophecy, says that Patten was called on a mission to the Spirit world, but the context does not support this claim. 

23.  D&C Section 115:1. 7-12 (Apr.26, 1838): “Verily thus saith the Lord.... ‘7. Let the city, Far West, be a holy and consecrated land unto me; and it shall be called most holy, for the ground upon which thou standest is holy. 8. Therefore, I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may worship me. 9. And let there be a beginning of this work, and a foundation, and a preparatory work, this following summer; 10. And let the beginning be made on the fourth day of July next, and from that time forth let my people labor diligently to build a house unto my name; 11. And in one year from this day let them re-commence laying the foundation of my house.  12. Thus let them from that time forth labor diligently until it shall be finished, from the corner stone thereof unto the top thereof, until there shall not anything remain that is not finished.’”

Although the cornerstone of this temple was laid, the temple was never built.  How is this accounted for, especially since God said that Far West was "holy and consecrated land”?  Is this not another false prophecy?

24. D&C Section 117:12-15 (July 8, 1838): “I remember my servant Oliver Granger; behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord.” 

Have you heard of Oliver Granger before reading this?  Has he been held in "sacred remembrance"?  Wouldn’t this be another false prophecy?

25.  Joseph Smith's Diary/Journal for 1838, written by scribe George W. Robinson, has the following for September 1, 1838:  “The First Presidency [with] Judge Higbee (as surveyor) started this morning for the halfway house (as it is called) kept [by] Br. Littlefield, some 14 or 15 miles from Far West directly north, for the purpose of appointing a City of Zion for the gathering of the Saints in that place for safety and from the Storm which will soon come upon this generation.  That the brethren may be together in the hour of the coming of the Son of Man and that they may receive instructions to prepare them for that great day which will come upon this generation as a thief in the night.”

Did "that great day" (i.e., "the coming of the Son of Man") come in that generation?  No, it did not.  This prophecy failed to come to pass.

26.  The following was written by Joseph Smith in a letter from Liberty Jail, Missouri, December 16, 1838, to the church in Caldwell County:  "and all the Saints who are scattered abroad:  I say unto you that those who have thus vilely treated us like Haman shall be hanged upon their own gallows, or in other words, shall fall into their own gin and snare and ditch and trap which they have prepared for us and shall go backwards and stumble and fall, and their names shall be blotted out, and God shall reward them according to all their abominations.”

There is no record that any of those who were responsible for Joseph being in jail suffered from any of these curses.  Doesn’t that mean this prophecy failed?

27.  D&C Section 121:7-15 (March 20, 1839): “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.... And also that God hath set his hand and seal to change the times and seasons, and to blind their minds, that they may not understand his marvelous workings.... And not many years hence, that they and their posterity shall be swept from under heaven, saith God, that not one of them is left to stand by the wall.” 

Did Joseph triumph over all his foes?  No, he was killed by them.  Did the LDS church triumph over its enemies?  No, it had to eventually evacuate to Utah.  

While in Utah, the church was forced to submit to federal law, give up polygamy, and change their position on blacks or lose their tax-exempt status; is this triumphing over enemies?  

When did God change the times and seasons?  When did God blind the minds of Smith's enemies?  Was every one of Smith's enemies "swept from under heaven?"  Absolutely not.  This short paragraph has several false prophecies, doesn’t it?

28.  D&C Section 124:56,59 (Jan. 1841) In reference to the Nauvoo House. "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. ... 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."

Was the Nauvoo House ever finished?  No, it was not.  Have any of Joseph Smith’s family possessed it for this past almost 174 years?  No they haven’t.  Two failed prophecies.

Although I have noted 28 specific items, some of these entailed more than one prophecy, so that there are approximately 35 failed prophecies noted in this series so far.  How can Mormons of any sect continue to claim Joseph Smith was a prophet when the evidence demonstrates a track record of so many false prophecies?

There are much more false prophecies to be posted; keep tuned in.

Joseph Smith - Prophet? Part 3

In this episode, we examine nine more prophecies given by Joseph Smith, which will be numbered sequentially following the previous post.

9.  D&C Section 101:17-21 (Dec. 1833): "Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered. 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 - And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled.  And, behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed; neither shall there be any other place than that which I have appointed, for the work of the gathering of my saints - Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion.”  (emphasis mine)

LDS leaders say that Zion was "re-established" in Salt Lake City.  Since the revelation says "none other place," has God changed his mind?  What about Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; or Ps.110:4 (KJV "repent" means to "change his mind")?  Doesn’t this fit the definition of a false prophecy?

10.  Previous LDS leaders believed the preceding revelation indeed meant a return to Zion, as they talked of this one and D&C Section 84:

"Who is there that is prepared for this movement back to the centre stake of Zion, and where the architects amongst us that are qualified to erect this temple and the city that will surround it?... And let me remind you that it is predicted that this generation shall not pass away till a temple shall be built, and the glory of the Lord rest upon it, according to the promises."  (George A. Smith, 3/10/1861, speaking in the Tabernacle; Journal of Discourses 9:71)

"The day is near when a Temple shall be reared in the Center Stake of Zion, and the Lord has said his glory shall rest on that House in this generation, that is in the generation in which the revelation was given, which is upwards of thirty years ago."  (George Q. Cannon, 10/23/1864, in the Tabernacle; Journal of Discourses, 10:344).

"We have just as much confidence in returning to Jackson county and the building of a great central city that will remain there a thousand years before the earth passes away, as the Jews have in returning to Palestine.  In fact we have more faith that they have; for they have been so many generations cast out of their land that their descendants have almost lost their faith in returning.  But the Latter-day Saints are fresh, as it were.  There are many of the old stock, who passed through all those tribulations I have named, still living, whose faith in returning to Jackson county, and the things that are coming, is as firm and fixed as the throne of the Almighty."  (Orson Pratt in Salt Lake City, 4/10/1870; Journal of Discourses 13:138). 

"...God promised in the year 1832 that we should, before the generation then living had passed away, return and build up the City of Zion in Jackson County that we should return and build up the temple of the Most High where we formerly laid the corner stone.  He promised us that He would manifest Himself on that temple, that the glory of God should be upon it; and not only upon the temple, but within it, even a cloud by day and a flaming fire by night. We believe in these promises as much as we believe in any promise ever uttered by the mouth of Jehovah.  The Latter-day Saints just as much expect to receive a fulfillment of that promise during the generation that was in existence in 1832 as they expect that the sun will rise and set tomorrow.  Why?  Because God cannot lie.  He will fulfill - all His promises.  He has spoken, it must come to pass.  This is our faith."  (Orson Pratt in Salt Lake City, 5/4/1870; Journal of  Discourses 13:362).

Those who were driven out never returned with their children for their inheritances.  Since it is obvious that previous leaders understood the prophecies to be about a literal return to Zion, why did the prophecies fail to come to pass?  

11.  Patriarchal Blessing Books, vol. 1, pp. 8-20.  Blessings are dated Dec. 18, 1833:  “Blessed is my father.  For the hand of the Lord shall be over him.  For he shall see the affliction of his children pass away when his head is fully ripe.... Blessed of the Lord is my brother Hyrum for the integrity of his heart.  He shall be girt about with truth and faithfulness shall be the strength of his loins from generation to generation.  He shall be a shaft in the hand of his God to exicute [sic] Judgement upon his enemies.  He shall be hid by the hand of the Lord that none of his secret parts shall be discovered unto his hurt. ... When he is in trouble and great tribulation hath come upon him he shall remember the God of Jacob and he will shield him from the power of Satan.”

Did Joseph's father see "the affliction of his children pass away" or did he see continuous "affliction" of his children until his death in 1840?  Did Hyrum "execute judgement" on his enemies and did God protect him, or wasn't Hyrum killed with Joseph while in jail?  This prophecy failed to come to pass.

12.  D&C Section 103:15ff (Feb. 24, 1834): 15. “Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power. ... 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. ... 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." 

Did the angels go before Zion's Camp so as to redeem Zion?  No.  Were the Missourians cursed and avenged by God?  There is no evidence of such.  The prophecy failed to come to pass.

13.  Joseph Smith's Diary/Journal 1832-1834.  In his own handwriting for April 1, 1834 we have the following:  “The Lord shall destroy him who has lifted his lifted his heel against me, even that wicked man Doctor P. Hurlbut.  He will deliver him to the fowls of heaven and his bones shall be cast to the blast of the wind for he lifted his arm against the Almighty.  Therefore the Lord shall destroy him.”

This was written because Hurlbut published an expose against the Mormon Church.  Hurlbut lived until 1883 when he died a natural death at the age of 74.  Does this seem that God destroyed him?  Or does this really demonstrate another failed prophecy?

14.  D&C Section 104: 1 (Apr. 23, 1834): “I give unto counsel, and a commandment, concerning all the properties which belong to the order which I 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.” 

Although this prophecy says the "United Order" would be everlasting, the order failed and was disbanded.  Is this not then a failed prophecy?

15.  D&C Section 105:15 (in Zion's Camp June 22, 1834), in regards to the Missouri war: “Behold, the destroyer I have sent forth to destroy and lay waste mine enemies; and not many years hence they shall not be left to pollute mine heritage, and to blaspheme my name upon the lands which I have consecrated for the gathering of my saints.” 

God said he had already "sent forth" his "destroyer," but over 180 years have passed and God's “enemies” in Missouri were never destroyed or laid waste.  How is this accounted for?

16.  Hist. Vol. 2, pp. 144-145.  Joseph's letter to the High Council of Zion, dated 8/16/34, said: “...I shall now proceed to give you such counsel as the Spirit of the Lord may dictate...[Have the churches] use every effort to gather to those regions and locate themselves, to be in readiness to move into Jackson County in two years from the 11th of September next, which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.”

Did Zion's redemption happen on Sept. 11, 1836?  No, it did not; this prophecy failed to come to pass.

17.  Hist. Vol. 2, p. 182.  In February 1835 Joseph Smith said, "...and it was the will of God that those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh - even fifty-six years should wind up the scene." 

Did the Lord return within 56 years?  Of course not; this prophecy failed to come to pass.

So far we have 17 prophecies given by Joseph Smith, all of which failed to come to pass.  So is he a false prophet, or not?

Joseph Smith - Prophet? Part 2

The following are prophecies made by Joseph Smith.  Each prophecy is followed by a question or questions regarding whether the prophecy came to pass.  D&C is Doctrine and Covenants and "Hist." is History of the Church.  

Stipulation:  The meaning of the word "generation" is defined by Webster as "all persons born about the same time; the average in which children are ready to replace their parents... about 30 years."  The Bible defines a generation as 35 to 40 years (e.g. Job 42:16), The Book of Mormon says that a generation is 110 years (4 Nephi 18).  Remember this stipulation for future posts.

The prophecies will be shown in chronological order, and will be numbered consecutive from post to post.  Today I will give eight.

1.  D&C Section 57 (July 1831):  This section says that Independence is the place for the city of Zion, and is "appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints."  Verse 5 says it is to be an "everlasting inheritance".

Is Independence the gathering place today?  Is it the city of "Zion"?  Has it been an "everlasting inheritance?  The answer to all three questions is, “no.”  The prophecy failed to come to pass.

2.  D&C Section 84:1-5, 31 (Sep. 1832):  "A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun.... 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.  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.  Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city of 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.  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...which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed...." 

Was New Jerusalem built during that generation?  Was the temple built at the temple lot during that generation?  The answer to both questions is, “no.”  The prophecy failed to come to pass.

3.  D&C Section 87 (25 Dec 1832):  This is the famous "Civil War Prophecy."  At the time of this writing the newspapers were writing about the impending outbreak of civil war and the Army was on alert.  So to make such a “prophecy” was just to repeat what many of the papers were saying.

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.  4. And is shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled 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 of the blood of the saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of the Sabaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies.

Did the Civil War "shortly come to pass?"  Did all nations get involved in the U.S. Civil War?  Was war "poured out upon all nations?"  Did the slaves rise up against their masters?  Were there earthquake and plague and famine during the Civil War and until the "full end of all nations?"  The answer to all these questions is, “no.”  The prophecy failed to come to pass.

4.  D&C Section 88: 87-88 (27 Dec 1832):  For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig-tree.

More than 66,000 days have passed since that prophecy was given.  By any standard this is more than "not many days."  Did this prophecy come to pass?  No, it failed.

5.  Hist. Vol. 1, pp. 315-316.  On January 4, 1833 Joseph Smith said, "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 earthquake 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. ...therefore, 'Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgement is come.'   ...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."  (This is also recorded in Teachings, pp. 17-18)

Did these things come to pass in that generation?  Have they come to pass at all?  The answer to both questions is, “no.”  The prophecy failed to come to pass.

6. Hist. Vol. 1, p. 455.  In a letter to "the Exiled Saints in Missouri," Joseph Smith wrote:  Therefore, this is my counsel, that you retain your lands, even unto the utmost, and employ every lawful means to seek redress of your enemies; and pray to God day and night to return you in peace and safety to the lands of your inheritance; and when the judge fail you, appeal unto the executive; and when the executive fail you; appeal to the president; and when the president fail you, and all things also fail you but God alone, and you continue to weary Him with your importunings, as the poor woman did the unjust judge.  He will not fail you to execute judgement upon your enemies, and to avenge His own elect that cry unto Him day and night.  Behold, He will not fail you.  He will come with ten thousand of his saints, and all His adversaries shall be destroyed with the breath of His lips. 

Did any of this come to pass?  Did the Mormons retain their lands in Missouri?  Did their god ever destroy their enemies?  The answer to all three questions is, “no.”  The prophecy failed.

7.  D&C Section 97:19 (Aug. 2, 1833): "And the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say, Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there..." 

On July 20, 1833, the LDS newspaper presses were destroyed and leading LDS officials tarred and feathered, then run out of town.  When Joseph received this revelation he was in Kirtland, OH.  Did God not know that Zion was already "moved out of her place?"  Did not Zion fall? Yes, Zion fell, and a god who didn’t know that Zion had fallen is obviously a false god, making Joseph Smith a prophet of a false god.

8.  D&C Section 100:13 (Oct 12, 1833):  “And now I give unto you a word concerning Zion.  Zion shall be redeemed, although she is chastened for a little season.”

Since 181 years have come to pass after this prophecy, would this not be much more than "a little season?"  Zion was never redeemed; how is this accounted for?  It can only be accounted for by a failed prophecy.

How many failed/false prophecies does it take to make a false prophet?  One.  Here we have eight failed prophecies by Joseph Smith.  Would not eight false prophecies then make Smith a false prophet?