Joseph Smith - Prophet? Part 5

Today’s prophecies are the remaining which I have at this time from official LDS sources.  I’m sure with further study I will find more.

This time, if there are multiple prophecies in one item, I will be sure to count them!  Again, the numbers are in chronological sequence from previous posts.

29.  Hist. Vol. 5, p. 336 In 1842 Smith said the following: “Were I going to prophesy, I would say the end would not come in 1844, 5 or 6, or in forty years.  There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ comes.  I was once praying earnestly upon this subject, and a voice said unto me, "My son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man." ...I prophecy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written - the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old.[48 years hence or c. 1890].”

This passage is taken from Smith's diary, but modern LDS historians have removed the last phrase.  Even without that phrase, Smith is stating that Christ will return about 1890.  Did this come to pass?  He claimed that some of the "rising generation" would not die before seeing Christ; since they are all dead, did Christ come?  In this item there are two failed prophecies.

30.  D&C Section 127:2 (Sep. 1, 1842):  “...for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it.” 

Did Smith triumph over all his enemies?  No, he was killed two years later by his enemies.  Therefore this is a failed prophecy

31.  Joseph Smith's Journal, as kept by Willard Richards, has the following for December 29, 1842:  “Joseph said... ‘Let the government of Missouri redress the wrongs she has done to the Mormons or let the curse follow them from generation to generation till they do.’”

Did Missouri ever redress the "wrongs" done to Mormons?  No.  Has it suffered the curse "from generation to generation"?  No it has not, therefore this prophecy has failed.

32.  Joseph Smith's Journal, as kept by Willard Richards, has the following entry for January 20, 1843: “Hyde told of the excellent white wine he drank in [Palestine].  Joseph prophesied in the name of the Lord that he would drink wine with him in that country.  Joseph said, ‘From the 6th day of April next, I go in for preparing with all present for a Mission through the United States and when we arrive at Maine we will take ship for England and so on to all countries where we are a mind for to go.’”

Joseph never left the U.S.; would this then be a false prophecy?

33.  Joseph Smith's Journal, as kept by Willard Richards, has the following entry for April 6, 1843:  “I [Joseph Smith] prophecy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written, that the Son of Man will not come in the heavens till I am 85 years old, 48 years hence or about 1890.”

This is similar to item 29.  Did Jesus come in 1890?  Nope.  False prophecy.

34.  Hist. Vol. 5, p. 394 (also found in Teachings, p. 302):  “In 1843 Smith made this prophecy against the U.S.:  ‘I prophesy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the 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…'"  

The U.S. did not redress the wrongs; was this prophecy fulfilled?  No; it failed to come to pass.

35.  D&C Section 132 (July 12, 1843):  4. For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. ... 6. And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant [i.e., polygamy or plural marriage], it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God. ... 52. And let my handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God. ... 54. And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph and none else.  But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law. 

There are two specific prophecies in this item.  1) If this was an "everlasting" covenant, why was it officially discontinued in 1890?  According to this prophecy, those who reject this command and are not living in plural marriage are damned.  2) Emma never agreed with this prophecy, and even later claimed it was a product of Brigham Young and Hiram Smith.  Was she destroyed?  No, she lived to be almost 75 years old, 36 years after this prophecy was given.

36.  Hist. Vol. 6, p. 58 cites the following prophecy from Joseph Smith:  "I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, anguish and wrath and tribulation and the withdrawing of the Spirit of God from the earth await this generation, until they are visited with utter destruction." 

Did this happen to that generation? No, it did not.  The prophecy failed.

37.  Joseph Smith's Journal, as kept by Willard Richards, has the following for August 27, 1843: “I [Joseph Smith] bear record this morning that all the combined powers of Earth and hell shall not overcome this boy.”

Doesn't Joseph's death at the hands of a mob prove this prophecy false?

38.   Joseph Smith's Journal, as kept by Willard Richards, has the following for October 15, 1843: “I [Joseph] prophecy in the name of the Lord God that anguish and wrath and trembulity and tribulation and the withdrawing of the spirit of God await this generation until they are visited with utter destruction.  This generation is as corrupt as the generation of Jews that crucified Christ and if he were here today and should preach the same doctrine he did then, why they would crucify him.  I defy all the world and I prophecy they will never overthrow me till I get ready.”

This is similar to item 36.  Two specific failed prophecies.  1) Did that generation experience the prophecy; were they visited with "utter destruction"?   2) Since Joseph had a gun and fought back, was he ready to be overthrown when he was killed? The self-defense act would suggest he was not ready.

39.  Hist. Vol. 6, p. 116 cites this prophecy given 16 December 1843 (originally printed in the Millennial Star, vol.22, pg 455, and cited in Joseph's Journal as recorded by Willard Richards): "While discussing the petition to 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."    

Congress refused to hear the petition; was it broken up as a government?  No; the prophecy failed to come to pass.

40.  The Nauvoo Neighbor, 19 Jun 1844, quotes Joseph Smith: "I therefore, in behalf of the Municipal Court of Nauvoo, warn the lawless, not to be precipitate in any interference in our affairs, for as sure as there is a God in heaven, WE SHALL RIDE TRIUMPHANT OVER ALL OPPRESSION."  

Just eight days later Smith was killed, and within two years the Mormons were driven from Illinois.  Wouldn’t this be a false prophecy?  Why or why not?

So today I have presented 16 false prophecies in 12 items.  I have gone over the past three articles in this series to count total prophecies.  There are 39 separate items listed in this series (item 10 was explanatory and clarification of item 9), containing a total of 62 individual prophecies, all of which failed.

It should be very conclusive to anyone that Joseph Smith was not a prophet of God.