Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Joseph Smith's August 16, 1834 letter to Lyman Wight and the Redemption of Zion Promised to Take Place on September 11, 1836

In a letter to Lyman Wight and other members of the high council of the Church, August 16, 1834, Joseph Smith taught that:

 

And I would recomend to brother Wight to enter complaints to the Govonor as of ten as he receves any insults or injury, and in case that they procede to endeaver to take life or tear down homes, and if the citizens of Clay co, do not befriend us to gather up the little army and be set over Immediately into Jackson County and trust in God and do the worst <best> he can in defending maintaining the ground, but in case the excitement continues to be allayed and peace prevails use every effort to prevail on the churches to gather to those regions and situate themselves to be in readiness to move into Jackson Co. in two years from the Eleventh of September next which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion, If Verely If I say unto you If the Church with one united effort perform their duties If they do this the work shall be complete If they do not this in all humility making preperation from this time forth like Joseph in Egypt laying up store against the time of famine every man having his tent, his horses, his charrots [chariots] his armory his cattle his family and his whole substance in readiness against the time <when> it shall be said To your tents O Isreal!! and let not this be noised abroad let every heart beat in silence and every mouth be shut

 

This is often understood as a false prophecy of Joseph Smith. However, notice that (1) it is not said “in the name of the Lord” or similar verbiage (the closest thing is the use of “appointed time”) and (2) the many conditional statements contained therein. Clearly, this is not an example of a prophecy that failed due to various contingencies being met and disrupted due to the free-will actions of agents involved (e.g., Mic 3:12; cf. Jer 26:18-19) let alone a false prophecy. Instead, this was a conditional promise that did not materialize due to the failure of the saints to do all that was commanded and to such “in all humility.”

 

Further Reading:

 

Resources on Joseph Smith’s Prophecies