![]() However, the chapter heading to the Latter-day Saint edition of the scriptures, in referring to these same verses, reads, “Nephites shall speak as a voice from the dust.Description: Deception by Design provides a comprehensive study of Mormonism exposes the surprising source of Joseph Smith’s “conversion” story reveals the immense influence of others on Smith’s beliefs equips evangelical Christians with principals for witnessing to Mormons. Some believe that Isaiah 29:1–8 applies only to Jerusalem and not to the people of the Book of Mormon. See Ludlow, Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, 199.Ģ. But of greater consequence, if these biblical scriptures do not apply to the Book of Mormon, then to what people and what book are they referring? Lead image from Getty Imagesġ. If that is the case, this “unlearned” boy seems to have become more savvy and brilliant all the time-not only having read the numerous books referred to in previous chapters but now also becoming a master scriptorian, all by the age of 23. Some might claim that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon in such a way to make it look like it was a fulfillment of the foregoing scriptures. To those who are familiar with the Book of Mormon, these prophecies are clear and convincing. A book-the Book of Mormon, which is the record of God’s dealings with Joseph’s descendants in the Americas and the resurrected Christ’s personal ministry among themĪnd so, just as the Savior was prophesied of in the Bible-not by name but by events and descriptions-so too the Book of Mormon was prophesied of in the Bible-not by name but by events and descriptions.It has restored many of the plain and precious truths lost from the Bible and thus helped the spiritually deaf and blind to hear and see once again. If any book meets the requirements of that prophecy, it is the Book of Mormon. 5 In this way, Israel (Lebanon) has become, and is currently becoming, a forest, as prophesied by Isaiah.Īs Isaiah said, “in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness” ( Isaiah 29:18). For years I thought that might be an overestimation, so I researched it, and to my further surprise I learned that more than 250 million trees have been planted since 1901. He said that commencing about 1900, the Israelis had planted more than 100 million trees in Israel. I asked our guide how this could possibly be. Knowing of the devastation that had taken place during the Ottoman rule, I was surprised to see the number of trees that forested the mountainsides. Some years ago, I traveled to the Holy Land. And these plates were delivered to someone who was unlearned: namely, Joseph Smith. 3 The Nephites were destroyed, as prophesied, and their people did speak out of the ground through the golden plates that had been buried in the earth (see 2 Nephi 26:16 Mormon 8:26). What an appropriate description of the Book of Mormon. Isaiah then referred to these records as a “book,” which is delivered to someone who is unlearned (see Isaiah 29:1–12). In addition, Isaiah told us that these people would “speak out of the ground,” meaning their records would be brought forth out of the earth. the words of the righteous shall be written” ( 2 Nephi 26:15). ![]() and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raised forts against them and after they shall have been brought down low in the dust. He used phrases similar to Isaiah’s to describe the destruction of his own people: “The Lord God shall have camped against them. Who are those other people that are likened to those destroyed in Jerusalem? 2 Isaiah spoke of a people who, like the people of Jerusalem (see Isaiah 29:2), would have an enemy “camp against” them, “lay siege against with a mount” and “raise forts against ” ( Isaiah 29:3). What, then, are some of these prophecies?īut there is more. The Bible prophesies of its coming forth and its purpose not by name but by events and descriptions that are sufficiently clear that honest seekers of the truth who are familiar with the Book of Mormon can discern their fulfillment. ►You'll also like: 5 Compelling Archaeological Evidences for the Book of MormonĪnd so it is with the Book of Mormon. Nonetheless, the prophecies were there to be discerned by the spiritually enlightened. But even with all these specific references, many, if not most, of the people in the meridian of time could not accept that Jesus Christ was the literal fulfillment of those prophecies. For example, it prophesies that He would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2) of a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14), that He would suffer the sins of the world (see Isaiah 53:3–5), and that He would be crucified (see Psalm 22:15–18). He was right-the Old Testament does not mention Jesus Christ by name, but it does prophesy of Him with such specificity that we ought to recognize those prophecies as speaking of Him.
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