In a blog post from October 29, 2019, Joseph Smith's First Vision in 2 Nephi 27:24-26, I noted that 2 Nephi 27:24-26 is the earliest attestation of the First Vision in the Latter-day Saint canon, based on the insights of Tanner Johnson. Today, I read the book, Book of Mormon Prophecies for Our Day (2020) by Allan Neill, and he comes to a similar conclusion:
The First Vision
2 Nephi 27:24-27 (Isaiah 29:13-15)
Isaiah saw the First Vision
including the conversation between our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and
Joseph. He said the Lord would tell Joseph the following:
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch
as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me,
but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught
by the precept of men:
When the Lord uses the term “marvellous
work and a wonder,” He refers to the restoration of the gospel.
14 Therefore, behold I will proceed
to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder:
for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their
prudent men shall be hid.
Joseph Smith described the First
Vision almost matching Isaiah’s prophecy word for word
17 It no sooner appeared than I
found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested
upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description,
standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and
said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to inquire
of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know
which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to
be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light,
which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my
heart all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join
none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said
that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors
were all corrupt; that “they draw near to me with their lips, but their
hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men,
having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Allan Neill,
Book of Mormon Prophecies for Our Day [2020], 167-68)
