Joseph Smith, Jr. was a remarkable American. He founded the Mormon religion. He claimed to be a prophet and made many prophecies. If Joseph Smith was a true prophet then everyone should follow his teachings. If, however, Joseph was a false prophet, he should be exposed as such.
There are at least twenty three references in the Bible dealing with false prophets. Some of these references are specific tests that determine if a prophet is a true prophet of God or not. We will apply some of these tests to Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of Mormonism.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5 is the first scripture in the Bible dealing with false prophets. The issue in these verses is whether the prophet leads the people after another god.
Joseph Smith, Jr. was a false prophet from the standpoint of his concept of God. We will see that Joseph Smith, Jr. did, in fact, lead people to a false god. His concept of a god is no higher than that of the pagans in the time of Moses and the children of Israel. What will happen to the people who follow a false prophet’s teachings? Isa 9:15 says the following: “For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” Matthew 7:15-20 says to beware of false prophets. It goes on to say that the fate of the false prophet is that he will be “…hewn down, and cast into the fire.” The Bible declares that the fate of those who follow a false prophet is that they will go right into the lake of fire with the false prophet. Please check it out for yourself.
The god of Mormonism was born as a baby on another world. He grew up, was baptized in water by one holding the proper authority, got married in the Temple for time and all eternity (probably to more than one wife), had many children, was obedient to all the laws and ordinances of the gospel and eventually died. Because of his obedience and faithfulness and by the law of “Eternal Progression” he was exalted and became god. If you know anything about Mormon doctrine you know that this is the god of Mormonism. His name is Elohim (or Ahman) and he lives on a planet (or star) nearest the planet Kolob. He is a glorified, resurrected, exalted man having a tangible body of flesh and bones. (See Mormon Doctrine. Bruce McConkie, p. 250).
Certain basic questions should be asked about each prophecy or revelation. First, it must be determined that the prophetic utterance really came from Joseph Smith. Secondly it must be determined that the prophecy purportedly came from God. Third, you have to determine if the prophecy came to pass exactly as outlined. Last, you must determine if the prophecy can come to pass.
False Prophecy #1 — September 21, 1823. Pearl Of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:40-47. Joseph Smith claimed that the angel Moroni told him that the prophecies in Isaiah, chapter 11 and Joel 2:28-32 were soon to be fulfilled.
These prophecies have already been fulfilled. A specific prophecy cannot be fulfilled twice. When it refers to a definite time, a definite event, a definite place, and is fulfilled, it cannot be applied to events sequel to its fulfillment.
The inspired apostle Peter made the firm declaration that the events on the day of Pentecost were in specific fulfillment of the prophecy given by Joel. Joel prophesied that “in the last days” the Spirit would be poured out on all flesh and Peter said, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,” (Acts 2:16), and quoted the prophecy Joseph Smith claims must yet be fulfilled. This is one of the first of Smith’s blunders.
False Prophecy #2 — July 1828. Doctrine And Covenants, Sec. 3, verse “Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men.” This particular verse is going to come back time and again to haunt all followers of Joseph Smith, Jr. This verse is accepted as inspired by Mormons. All that we need to show now is that if whatever is promised or prophesied by Joseph Smith is frustrated then it is the work of men.
False Prophecy #3. — Winter l829-1830. An Address To All Believers In Christ, David Whitmer, pages 30-33. Joseph Smith sent Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery to Toronto, Canada to sell the copyright of the Book of Mormon in response to a revelation that he claimed to have received from God.
The mission and the revelation were total failures as recorded by David Whitmer. When Joseph Smith was asked why the revelation had failed he answered that he did not know how such could be. David Whitmer records that Joseph Smith “ … inquired of the Lord about it, and behold the following revelation came through the stone: ‘Some Revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil’.” So, the revelation to go to Toronto and sell the copyright was not of God. It could only have been from man or the devil.
Mormon historian and “apostle,” B.H. Roberts recorded the following regarding this Toronto revelation. “…May this Toronto incident and the Prophet’s explanations be accepted and faith still be maintained in him as an inspired man, a Prophet of God? I answer unhesitatingly in the affirmative. The revelation respecting the Toronto journey was not of God, surely; else it would not have failed; but the Prophet, overwrought in his deep anxiety for the progress of the work, saw reflected in the ‘Seer Stone’ his own thought, or that suggested to him by his brother Hyrum, rather than the thought of God…in this instance of the Toronto journey, Joseph was evidently not directed by the inspiration of the Lord.” (A Comprehensive History Of The Church, Vol. I, p. 165).
This clearly shows, by Smith’s definition, and the biblical data, that Smith is a false prophet. Will Mormons just ignore this and blindly follow a false prophet? Remember, Deuteronomy 18:22 affirms that all that is necessary to know someone is a false prophet is one false prophecy.
False Prophecy #4. — September, 1830. Doctrine And Covenants, Sec. 104: 58-59; 110:16. In these two verses Joseph Smith prophesied that the “hour is nigh” for Christ to return.
168 years have passed since Joseph made this prophecy that the hour was nigh when Christ would return and Jesus has not returned. Only by performing mental gymnastics can this prophecy be accepted as one that can possibly be fulfilled.
False Prophecy #5 — March, 1831. Doctrine And Covenants, Sec. 49:9-10. “Wherefore, I say unto you that have sent unto mine everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning. And that which I have promised I have so fulfilled, and the nations of the earth shall bow to it; and, if not of themselves, they shall come down, for that which is not exalted of itself shall be laid low of power.”
The late Mormon “apostle,” Bruce McConkie, wrote a book called Mormon Doctrine. He affirmed that the “everlasting covenant” is the gospel that has been given through the Mormon religion (pages 529-530). The gospel, according to Mormonism, is composed of all the laws and ordinances and commandments that God has given to man.
According to verse 10 above, “the nations of the earth shall bow to it” (the Mormon Gospel). 167 years have now passed and no nation has bowed down to the Mormon gospel. If so, which nation is it? No nation has been laid low of power for refusing to bow to the Mormon story.
False Prophecy #6 — July, 1831. Doctrine And Covenants, Sec. 57:13. Independence, Missouri is named as the center place of Zion. Independence is appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. It is indicated to be the land of promise.
This is a very crucial revelation because it names the location of Zion This revelation is false by virtue of the fact that Section 3, verse 3 has declared that any work that is frustrated is not from God but from men. There is no question that the gathering of the saints in Zion (Independence, Missouri) has been frustrated. They tried to gather in Independence but were driven out by force.
False Prophecy #7 — August 13, 1831. Doctrine And Covenants, Sec. 62:1,6,9. Joseph Smith declared in this revelation that God told him that “the faithful among you should be preserved and rejoice together in the land of Missouri, I the Lord, promise the faithful and cannot lie.” Verse 9 says, “Behold, the kingdom is yours. And behold, and lo I am with the faithful always. Even so, Amen.”
The facts are these:
(1) The faithful were not preserved.
(2) The faithful did not rejoice together in the land of Missouri. They left for Utah.
(3) The kingdom was not theirs – they were driven out of Missouri to Utah.
All you need do is read the Mormon history from 1821 to 1847. Their own history shows this prophecy was frustrated and failed. If you can say that the prophecy was frustrated you indicate it was not from God and you are correct. (See Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 3, verse 3 again.) I urge all Mormons, either to refute our findings or abandon following a false prophet into eternal ruin.
False Prophecy #8 – Doctrine and Covenants 87, Dec. 25, 1832, Joseph prophesied the coming of the Civil War. This is one of his prophecies Mormons rely on very strongly. While ignoring all the other failures of his “prophetic” gifts, this one, Mormons tell us, was genuine and was fulfilled just as Joseph said it would be.
Smith said God told him that a rebellion would begin in South Carolina and that it would come to pass shortly. He added, “war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place.” He “prophesied” that the slaves would rebel against their masters and that famines, plagues and earthquakes would come from God. He said England would come to the aid of the south. His capped this off by prophesying that the Civil War would cause all nations to come to an end.
Anyone living at the time Smith made this alleged prophecy, who had a smattering of awareness, could have made this “prophecy.” It would have been virtually impossible not to know there was severe unrest throughout the nation. Andrew Jackson called on the army to be ready in response to South Carolina’s declaring a federal tariff act null and void. Everyone in the nation was expecting war to begin.
Joseph Smith, Jr. had ample opportunity to know what everyone else knew. The newspapers were filled with news of South Carolinian resentment to the federal tariff act. An article entitled, “Rebellion in South Carolina,” appeared in The Evening and Morning Star, a Mormon monthly publication. The article stated,
“In addition to the above tribulations, South Carolina has rebelled against the law of the United States; held a state convention and passed ordinances, the same as declaring herself an independent nation.”
The article went on to say that Andrew Jackson had ordered several companies of artillery to Charleston, SC to prepare for the war that seemed unavoidable. The Evening and Morning Star was a monthly publication. This news was readily available to Joseph Smith, Jr., and all others who may have wanted to prophesy.
Also widely known was the news of an uprising of slaves in the island of Martinique. That resulted in the slaughter and brutal murder of many slave holders. Slave holders in the United States, fearing the same might happen in this nation, were extremely uneasy. Everyone expected an uprising of the slaves. But it didn’t happen. Smith was wrong, wasn’t he?
Notwithstanding the fact that South Carolina didn’t secede from the union till nearly thirty years later, Smith was also wrong on the scope of the war. He said it would be “poured out on all nations.” This was utterly false. Nor did the Civil War bring an end to all nations — not even the United States!
His alleged prophecy mentioned the British as coming to the aid of the south. The British were fond of the gentile manner of life in the south. They also were heavily involved in the purchase of Cotton and other raw materials produced in the south. While they were in sympathy with the south, they never actually came to the aid of the south. No regiment of British soldiers fought against the Union armies. So Smith missed it here also. His prophecy was false and he proved himself to be a false prophet.