Christ 2nd Coming And The Role Of A Prophet

[harrypotter]

This is an articale from the contributor magazine which i love. It starts of with a scripture in matt 23'16 the Savoiur is describing what will happen in the last days to his Apostles.

Anyhow i will let you read it cause i can't say it any better, annoyed with myself for selling my original this is of gospelink.

SIGNS OF CHRIST'S COMING.

III.

A PROPHET.

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."—Matt., xxiv, 37.

"And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth, and every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thought of his heart, being only evil continually. And it came to pass that Noah continued his preaching unto the people, saying, Hearken and give heed unto my words, believe and repent of your sins, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers did, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things manifest; and if ye do not this, the floods will come in upon you."—Pearl of Great Price.

FROM the first of the foregoing passages we can readily understand that a prophet was to be raised up in some period of the world's history—subsequent to Christ's first and antecedent to His second coming, whose duty should be to herald His near approach, by warnings and predictions similar to those recorded in the second passage at the head of this article. In view of these facts we will proceed to carefully investigate the claims of the Latter-day Saints to the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission, and establish the correctness of the principles taught by him, and thereby point out to those seeking after truth the third "leaf on the fig tree."

The prophets of the Old and New Testaments declared that there should be an apostacy, and in article one of this series we left no doubt but it had taken place; nor do we stand alone in this belief, for many eminent divines admit the fact and thereby support our testimony.

In article two we gave abundant proof of the "Restoration," both as to time and purpose; it will now devolve upon us to establish the agency which God ordained should be used in bringing about His purposes, and which forms the subject matter of this article, and the point at issue.

Comparing the reformations of Christianity with the pattern laid down in the New Testament, we are forced to the conclusion that neither in manner, agency, or effect do they in any way relate to the event which Jesus predicted should be precursive of His second advent. We are therefore led, in the discussion of the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission, to proceed interrogatively at first, and afterwards by cogent reasoning endeavor to prove him a prophet sent of God.

Why should not Joseph Smith be the instrument in the hands of God to restore the "everlasting Gospel" to the earth? Is it because of his low estate? Peter, James and John were fishermen; Matthew a tax-gatherer; Paul a tent maker; and many others who were called of God to perform an important work were equally plebian in their vocations. And by this precedent modern as well as ancient Pharisees are prevented from preferring their claims to Divine favor through high estate. Was it because he was evil spoken of and persecuted? Christ's own words would help to establish his authority: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matt., v: 10—12. Was it because he suffered an ignominious death? Christ and His Apostles suffered the same to establish their testimony, and it was accounted unto them for righteousness.

We will now proceed to adduce and examine cogent reasons in support of our claim to Joseph Smith being that prophet that should be raised up as was Noah.

First. The institution he founded perfectly resembles the New Testament, which is an accepted record of the Church of Christ, as to its organization, laws, officers, ordinances, etc., and the whole world, for over fifty years, have been ruthlessly assailing its principles, in the vain endeavor to overthrow and bring to naught its purposes; and although their efforts have been untiring and their zeal worthy of a better cause, they stand as monuments of a ruined hope, and their failure and chagrin characterizes their opposition and marks how baseless are their pretentions, and adds to the growth of the cause they have so vainly endeavored to suppress.

Second. He commenced on a proper foundation, viz., the "Rock of Revelation,"—"And I say unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church," etc. Matt., xvi: 18. Upon close examination we discover that upon Jesus interrogating His Apostles as to His true character, and the answer from Peter that He was Christ, the Son of the living God—being revealed from the Father—his reply decides a question of great moment: "I say also unto thee, thou art Peter;" or by the same power that you are enabled to assert I am Christ I also assert that you are Peter, and upon this "rock," or power, or communication with God, will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It is almost needless to say that it could not be upon Peter that He built His Church, for a short time after the gates of hell did prevail against him and overcame him.

Third. He said he received it from an angel. As the restoration of the everlasting Gospel was to be brought about through this agency (Rev., xiv: 6), if he had received it in any other way, he would thereby have rendered futile any claims he may have set up to being a true prophet. The keys of the kingdom having been given to Peter, who was thereby constituted Christ's vicegerent upon the earth, the transmission of that power and authority by Peter to another would of necessity create him his legal successor upon the earth, with power to establish and maintain, to bind and to loose, and to wield such prerogatives as revelations from heaven may from time to time bestow upon him. And as neither Scripture nor profane history records the fact that Peter ever delegated this authority to any one else, the claim of Joseph Smith, that the angel Peter bestowed the keys of the kingdom upon him, remains an undisputed fact, so far as proof being brought to bear upon its overthrow.

Fourth. Daniel, ii: 34, 35, declares that the restoration of the Gospel shall be as "a stone cut out of the mountains without hands," small at first, but eventually becoming a great mountain, should fill the whole earth. The Church established by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830, now numbers about one hundred and seventy-five thousand, having, in the short space of about fifty years, grown to such proportions as to excite the whole world to dispute its claims to being the true Church of Christ, and its merits and pretended demerits are being discussed in every nation under heaven, notwithstanding the first few years of its existence it was considered so small and insignificant as to be unworthy of notice, except by the rabble, whom envy, rapine and murder had made fit instruments to oppose truth and immortalize the words of Tertullian, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."

Fifth. The mission of Joseph Smith includes the gathering of Israel and restoration of the Jews; and as all Bible students are well acquainted with the predictions of the servants of God relating to this subject, we will omit its discussion here and introduce it at a more opportune moment.

Sixth. The bringing forth of the Book of Mormon—the "stick of Joseph"—and uniting it to the "stick of Judah"—the Bible—and making them one in the Lord's hand (Ezek., xxxvii) to establish His kingdom and roll on His righteous purposes, is another addendum to the array of evidence in support of Joseph Smith's claim to being a prophet of God.

Seventh. His calling was according to law. "No man taketh this honor unto himself (of officiating in things pertaining to God) except he be called of God as was Aaron."—Heb., v. Therefore no man can legally officiate except he be called by revelation from God as was Aaron. Exodus, iv: 14. And as the Old and New Testaments are generally accepted as our guide in all matters pertaining to God's dealings with His people anciently, we have diligently searched its pages, and failed to find where any man ever officiated legally in things pertaining to God without being called in this way. Many, like Paul, taught and preached in the Jewish synagogues, and exercised many prerogatives belonging to the Church, but authority to officiate in the more weighty matters of the kingdom was given only in the way prescribed by God's law. When the Holy Ghost said to James, Cephas and John, who were "pillars in the Church" (Gal., ii: 9), "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them" (Acts, xiii), then the authority was conferred upon them by the laying on of hands, and being sent away, their acts were recognized by God, and Elymas the sorcerer was stricken blind for perverting the right ways of the Lord, the cripple was healed at Lystra, devils were cast out, and many and varied were the manifestations of the power of God through His legally appointed servants. But prior to their being sent, they were content to testify to the workings of the Spirit which had been bestowed upon them at their initiation into the kingdom of God.

Eighth. The promises made by Jesus (John, vii: 17) are realized through the ministrations of the servants of God today as they were formerly, as many thousands are ready and willing to testify, and supported by this testimony the Church grows and renews its strength daily for greater efforts, which are to advance God's purposes, till the "will of God is done on earth as it is done in heaven."

Ninth. Many prophecies of Joseph Smith have been literally fulfilled, prominent among which may be mentioned the war of 1861—which was published in 1832—the Saints to remove to the Rocky Mountains, his own death, the Church never to cease to prevail, etc., which go far to constitute him a prophet of God, as he was a true prophet, which even his enemies are compelled, though very reluctantly, to confess.

In reviewing the foregoing we discover from the text that God would, prior to the second advent of Christ, raise up a prophet like unto Noah, who should warn the people of the near approach of God's judgments, and open up a way of escape. And as the apostacy has been fully proven, and the restoration declared by John (Rev., xiv: 6), the world awaits the event predicted, and stands ready to apply the test of comparing the institutions of man, claiming to be the Church of God, with the New Testament, and as all fail and are found wanting when placed in the Scripture balances, we are forced to the conclusion that during seventeen hundred and fifty years the Church of God was not on the earth. In A. D. 1830 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Staints was founded by Joseph Smith, whose claim to being a prophet is based upon the following facts: that the Church perfectly resembles its prototype in organization and object; that it is built upon the only sure foundation—the rock of revelation; that it was restored by an angel, as John saw it in a vision; that it was small at first, as a little stone, but is now progressing to a great mountain that will eventually fill the whole earth; that in embracing the gathering of Israel, restoration of the Jews and bringing forth of the Book of Mormon it literally fulfils the predictions of the ancient prophets; that Joseph Smith received his authority from God by revelation, and the promises he made, that the gifts and knowledge of the truth should be enjoyed by the faithful, have been and are being realized; and that the literal fulfilment of his own predictions entitle him to the name of a true prophet, and combined with his other qualifications, no doubt can, or ought to exist in the minds of honest people as to his being sent of God.

In conclusion, his fidelity to the trust reposed in him, and his sterling integrity—never flinching from trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, but ever valiant in defense of truth—not even "counting his life dear to himself, that he might finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God," cannot but create in the minds of thinking people serious reflections, and cause them to opine him no ordinary man, the inconsistent and false accusations of his enemies to the contrary notwithstanding, and establish in the hearts of his followers the fact that he was a prophet of God, sent to open the door of life and salvation to a benighted world, and to warn them of God's judgments, that will speedily overtake the wicked except they believe and repent of their sins, and be baptized for the remission of the same, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, that by faithful adherence to its teachings, they may be made recipients of the blessings which flow from God, while here, and partakers of the blessings awaiting the faithful hereafter. Robt. S. Spence.

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This was great! Thanks for posting it...