Upon My House Shall It Begin: (eBook version)

By Ephraim Smith

Discover revealing analysis of the prophecies in the scriptures and their relation to God’s covenant people in the last days. The latter-days are an exciting and confusing time to live in. The end-time scenario, as predicted by prophets of God in the scriptures, is much like a puzzle we must piece together. This puzzle often remains unfinished because of two reasons: 1) the precepts of men, and 2) a proud unwillingness to accept what the Lord is truly saying. The Lord has informed us that the judgments of the last days will begin upon His own covenant people. This book presents the doctrinal context and scriptural analysis related to the “why” behind that declaration—the apostasy of God’s people. Those who enjoy searching the deep things of God, the teachings of Joseph Smith, and scriptural prophecies concerning the last days will love this book!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781678037222

Book preview

SECTION 1

Leveling Precepts of Men: Common Ground for a Fruitful Discussion

CHAPTER ONE

PRECEPTS OF MEN

Precepts of men are exactly what the name implies: they are ideas, principles, and doctrines that come from human beings rather than God. They are dogmas that have no scriptural backing, yet are circulated and believed by multitudes of Latter-day Saints to the point they simply become accepted as doctrine. These precepts of men arise when we place our own interpretation on the scriptures, distorting what God meant when He inspired the authors to write prophetic utterances. In conjunction to this, another avenue for the precepts of men to crop up springs from people in important church positions or callings. A well-meaning church leader may write a book containing a personal interpretation unchecked by context, word links, typology, etc. The people then put their faith in this man and assume what he says must be true because of his position. This pattern produces a generation of people who, without even recognizing it, are so displaced from the word of God that they can discern the face of the sky but can not discern the signs of the times.¹ Little wonder Nephi prophesied that when the Lord would bring forth in His own due time those things which are sealed, the general response of the Gentiles and their leaders being given a chance to receive more will be the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men.²

The precepts of men can also emerge when scriptures are misinterpreted or misapplied over the pulpit, in church, or even in general conference. One leader recently began his speech to the world-wide Church with the statement: Brothers and sisters, I believe in angels, and I would like to share with you my experiences with them.³ He then proceeded to give a talk about angels on this side of the veil who ministered and showed kindness to others; basing his message on one statement regarding mortal angels made by a prominent leader twelve years prior. He likened the following words of the Lord regarding angels to mortals: I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.⁴ Surely his remarks were well-intentioned, and at first glance this might seem harmless. However, when the Lord’s words are wrested and the scriptures are taken out of context, the result is potential widespread unbelief. Mortals are not angels by scriptural definition.⁵ Those who heard this talk and didn’t know better potentially walked away believing the ministering of angels is something humans do, not heavenly messengers. According to Mormon, that belief can prevent real angels from being able to minister and appear: it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.⁶

As these types of misinterpretations have happened over-time, they have led and continue to lead people to search the scriptures for evidence that supports their biased version of the truth, rather than analyzing the scriptures to see what is actually being said—digging the trench of falsity deeper and deeper into the earth. This misleading of God’s people was foreseen by Nephi:

They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.⁷

Those who hearken unto the precepts of men and putteth [their] trust in man, or maketh flesh [their] arm are cursed.⁸ Furthermore, these precepts of men will eventually cause many Latter-day Saints to reject the power of God and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and deny Jesus Christ when He lengthens out His arm, as they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.⁹ We also find these precepts of men are what cause people to draw near unto the Lord with their mouth, honor him with their lips, yet remove their hearts far from Him; and they are one of the reasons the Lord said He would perform a future marvelous work and a wonder—causing the wise and learned to perish, and the understanding of their prudent" to be hid.¹⁰

These precepts are especially dangerous because, when promoted long enough, they become established traditions passed down generation to generation to descendants who inherit lies.¹¹ Brigham Young acknowledged and warned of these false traditions, advising us to let them go in order to know and understand as God knows:

We must pay attention to the things that we hear, and to the principles of the religion that we have embraced in our faith, and seek diligently to break up the prejudices and prepossessed notions and feelings that have woven themselves around us through the traditions of the fathers, and endeavor to know and understand as God knows, that we may do His will. Our traditions are so firmly fixed in our feelings that it is almost impossible to rise above, override, or get rid of them; they cling to us like the affections of tender friends. But we must learn to know the will of God and do it, and let our traditions go, then we shall be blessed.¹²

The emotional bands associated with these precepts of men are difficult to break. Under this burden passions often override conscience, enabling falsehood to prevail. Perhaps this is one reason why Alma counseled his son Shiblon to bridle all your passions, immediately after warning him not to boast in your own wisdom.¹³ If our passions remain unbridled, the precepts of men will continue to be embraced, clinging to us like the affections of tender friends. This love affair with tradition will keep us from being embraced by Jesus, and being called His friends. To His apostles He said Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.¹⁴ He further explained I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.¹⁵ Attaining friendship with Jesus thus depends on receiving truth from Him and obeying it. The choice between eternal principles and provisional prejudices is ours, but we must be prepared for the consequences.

The Lord identified the evil spirit that inspires the passing down of false traditions, and the inheriting of lies as the very mainspring of all corruption.¹⁶ The Lord also explained that false traditions of the fathers enable the wicked one to taketh away light and truth from the children of men.¹⁷ This is because precepts of men and false traditions foster pride: When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.¹⁸ Consider the arrogant Pharisees who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men by replacing the word of God with traditions.¹⁹ After they asked Jesus why His disciples transgress the traditions of the elders by not washing their hands, He boldly asked them why they transgress the commandment of God by [their] tradition.²⁰ These presumptuous priests had used their influence to change the Lord’s edict, making the commandment[s] of God of none effect in the lives of the people because of their tradition.²¹ In this state, frequency then becomes the measure for veracity. As Avraham Gileadi poignantly observed: The assumption by some that they know the gospel or know the doctrine—that if they haven’t heard something a hundred times before it can’t be true—is the very thing that prevents them from perceiving the truth.²²

Joseph Smith expressed his own frustration over this very issue with the saints in his day: I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all.²³ Dr. Bruce Lipton provides some insights on the subconscious mind coupled with an analogy that help us understand this tendency to reject anything that is new, deep, or contrary to tradition:

While almost all organisms have to actually experience the stimuli of life firsthand, the human brain’s ability to learn perceptions is so advanced that we can actually acquire perceptions indirectly from teachers. Once we accept the perceptions of others as truths, their perceptions become hardwired into our own brains, becoming our truths. Here’s where the problem arises: what if our teacher’s perceptions are inaccurate? In such cases, our brains are then downloaded with misperceptions. The subconscious mind is strictly a stimulus-response playback device; there is no ghost in that part of the machine" to ponder the long-term consequences of the programs we engage… Consequently, programmed misperceptions in our subconscious mind are not monitored and will habitually engage us in inappropriate and limiting behaviors.

If I included as a bonus in this chapter a slithering snake that pops out of the page right now, most of you would run from the room or throw the book out of the house. Whoever introduced you to your first snake may have behaved in such a shocking way as to give your impressionable mind an apparently important life lesson: see snake…snake baaad! The subconscious memory system is very partial to rapidly downloading and emphasizing perceptions regarding things in your environment that are threatening to life and limb. If you were taught that snakes are dangerous, any time a snake comes into your proximity, you reflexively (unconsciously) engage in a protective response.

But what if a herpetologist were reading this book and a snake popped out? No doubt herpetologists would not only be intrigued by the snake, they would be thrilled with the bonus included in the book. Or at least they’d be thrilled once they figured out the snake was harmless. They would then hold it and watch its behaviors with delight. They would think that your programmed response was an irrational one because not all snakes are dangerous. Further they would be saddened by the fact that so many people are deprived of the pleasure of studying such interesting creatures. Same snake, same stimulus, yet greatly differing responses.

Our responses to our environmental stimuli are indeed controlled by perceptions, but not all of our learned perceptions are accurate. Not all snakes are dangerous! Yes, perception controls biology, but as we’ve seen, these perceptions can be true or false. Therefore, we would be more accurate to refer to these controlling perceptions as beliefs. Beliefs control biology!²⁴

Isn’t it interesting that the same two people can see a slithering snake and respond in completely different ways based on knowledge and subconscious programming? The one is terrified of this stimulus and rejects it outright while the other is fascinated. So, what is the snake for us? Essentially, it can be anything that goes against our prior misconceptions, false traditions, and precepts of men we may be believing. They may include but are not limited to: mysteries, deeper doctrines, doctrinal or scriptural corrections, prophecies involving judgment, and typological patterns that point out our wickedness.

My plea to you, as you read this book, is that you refrain from flying to pieces like glass when something is presented contrary to your traditions and be willing to hear something even if you haven’t heard it a hundred times already. Let the scriptures speak for themselves and let go of anything that gets in the way of accepting what they say, so that you can, as Brigham Young urged, know and understand as God knows. Also, be willing to consider the possibility that the snake, or the new scriptural idea, may not actually be poisonous. This is important because if these are not let go of, then we will become like the Jews in the meridian of time. Jesus had to revert to teaching them in parables, hiding any deeper meaning from them because they refused to see and hear; and by so doing, refused to be converted to, and healed by the Savior:

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias concerning them, which saith, By hearing, ye shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing, ye shall see and shall not perceive. For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.²⁵

Spiritually perceptive ears to hear and eyes to see are required to receive the truth and come to a knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.²⁶ This is vital because anything more or less than this fully accurate version of truth is a lie from the devil, regardless of how long it has been believed, or what emotional ties have developed.²⁷

¹ Matthew 16:3

² 2 Nephi 27:21-22; 28:6

³ I Believe in Angels, Carlos A. Godoy, October 2020

⁴ D&C 84:88

⁵ Luke 9:26; John 20:1; Romans 8:38; Revelation 7:1; 2 Nephi 4:24; Jacob 7:5; Alma 21:5, D&C 38:12, D&C 129:1-3; Moses 7:27

⁶ Moroni 7:37

⁷ 2 Nephi 28:14

⁸ 2 Nephi 28:26

⁹ 2 Nephi 28:26, 32; D&C 45:28-30

¹⁰ 2 Nephi 27:25-26

¹¹ Jeremiah 16:19

¹² JD 13:260

¹³ Alma 38:11-12

¹⁴ John 15:14

¹⁵ John 15:15

¹⁶ D&C 123:7

¹⁷ D&C 93:39

¹⁸ 2 Nephi 9:28

¹⁹ Matthew 23:13

²⁰ Matthew 15:2-3

²¹ Matthew 15:6

²² Avraham Gileadi, Endtime Prophecy, p. 331

²³ TPJS, p. 331

²⁴ Bruce Lipton, The Biology of Belief, p. 128-129

²⁵ Matthew 13:12-14

²⁶ D&C 93:24

²⁷ D&C 93:25

CHAPTER TWO

RELEVANT EXAMPLES OF PRECEPTS OF MEN

We now move into an analysis of a few precepts of men that are relevant to the remaining contents of this book. This will enable us to analyze scripture, prophecy, and history from a vantage point that is founded on truth. There are three misconceptions that must be addressed: I only listen to the modern prophet, The prophet and the brethren will tell me all I need to know, and Prophets are infallible and could never lead me astray.

1) I only listen to the modern prophet.

Those who subscribe to this idea are simply placing limits not only on their discipleship, but also their capacity to receive and understand truth. During their formal education, many grow up reciting the axiom that history repeats itself, and we study the problems of the past to prevent them in the future. If we accept this concerning the future in general, then what of the last days specifically when all biblical types repeat themselves?¹ Would it not be important to become aware of the Lord’s dealings with his covenant people in the past rather than simply focusing on what one man or group of men are saying today? How could we expect to truly understand what will occur in the last days, particularly the end-time scenario, if we refuse to check the warnings and prophecies of past prophets?

The Lord spoke through his prophet Nephi: Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two…is a witness unto you that I am God…?² Wouldn’t disregarding the words of the Lord through past prophets be a form of murmuring against His word? Are we concerned that truly receiving the witnesses of the past, along with those of this dispensation, might require more from us than simply playing general conference on the TV once every six months? This idea of only listening to the modern prophet is tritely repeated by many who seem to want to devolve from themselves the responsibility of becoming acquainted with the scriptures. As Avraham Gileadi noted:

Many excuse themselves from searching the scriptures by asserting that the dead prophets are less relevant than the living prophets… As Isaiah reminds us, The word of our God endures forever (Isaiah 40:8)… No word of God a living prophet utters can contradict the word of God by an earlier prophet. If so, that prophet is not of God. The same objectors to God’s cumulative word, moreover, seem to draw no distinction between prophecy and inspirational talks. Where ancient prophets predict endtime events when speaking by the Spirit of God, those events will assuredly come to pass.³

The Lord in His omniscience hides many mysteries in plain sight through paradox, but never contradicts Himself. A paradox is a tenet or proposition contrary to received opinion, or seemingly absurd, yet true in fact while to contradict is to assert the contrary to what has been asserted, or to deny what has been affirmed.⁴ Thus, it behooves us to seek learning even by study and also by faith⁵ regarding what God has spoken in the past, in order to discern false and fallen prophets in the end-time. While preaching, Joseph Smith urged his listeners: I hope you will search the scriptures to see whether these things are not also consistent with those things which the ancient prophets and apostles have written.⁶ When we consider this point further, that God’s word endures forever and cannot be contradicted, we also realize that when it comes to the last days, the words of all God’s prophets are equally important and need to be studied and taken seriously. Furthermore, let us consider Jesus…how did He personally feel about this idea?

Whose words were Jesus citing at age 12 in the temple sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions? From whom was He quoting and teaching when all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers?⁷ What did Jesus rely on after He was led up of the Spirit, into the wilderness, to be with God and had fasted forty days and forty nights…and was afterward an hungered, and was left to be tempted of the devil?⁸ Even after He was resurrected, what did He use to teach about His and His disciples’ current circumstances? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.⁹

Jesus obviously had a profound reverence and respect for the words of past prophets. He recognized and relied on the principle that modern missionaries subscribe to today: The scriptures give authority and validity to your teaching.¹⁰ The concise accounts we have in the four gospels contain at least 75 scriptural quotations from the Old Testament, which exhibit Jesus’ esteem for past prophets. His teachings on the second great commandment to love thy neighbor as thyself, for example, were citations of His own words through Moses in chapter nineteen of Leviticus.¹¹ He did bring forth new teachings, speaking as one having authority yet did not come to destroy the prophets, rather He came to fulfill their words.¹² Think of Jesus’ ministry among the Nephites. He quoted extensively from past prophets, specifically the words of Isaiah, and then carefully explained and commented on them. He himself affirmed that great are the words of Isaiah. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.¹³ He stressed the responsibility of his listeners to search these things, and to search the prophets.¹⁴

Not only did Jesus stress the words of Isaiah, He also used the words of Micah at great length¹⁵, and even shared a prophecy with the Nephites from Malachi, a prophet they would have never heard of.¹⁶ After Jesus expounded all things unto them, including the prophecies which foretold of the end-time, He explained These scriptures, which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom in him that they should be given unto future generations.¹⁷ Why take the time to ensure they had ancient prophecies when they had the ultimate living prophet among them right then—Jesus Himself, along with disciples He had called and given authority to? What is He trying to teach us? If Jesus spent so much time and effort becoming familiar with, quoting from, and relying on the words of dead prophets, should we not do likewise, especially when He commands us to? He Himself said the following:

"Behold, I do not destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled. And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come. For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled."¹⁸

His words testify to us that there is still much that has been spoken by dead prophets which will yet come to pass concerning the end-time and the covenants He has made with His people. Therefore we must not fall prey to the idea that prophecies from past prophets are irrelevant, the Lord himself assures us they are. Additionally, we would do well to consider the words of the dead prophet Joseph Smith, who according to the Lord, will yet be a living prophet again and shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed.¹⁹ Concerning Joseph specifically, the Lord revealed this:

"Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. He then promised For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory."²⁰

Surely this promise is just as relevant whether Joseph is dead or alive, for if the words he spoke were to be received as if from Jesus’ own mouth, we must remember as Peter prophesied that the word of the Lord endureth forever.²¹ In setting aside the words of Joseph Smith, along with his early associates, simply because he is dead, we do ourselves a great disservice and forfeit the promises to have the powers of darkness dispersed and the heavens shaken for our good.

2) The prophet and the brethren will tell me all I need to know.

This is an exceptionally hazardous precept of men. Searching and relying upon the words of the Lord in the scriptures and from His servants in no way relieves us of the responsibility to receive and search for truth for ourselves. To assume that a group of men will tell us everything we need to know, is to excuse ourselves of the responsibility for our own salvation. Many genuinely believe this notion, while others can sense its inaccuracy within their hearts and yet still choose to use it as a copout to relinquish their duty for their personal salvation or a cudgel against those with whom they disagree.

Repeatedly in the scriptures, we are respectively invited and promised to ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.²² Notice the pronouns in this pattern the Lord has laid forth: "it shall be given you," "ye shall find, it shall be opened unto you." Clearly this is a personal invitation we are each responsible for, and it cannot be pawned off on anyone else, regardless of their position or calling. In other words, nobody can ask, seek, and knock for us; nor can they be given, find, or have opened unto them anything for and in behalf of us. This pattern of faith and receiving is between us and our Lord. Furthermore, we find the following of this pattern directly connected with our joy becoming full.²³ The failure to individually abide by this pattern is associated with an inability to understand the truth. After expounding on the Lord’s great and marvelous work, the apostasy of the Gentiles, the coming forth of more scripture, and the doctrine of Christ²⁴, Nephi explains: Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.²⁵ Please note the passage cited above does NOT read: Ask, and it shall be given to them for you; seek, and they shall find for you; knock, and it shall be opened unto them for you. Nor does it read: Have them ask, and it shall be given you; let them seek, and ye shall find; endorse their knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

In Doctrine and Covenants section 1, given by the Lord as the preface, the readers are invited by Christ to search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall be fulfilled.²⁶ When Jesus speaks about these commandments and the prophecies and promises which are in them, He means the commandments, prophecies, and promises contained in the Doctrine and Covenants. Many then go on to cite the next verse as evidence of the precept of men we are dealing with, completely disregarding its context. When the Lord says What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same;²⁷ He is issuing a supporting statement for the fulfillment of the prophecies and promises contained in the Doctrine and Covenants as a whole. He is in no way giving a blanket statement that whatever a prophet says is directly from Him because of the office, nor that those who hold the office of an apostle or president of the Church will reveal all the saints need to know. In fact, the opposite is true here. In verse 37, the saints and those to whom this revelation would be proclaimed, are told to search these commandments. Isn’t it interesting that He would tell them to search the Doctrine and Covenants to familiarize themselves with the promises and prophecies they contain, when they had a living oracle in their midst who spoke on the Lord’s behalf—the prophet Joseph Smith.

Even if there is someone the Lord will speak through in thus saith the Lord mode, we still have a responsibility to search what has been revealed, rather than idly waiting for someone else to tell us all we need to know. Joseph Smith emphasized this theme often with statements like search the scriptures, search the revelations which we publish, search the scriptures, search the prophets and learn what portion of them belongs to you, search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Godliness.²⁸ In addition to Joseph’s words, consider the blessings Jacob and those who worked with him experienced as they searched for themselves:

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.²⁹

Also, King Benjamin urged his sons to remember to search them (the records) diligently, that ye may profit thereby.³⁰ Similarly, as Mormon gave the account of the judgments poured out upon the Nephites before the coming of Christ—a type and shadow for our day—he wrote:

And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets.³¹

We find this consistent with the theme the Lord himself affirmed—to search the scriptures to become familiar with prophecies and promises. When is there ever a point where we’ve learned or been told ‘all we need to know’? Especially when we sing words like the knowledge and power of God are expanding.³² If His knowledge and power are expanding, what about us? Have we ever arrived? Are we naive enough to think that the prophets of Ephraim of whom Isaiah foretold have gone astray through liquor…are intoxicated with wine and stagger because of strong drink; who err as seers and blunder in their decisions, filling the tables with regurgitated vomit are going to tell us all we need to know?³³ Elder Maxwell, who was a great seeker, said the gospel was inexhaustible, meaning the knowledge available is incapable of being depleted or completely consumed. These observations cause one to ask: Have we made sure our calling and election? Have we entered into the presence of Jesus Christ in the flesh? Have we received the precious promises spoken of by Peter and been made partakers of the divine nature? Are we worthy to stand in the New Jerusalem? Have we seen into heaven or been visited by angels? Surely there is always more to learn, more knowledge and experience to obtain.

In spite of all that is available to us it seems the prophet and those around him have become a crutch for many within the Church when it comes to seeking truth and making decisions. Hugh Nibley observed:

"Many have noted the strong tendency of Latter-day Saints to avoid making waves. They seem strongly touchy on controversial issues. This begets an extreme lack of candor among the saints, which in turn is supported by a new doctrine according to which we have a prophet at our head who relieves us of all responsibility for seeking knowledge beyond a certain point, making decisions or taking action on our own."³⁴

Nephi bemoaned this same mindset. After beginning to expound upon the opportunity each of us have for Jesus Christ to manifest himself unto [us] in the flesh, he wrote: and now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge.³⁵

The Lord has invited us to come unto Him, not unto the prophet. He wants us to develop a personal relationship with Him, and to see Him and know that He is.³⁶ As we release ourselves from this responsibility to seek Him directly, preferring that someone else talk to the Lord for us, we become as the Israelites of old who provoked the Lord to anger. They had the opportunity to see the Lord and attain a higher level themselves, And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.³⁷ Yet, having not sanctified themselves enough as they were commanded to, the Lord told Moses there shall not man among them see me at this time, and live, for they are exceeding sinful. And no sinful man hath at any time, neither shall there be any sinful man at any time, that shall see my face and live.³⁸ The Israelites thus settled for this mentality: they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.³⁹ In other words, you go talk to Him for us. Thus we read in the revelation to Joseph Smith: But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.⁴⁰

Perhaps the most ironic detail in this story is the aftermath. As a consequence for them rejecting the personal witness He was offering, being content with their leader talking to God for them, the Lord actually took Moses—their crutch away: Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also; And the lesser priesthood continued.⁴¹ This fulfills the oft repeated promise and pattern from the Lord: and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.⁴² Are we any different from them, preferring to have someone else talk to God for us, then tell us what He says, instead of sanctifying ourselves, and asking, seeking, and knocking so that we might obtain our own revelation and knowledge of the Lord? Brigham Young pointedly indicated the foolishness of this approach:

Salvation is an individual operation. I am the only person that can possibly save myself. When salvation is sent to me, I can reject or receive it. In receiving it, I yield implicit obedience and submission to its great Author throughout my life…There are those among this people who are influenced, controlled, and biased in their thoughts, actions, and feelings by some other individual or family, on whom they place their dependence for spiritual and temporal instruction, and for salvation in the end. These persons do not depend upon themselves for salvation, but upon another of their poor, weak, fellow mortals. I do not depend upon any inherent goodness of my own, say they, to introduce me into the kingdom of glory, but I depend upon you, brother Joseph, upon you, brother Brigham, upon you, brother Heber, or upon you, brother James; I believe your judgment is superior to mine, and consequently I let you judge for me; your spirit is better than mine, therefore you can do good for me; I will submit myself wholly to you, and place in you all my confidence for life and salvation; where you go I will go, and where you tarry there I will stay; expecting that you will introduce me through the gates into the heavenly Jerusalem. . .

Now those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another’s sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. They cannot rule themselves, to say nothing of ruling others, but they must be dictated to in every trifle, like a child. They cannot control themselves in the least, but James, Peter, or somebody else must control them. They never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold scepters of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course."⁴³

Joseph Smith similarly taught that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men…that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls…if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall—that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves, envious towards the innocent, while they afflict the virtuous with their shafts of envy.⁴⁴

The word of the Lord available to us, rectifies the unscriptural idea that the prophet and the brethren will tell us all we need to know. We are to ask, seek, and knock; to search; to receive our own revelation; and to come to know the Lord for ourselves. Herein lies true joy, true power, and true worship. Otherwise, we limit ourselves, stunting our growth and progression. As Avraham Gileadi declared: Persons who feel compelled to subordinate their wills to the dictates of an institution, employer, or ecclesiastical leader can never know the empowerment that comes from answering solely to God.⁴⁵

3) Prophets are infallible and could never lead me astray.

When the apostle Paul exclaimed that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God he wasn’t being cliché, and his words were not meant to become some trite commonplace expression.⁴⁶ He was being serious, and he included everybody on purpose. When he says all, he means all—including prophets, apostles, and religious authorities. Though there has been an idea developed that the Lord would never permit the prophet and those who work with him to lead the people astray, the Lord Himself has never made such a statement, and the idea runs contrary to what we read in the scriptures. As Avraham Gileadi noted: Patterns from the past, in fact inform us that when people’s hearts aren’t whole toward God, their prophets can and do lead them astray.⁴⁷ Because this subject along with the scriptural types and shadows will be dealt with in greater detail later in the book, only a few examples are used, analyzed, and touched lightly on here in this section; just enough to uncover the precept of men cited just above.

When Abinadi was sent to the wicked Nephites, an event that no doubt serves as a type and shadow of the end-time, he condemned their wayward religious leaders, corrected many false ideas, and taught much truth. After prophesying of the coming of the Lord and His redemption, he inserted an interesting clarifying comment to a rhetorical question: "Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed."⁴⁸ Here we find that according to Abinadi it is possible for prophets to fall into transgression. If it wasn’t, he would feel no need to insert that phrase to clarify which prophets he is speaking of. Ironically enough, he was speaking to a group of priests—the religious authorities of the day—who had fallen into transgression, prophesied falsely, and were being upheld in their wickedness.

In Doctrine & Covenants section 107 the Lord gives revelation—among many other things—regarding church councils concerning specifically the most important business of the church, and the most difficult cases of the church.⁴⁹ After detailing the process of appealing to the highest council in the church of God, which holds the final decision upon controversies in spiritual matters, or in other words, the first presidency—the Presidency of the council of the High Priesthood; the Lord declares that there is not any person belonging to the church who is exempt from this council of the church.⁵⁰ To show that He means every person in the church, He includes guidance for what to do when even the president of the Church transgresses:

And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood; And their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him. Thus, none shall be exempted from the justice and the laws of God, that all things may be done in order and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness.⁵¹

All have fallen short of the glory of God, and all need to be watched, and held accountable to the justice and laws of God, even prophets. Here we observe that it is clearly possible for the president of the Church to falter or transgress. The Lord in His infinite wisdom would not include this in the revelation if it would never be needed, or if the principle that a prophet could never lead someone astray were true.

Brigham Young never subscribed to the idea of placing his full confidence and trust in a man, or group of men, nor did he want that type of confidence or trust placed in him. In fact he warned against it:

What a pity it would be if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by Him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually.⁵²

Brigham clearly gave space to the idea of leaders being perfectly capable of not walking in the path the Lord dictates, and it is our personal responsibility to know this for ourselves, through the revelations of Jesus and the whisperings of the Spirit of God. He was worried the Latter-day Saints would put too much trust in leaders, reiterating the possibility, and the pitiful end it would be to be led by one man to utter destruction. The admonition of Paul is relevant here: Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.⁵³ Yet many in their slumbering passivity subscribe to the dangerous idea that you will be blessed by God for following a priesthood leader even if they are wrong or deceived. Joseph Smith boldly declared otherwise:

We have heard men who hold the priesthood remark that they would do anything they were told to do by those who preside over them [even] if they knew it was wrong; but such obedience as this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the man who would thus willingly degrade himself, should not claim a rank among intelligent beings, until he turns from his folly. A man of God would despise the idea. Others, in the extreme exercise of their almighty authority have taught that such obedience was necessary, and that no matter what the saints were told to do by their presidents, they should do it without any questions. When the Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme notions of obedience as to teach them to the people, it is generally because they have it in their hearts to do wrong themselves.⁵⁴

With a reminder of the typological nature of Hebrew scripture—the past being a type of what will happen in the future, or the end time—fresh in our minds and hearts, let us touch just a few Old Testament examples on this subject of prophets never leading us astray. Through Isaiah the Lord says: O my people, your leaders mislead you, abolishing your traditional ways. Jehovah will take a stand and contend with them; he has arisen to judge the nations. He will bring to trial the elders of his people.⁵⁵ And again in another place the leaders of the Lord’s people are described: These too have indulged in wine and are giddy with strong drink: priests and prophets have gone astray through liquor. They are intoxicated with wine and stagger because of strong drink; they err as seers, they blunder in their decisions⁵⁶. In the same chapter, Isaiah defines the liquor and wine as deception and falsehoods.⁵⁷ Micah, a contemporary and student of Isaiah, likewise prophesied:

Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.⁵⁸

Consider these accounts from Jeremiah:

A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?⁵⁹

For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.⁶⁰

For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.⁶¹

And these from Ezekiel:

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!⁶²

And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have not deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him.⁶³

Not only do these scriptural examples confirm the possibility of a prophet transgressing and leading others away, they demonstrate that such has actually happened in the past which enables us to make the typological connection that this will also be the case in the end-time.

Keys to Avoiding Deception

It is imperative for us as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ to become familiar with, and skilled in using, the true keys to avoiding deception—as defined by the Lord Himself. Unfortunately, the living prophet or a prophet who is alive today has not been identified by Jesus Christ as one of those keys. In each of the examples cited above there were living prophets who were regarded and sustained as the ecclesiastical authorities of the day who taught and prophesied falsely and led the Lord’s people astray, or caused them to err. So what are the keys to avoiding deception according to the Lord?

In JS-Matthew,