LDS Articles of Faith, Part LVIII
Article 10, Smith’s End Time Prophecies & Promises, Part 5
The tenth LDS Article of Faith says: “We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisical glory.” On April 2, 1843, LDS scripture in Doctrine and Covenants (D. & C.) 130:14-15 Joseph Smith said he was praying when he heard a voice say, “If thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.” That is also in the History of the Church (H. of C), vol. 5, p.324. Four days later (4-6-1843) Smith said, “Were I going to prophesy, I would say the end [of the world] 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” (H. of C. vol. 5, p. 336). Christ hasn’t come and LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie knew some might think Smith was a false prophet, so in Mormon Doctrine, pp. 692-693 he said, “The rising generation is the one that has just begun. Thus, technically, children born on April 6, 1843, would be the first members of the rising generation, and all children born, however many years later, to the same parents would still be members of the same rising generation. It is not unreasonable to suppose that many young men had babies at the time of this prophecy and also had other children as much as 50 or 75 years later, assuming they were married again to younger women. This very probable assumption would bring the date up to, say, the second decade of the 20th century—and the children so born would be members of that same rising generation of which the prophet spoke. Now if these children lived to the normal age of men generally, they would be alive well past the year 2000 A.D.” McConkie’s explanation didn’t make Smith’s prophecy true! It is 2022 A.D. now and I843 was 179 years ago. Is there anyone today whose dad had his first baby in 1843? IF a man had a baby in 1843 and another child 75 years later, that last child would now be 103, but he would not have the same mother, so he wouldn’t have the same parents as the one born in 1843! So, it IS unreasonable to say anyone today is part of the rising generation of 1843!
Smith said on January 4, 1833, “ 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…therefore, I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded to declare unto this generation…flee to Zion (in Jackson Co. MO) before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for 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” (H. of C. vol. 1, pp. 315-316). “The wicked” living in 1833 were NOT swept off of the earth like Smith said and everyone living in 1833 is dead! LDS who “fled to Zion” in MO were forced to leave a few months later. Smith claimed he had D. & C. 84:3-5 as a revelation on Sept. 22 and 23, 1832 which said “the New Jerusalem 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 New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the (LDS) 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 (temple) shall be built unto the Lord.” But the LDS “gathering in MO was aborted and LDS never did build that temple and all of that generation of 1832 is dead! The first 12 LDS apostles were ordained on Feb. 14-15, 1835, and as they were ordained, at least seven of them were told they would still be ministering when the Lord returned (see H. of C. vol. 2, pp. 187-194). But the Lord still hasn’t come and those apostles all died long ago! At least seven of those original LDS apostles apostatized and two others died quite young. The above prophecies show why LDS began calling themselves “Latter-day Saints” in 1834. But those “prophesies” also show that Smith was a false prophet!
Joseph Smith said D. & C. 77 was a revelation to him in March 1832. Verse 6 mentions “The seven thousand years of its (earth’s) continuance, or its temporal existence” and verse 12 says, “In the beginning of the seven thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things, unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years—the preparing of the way before the time of his coming.” That says the earth will last 7000 years and then Christ will come. In Mormon Doctrine p. 693, McConkie quoted part of Malachi 3:1 which says, “The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple”… and he said, “The temple appearance was fulfilled, in part at least, by his (Christ’s) return to the Kirtland (OH) Temple on April 3, 1836; and it may well be that he will come again, suddenly, to others of his (LDS) temples, more particularly that which will be erected in Jackson County Missouri…” (But Mal. 3:1 says “temple” and refers to the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, not LDS temples. Verses 2 & 5 shows Christ is then coming in judgment). McConkie continued on p. 694, “Before the great and dreadful day of the Lord; before the day when Christ is to come and reign personally on earth as King of kings and Lord of lords…our Lord will come to receive back the keys and authorities where under his stewards have governed for him. This will take place at Adam-ondi-Ahman, which is Spring Hill, Daviess County, Missouri (D. & C. 116)”… Adam will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the keys must stand before him in the grand council… After this has happened Christ will be ready to come and reign personally on earth” (Mormon Doctrine pp. 693-694). The tenth LDS President, Joseph Fielding Smith said, “We accept the fact that the center place where the City New Jerusalem is to be built, is in Jackson County Missouri.” (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. III, p. 72). On p. 74 Smith said, “We teach that the Garden of Eden was on the American Continent located where the City Zion, or the New Jerusalem will be built (in MO). When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, they eventually dwelt at a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman.” On p. 76 Smith said D.& C. 38:20 teaches (LDS) Saints are to inherit Zion (in Jackson County MO) in time and eternity. So, LDS believe that because of Joseph Smith’s revelations in D. & C. 38:20; 84:1-5 etc. But D. & C. 84:4-5 said the generation of LDS living in 1832 were to gather in MO and build the New Jerusalem and temple, but they didn’t, so it is NOT their inheritance now!
Our next blog will be about paradise and the eternal state of mankind.
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