Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » LDS Deep Doctrine » Prophecies and Visions (Can a prophecy or vision be undone?)
| Re: Prophecies and Visions [message #227 is a reply to message #226] |
Wed, 23 February 2011 18:05   |
bishop
Messages: 144
Registered: July 2010
Location: USA
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Senior Member |
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In my own personal experience with prophecy, which is very limited, I have often felt that a negative vision or prophecy is given as a warning. It is designed to motivate us to do whatever we can to not allow it to happen. The Book of Mormon is replete with these kind of prophecies which mostly came true because the people did not repent.
On the other hand, when I have received positive prophecies, I feel that I am to work at making them come to pass. For example, if someone were promised in their patriarchal blessing that they would be married in the temple or go on a mission; they would have some control over this prophecy. I am coming to understand that the New Jerusalem and the Second Coming will be greatly influenced by how hard the righteous people work at making them an amazing reality.
Moroni, in Ether, gives an ominous prophetic warning to us about a secret combination that seeks to rule the earth:Moroni 8:23-26
Quote:
23Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain--and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved
End Quote
This is a warning to us with a promise that we can be preserved if we are righteous. Are there enough righteous, and will the few who are righteous be preserved in their freedom, or will their blood cry from the dust for vengeance?
On the other hand, the books of Revelation, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Amos, 1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, and other scriptures have prophecies that are definitive. But I believe that even these prophecies can be to a greater degree or a lesser degree of goodness or evil, depending on our righteousness.
Then of course there is symbolism in prophecy, which can even make things more complicated.
I believe that [once again] we must rely upon the Holy Spirit to confirm all prophecies to us personally and how they apply to us. We must be as Nephi, and inquire of the Lord to know for ourselves. In this way, he confirmed the prophecies of his father and of Isaiah. He didn't just take their word for it-neither can we afford to.
When I think of how obscure the fulfillment of the prophecies of Elijah returning and of Martin Harris taking the Book of Mormon manuscript to Charles Anthon as a fulfillment of Isaiah 29:11 ["I cannot read a sealed book"}, I realize that much of what has been prophesied may never be fulfilled in the way that one would think.
It would be so much easier if President Monson would stand up and tell us that the Russians are coming-or not, and when. Instead he says, "The future is as bright as your faith." That is profound and prophetic, but not the specific stuff we want to hear.
We are left with gleaning what we can from all the sources we can and then getting our own spiritual confirmation. This is part of what my friend calls "the Big Let Down." It just never gets easy to get new information. However, I find that this forum can be helpful to those of us who are searching to find the answers. I appreciate Dragon's telling us about this vision so that we can each receive our own personal inspiration on the topic.
Bishop
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Current Time: Sat Nov 23 20:15:11 MST 2024
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