Joseph Smith: Prophet or Phony

The leader of the Mormons, otherwise known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, claimed to be a revelator and a prophet. But how do we know if he was or wasn't telling the truth? Anybody could claim to have had a revelation from the Lord but how can we tell if it's real or not?

Here is how to discern if a prophet is genuine. Deuteronomy 18:22 (KJV) explains, "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."

But what if a prophet prophecies something that does come to pass? Here's how to know if this person is sent from God or just claims to be his messenger. The Lord explains in Deuteronomy 13:1-3, "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, 'Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;' Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, t
o know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

Joseph claimed to have seen an angel appear in his room one night and during the following days. He wrote in The Book of Mormon, "he informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before."

The Bible measures a generation as being forty years. Joseph Smith penned these words back in 1830. No great judgements came upon the earth in that time. And there are many other failed prophesies I could list had I the luxury of time and space to do so.

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:15 (KJV) to,  "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

The history of the LDS church is soiled with the carnal misdeeds of Joseph Smith and his followers. Whole books have been written about this subject.

And as for books, I'm working on one called You Think You're Going to Heaven? So many sincere and kind folks are in for a horrific shock when the day of judgement arrives and they're on the wrong side of Christ. My hope is that God will use the work of my hands to rescue as many of them as will come out of their deception.