Ground-breaking research on latter-day prophecy! Is the Prophet Joseph the Angel in Revelation 14, the designator of Zion inheritances, the Messenger in Malachi, the Servant in Isaiah, the passport to Celestial glory, the Voice crying in the wilderness?
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Documents Referenced in Presentation
Sermon by the Prophet Joseph Smith discussing Revelation 14 Angel, Messenger and Witness (Sermon delivered at Nauvoo temple grounds on Friday May 12, 1844)
Statements Referenced in Presentation
Joseph Smith
“I shall read the 24th. ch of Matthew and give it a litteral rendering and reading, and when it is rightly understood it will be edifying (he then read & translated it from the German) . . . “And it will preached be; the Gospel of the Kingdom in the whole world, to a witness overall people, and then will the end come.” I will now read it in German (which he did, and many Germans who were present said he translated it correct) the Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world, the keys of knowledge, power, and revelations, should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world; it has always been my province to dig up hidden mysteries, new things, for my hearers just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the keys of the Priesthood just at that time, I have the greatest right the Germans are an exalted people. The old German translators are the most correct; most honest of any of the translators, and therefore I get testimony to bear me out in the revelations that I have preached for the last 14 years the old German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew translations all say it is true, they cannot be impeached, and therefore I am in good company all the testimony is, that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys of the Priesthood to a witness over all people has the Gospel of the Kingdom commenced in the last days? and will God take it from the man, until he takes him, himself?
I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ–John the Revelator saw an angel flying thro’ the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, &c. the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth–John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood who should preach the everlasting gospel to all nations,–God had an angel, a special messenger, ordained, & prepared for that purpose in the last days.
Woe! Woe! be to that man, or set of men, who lift up their hands against God and his Witness in these last days. For they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones” (Joseph Smith, Sermon delivered at Nauvoo temple grounds on Friday May 12, 1844)
“The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live [the Prophet Joseph Smith’s day]; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory,” (History of the Church, 4:609–10; from “The Temple,” an editorial published in Times and Seasons, May 2, 1842, p. 776; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical.)
“Why do not my enemies strike a blow at the doctrine? They cannot do it: it is truth, and I defy all men to upset it. I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Repent ye of your sins and prepare the way for the coming of the Son of Man; for the kingdom of God has come unto you, and henceforth the ax is laid unto the root of the tree; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, God Almighty (and not Joe Smith) shall hew it down and cast it into the fire.” (History of the Church 6:273-74., Discourses of Joseph Smith, pg. 200)
Brigham Young
“Joseph, Hyrum, father Smith, and many others will be there to dictate and preside. Joseph will stand at the head of this dispensation and hold the keys of it, for they are not taken from him: they never were in time; they never will be in eternity. I shall be there if I live or if I die.” (Brigham Young, “Heirship”, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, pp. 306-308, April 8th, 1853.)
“I said to Brother Joseph, the spring before he was killed, ‘You are laying out work for twenty years.’ He replied, ‘You have as yet scarcely begun to work; but I will set you enough to last you during your lives, for I am going to rest.’ All I can do or ask now is to do the work, so that it will be right and acceptable to him when he comes here again.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, pp. 327-333, October 7th, 1857.)
“Joseph Smith Junior will again be on this earth dictating plans . . . And he will never cease his operations, under the directions of the Son of God, until the last ones of the children of men are saved that can be, from Adam till now.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, pp. 282-291, October 9th, 1859.)
“There is an almighty work to perform in the spirit world. Joseph has not yet got through there. When he finishes his mission in the spirit world, he will be resurrected, but he has not yet done there. . . . When his spirit again quickens his body, he will ascend to heaven, present his resurrected body to the Father and the Son, receive his commission as a resurrected being, and visit his brethren on this earth as did Jesus after his resurrection.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 279-291, March 15th, 1857.)
“. . . five years ago last July I was here, and saw in the Spirit the Temple not ten feet from where we have laid the Chief Corner Stone. I have not inquired what kind of a Temple we should build. Why? Because it was represented before me. I have never looked upon that ground, but the vision of it was there. I see it as plainly as if it was in reality before me.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, pp. 131-137, April 6th, 1853.)
“Joseph Smith holds the keys of this last dispensation, and is now engaged behind the vail in the great work of the last days. I can tell our beloved brother Christians who have slain the Prophets and butchered and otherwise caused the death of thousands of Latter-day Saints, the priests who have thanked God in their prayers and thanksgiving from the pulpit that we have been plundered, driven, and slain, and the deacons under the pulpit, and their brethren and sisters in their closets, who have thanked God, thinking that the Latter-day Saints were wasted away, something that no doubt will mortify them-something that, to say the least, is a matter of deep regret to them-namely, that no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are-I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent. He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation-the keys to rule in the spirit-world; and he rules there triumphantly, for he gained full power and a glorious victory over the power of Satan while he was yet in the flesh, and was a martyr to his religion and to the name of Christ, which gives him a most perfect victory in the spirit-world. He reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. Many will exclaim-“Oh, that is very disagreeable! It is preposterous! We cannot bear the thought!” But it is true.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, pp. 282-291, October 9th, 1859.)
“Jesus Christ excepted, no better man ever lived or does live upon this earth.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, pp. 329-334, August 3rd, 1862.)
Heber C. Kimball
“I am pretty sure of one thing: we shall go to Jackson County, Missouri; that is, those who do right and honor their callings, doing what they have been told to do. You will be blessed, and you will see the day when Presidents [Brigham] Young, [Heber C.] Kimball, and [Daniel H.] Wells, and the Twelve Apostles will be in Jackson County, Missouri, laying out your inheritances. In the flesh? Of course. We should look well without being in the flesh! We shall be there in the flesh, and all our enemies cannot prevent it. Brother Wells, you may write that. You will be there, and Willard [Richards] will be there, and also Jedediah [Grant], and Joseph and Hyrum Smith . . . the day will be when I will see those men in the general assembly of the Church of the First Born, in the great council of God in Jerusalem too. Will we want you to be along? I heard Joseph say twice that Brother Brigham and I should be in that council in Jerusalem, when there should be a uniting of the two divisions of God’s government.” (Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 9:27, April 7, 1861.)
Persecution comes next and all true Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit. Many will apostatize and others will be still not knowing what to do. Darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. The judgments of God will be poured out on the wicked to the extent that our Elders from far and near will be called home, or in other words the gospel will be taken from the Gentiles and later on carried to the Jews.
The western boundary of the State of Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitants that as President Young tells us, when you return to that place, there will not be left so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail.
Before that day comes, however, the Saints will be put to a test that will try the integrity of the best of them. The pressure will become so great that the more righteous among them will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes.
Then the Prophet Joseph and others will make their appearance and those who have remained faithful will be selected to return to Jackson County, Missouri and take part in the building of that beautiful city, the New Jerusalem. (An Army of Elders, May 1868, Heber C. Kimball Reported by his son J. Golden Kimball, CR October 1930, p. 58. See also Prophetic Sayings of Heber C. Kimball to Sister Amanda H. Wilcox)
Parley P. Pratt
“I walked onward, weighed down as it were unto death. When I could endure it no longer, I cried out aloud, saying, ‘Oh Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray Thee, show me what these things mean, and what I shall say to Thy people?’
Suddenly the Spirit of God came upon me, and filled my heart with joy and gladness indescribable; and while the spirit of revelation glowed in my bosom with as visible a warmth and gladness as if it were fire, (c) the Spirit said unto me, ‘Lift up your head and rejoice. For behold, it is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed.” (Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography pg. 333)
Wandle Mace
“Those who are your friends are my friends, and I promise you when I come again, I will lead you forth, so that where I am you shall be with me.” (Autobiography of Wandle Mace)
“While they were taking our arms, Joseph . . . looking around him at his friends the Nauvoo Legion, and seeing our sad faces he said, ‘Boys,’ he always called us boys, ‘His Boys,’ ‘Don’t be sad, don’t be cast down, I will come back again.’ After a little hesitation he added, ‘as soon as I can.’ That expression, ‘As soon as I can’, sank deep into my heart and confirmed my fears. I never expected to see him again alive. The sad expression upon his face as he looked upon us, ‘His Boys’ for the last time I shall never forget. I felt in my inmost soul that he was going to be butchered, and we should see him no more alive.” (Autobiography of Wandle Mace)
Joseph Fielding Smith
“Malachi [as Isaiah] speaks of the Lord sending his messenger to prepare the way before him, and while that does have reference to the coming of John the Baptist, it is one of those prophecies in the scriptures that has a double fulfilment. It has reference also to the coming of the Prophet Joseph Smith, because that messenger which was to come and prepare the way before him, was to come in this day [the latter days]. …
“The Lord in the former dispensation sent a messenger to prepare the way before him, and in this dispensation it was just as necessary that a messenger be sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord and the establishment of the reign of peace. If Joseph Smith was not that man, then we must look for another. . . .
“The Lord declared, through one of his prophets, that before his second coming a messenger should be sent to prepare the way and make it straight. You may apply this to John if you will [speaking of John the Baptist], and it is true. John, the messenger who came to prepare the way before the Lord in the former dispensation, also came in this dispensation as a messenger to Joseph Smith; so it applies, if you wish to apply it so, to John who came as a messenger to prepare the way before the Lord.
“But I go farther and maintain that Joseph Smith was the messenger whom the Lord sent to prepare the way before him. He came, and under direction of holy messengers laid the foundation for the kingdom of God and of this marvelous work and a wonder that the world might be prepared for the coming of the Lord.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:193–95.)
Bruce R. McConkie
“Are we amiss in saying that the prophet here mentioned is Joseph Smith, to whom the priesthood came, who received the keys of the kingdom, and who raised the ensign for the gathering of the Lord’s people in our dispensation? And is he not also the ‘servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power’? (D&C 113:4-6.) Those whose ears are attuned to the whisperings of the Infinite will know the meaning of these things.” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 339.)
Perrigrine Sessions
“representation of an angel in his priestly robes with a Book of Mormon in one hand and a trumpet in the other which [was] overlaid with gold” (Perrigrine Sessions Journal, 30 Jan 1846, Church Archives)
David B. Haight
The Restoration of the gospel is true. Someday we’ll know of the greatness of the Prophet Joseph Smith. David B. Haight (David B. Haight, April General Conference 1996)
