Revalation 1
Overview
This text, commonly known in modern Latter-day Saint tradition as the 'Prophecy on War' (now Doctrine and Covenants 87), was dictated by Joseph Smith on December 25, 1832. The revelation predicts a cascading series of global conflicts and natural disasters, explicitly stating that the violence will begin with the 'rebellion of South Carolina.' It forecasts a division between the Southern and Northern States, with the South appealing to Great Britain for assistance. The text further prophesies that slaves will rise against their masters, and 'remnants' (understood in LDS theology as Native Americans) will vex the 'Gentiles' (non-Mormon Americans). These events are framed as the outpouring of God's wrath and indignation, designed to avenge the blood of the 'Saints' (Mormons) who have cried out to the Lord of Sabaoth. The apocalyptic sequence is predicted to culminate in a 'full end of all nations' through famine, plague, earthquakes, and lightning. The text concludes with a pastoral and eschatological mandate for the followers of Smith to 'stand ye in holy places, and be not moved' until the Day of the Lord arrives. Within Mormonism, this text is frequently cited as a premier example of Joseph Smith's prophetic calling, pointing to the American Civil War (1861-1865) as its primary fulfillment. However, its historical context—specifically the Nullification Crisis of 1832, which involved South Carolina threatening secession just weeks before this prophecy was given—is central to critical and comparative analyses of the text.
Key Figures
- The Lord: The divine speaker of the revelation, portrayed as a God of wrath who avenges the blood of His Saints and pours out judgment upon the nations.
- Joseph Smith: The prophet, seer, and revelator who acts as the exclusive mouthpiece for the Lord in delivering this apocalyptic warning.
- The Saints: The followers of Joseph Smith (Mormons), depicted as a persecuted group whose blood and cries reach God, prompting His divine vengeance upon the earth.
- The Gentiles: Non-Mormons (specifically white Americans in this context), who are the targets of vexation by the 'remnants' and divine judgment.
- Slaves and Masters: Groups whose violent conflict (uprisings) will contribute to the global bloodshed.
- The Remnants: Understood in LDS theology as Native Americans (descendants of the Lamanites), who will marshal themselves to vex the Gentiles.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Continuing Prophetic Revelation
Assertion
God continues to speak directly and infallibly through a modern prophet (Joseph Smith) to warn of specific future geopolitical events.
Evidence from Text
A revelation and prophecy by the prophet, seer, and revelator, joseph smith... 'Verily thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass...'
Evangelical Comparison
This text asserts that Joseph Smith holds the office of 'prophet, seer, and revelator' and speaks with the direct, verbatim voice of God ('Verily thus saith the Lord'). This establishes a foundation of continuing revelation that is binding upon the believer. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity adheres strictly to Sola Scriptura, which posits that the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule of faith and practice. Evangelicals point to Hebrews 1:1-2, which states that while God spoke through prophets in the past, in these last days He has spoken definitively through His Son. Furthermore, the closure of the canon (Revelation 22:18-19) precludes the addition of new scriptural texts or modern prophets who claim to speak with the same authority as the biblical authors. Any modern claims to prophecy are subject to the final authority of the completed Bible, and predictive prophecies that fail in any detail (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) disqualify the claimant from the prophetic office.
Divine Vengeance for the Saints
Assertion
God uses global war, bloodshed, and natural disasters specifically to avenge the blood and cries of the Latter-day Saints against their enemies.
Evidence from Text
...until the consumption decreed, hath made a full end of all nations; that the cry of the Saints, and of the blood of the Saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies.
Evangelical Comparison
The text claims that the apocalyptic destruction of nations is driven by God's desire to avenge the 'blood of the Saints.' In the context of 1832 Mormonism, 'Saints' refers exclusively to baptized members of Joseph Smith's church. This creates a theological paradigm where God's eschatological wrath is poured out to vindicate a specific 19th-century American religious movement. Evangelical Christianity recognizes that God will avenge the blood of His martyrs (Revelation 6:9-10), but defines 'saints' as all those universally who have been justified by faith in Christ throughout history (Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2). The Evangelical view of the Day of the Lord focuses on the final judgment of sin, the vindication of Christ's holiness, and the restoration of creation, rather than the geopolitical vindication of a single modern denomination.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text establishes a post-biblical prophetic authority that adds to the canon of scripture and redefines the 'Saints' as an exclusive, modern group whose vindication triggers the apocalypse.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological gap centers on the doctrines of Revelation and Ecclesiology. Evangelicals hold to Sola Scriptura, maintaining that the apostolic era has closed and the biblical canon is complete. God's special revelation to humanity is finalized in the 66 books of the Bible. This text, however, operates on the premise of an open canon, where a modern individual (Joseph Smith) assumes the Old Testament mantle of a prophet, dictating the exact words of God to direct the church and predict geopolitical events. This violates the Evangelical understanding of the sufficiency of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and the finality of Christ's revelation (Hebrews 1:1-2). Ecclesiologically, the text redefines the universal Church. In Evangelical theology, the 'Saints' are all those who have been justified by faith in Christ across all times and places. In this text, 'Saints' is a sectarian designation referring exclusively to the adherents of Mormonism. Consequently, the eschatological vision is skewed: the Day of the Lord and the outpouring of divine wrath are triggered specifically to avenge the enemies of the LDS church, rather than to execute universal justice against sin and establish the eternal kingdom of Christ. This creates an 'us vs. them' paradigm that replaces the universal offer of the Gospel with a sectarian survival narrative.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a complete, perfect instruction manual for building a Lego castle, and the creator of the Legos said, 'This manual is finished. Do not add any pages to it.' That is how Christians view the Bible. But in this text, a man named Joseph Smith wrote a new page and said, 'God just gave me this new instruction, and you have to listen to me to be safe.' Also, the Bible says that anyone who believes in Jesus is part of God's family (the Saints). But this text says that only the people who follow Joseph Smith are the true Saints, and God is going to destroy the rest of the world just to punish the people who were mean to Joseph Smith's followers. Christians believe God's final judgment is about punishing sin and making the whole world right, not just protecting one specific group of people in America.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text claims to be a direct, new revelation from God, adding to the closed canon of Scripture.
Universal Priesthood / Ecclesiology
Narrows the definition of God's people ('Saints') to a single modern sect, excluding the broader body of Christ.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Saints"
In This Text
Members of Joseph Smith's church (Latter-day Saints) who are persecuted by the 'Gentiles'.
In Evangelicalism
All individuals who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ and set apart for God, regardless of denomination.
"Gentiles"
In This Text
Anyone who is not a member of the Latter-day Saint movement (often specifically referring to non-Mormon Americans in 19th-century LDS texts).
In Evangelicalism
Individuals of non-Jewish ethnic descent.
"Holy Places"
In This Text
Physical locations designated by LDS prophetic authority for gathering and safety (later evolving into Wards, Stakes, and Temples).
In Evangelicalism
In the New Covenant, believers themselves are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19); safety is found in spiritual union with Christ, not geographic location.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In the immediate context of this text, salvation is primarily physical preservation from apocalyptic wrath and spiritual readiness for the Day of the Lord.
How Attained: By obeying the prophet, gathering with the Saints, and standing in 'holy places.'
Basis of Assurance: Confidence is derived from being in the correct physical and institutional location ('holy places') and maintaining steadfastness ('be not moved').
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text does not address justification by faith. Instead, it promotes a works-and-obedience-based preservation. While Evangelicals believe in justification by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), this text implies that surviving God's wrath requires specific geographic and institutional alignment with Joseph Smith's movement.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Stand ye in holy places
- Be not moved, until the day of the Lord come
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith as a true prophet, seer, and revelator
- Identify as one of the 'Saints' to be protected from the coming wrath
- View the surrounding nations and 'Gentiles' as enemies slated for divine destruction
Ritual Requirements
- While not explicitly detailed in this short excerpt, 'standing in holy places' in LDS theology rapidly evolved to mean gathering to Zion and participating in Temple ordinances to secure divine protection.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- If a prophet makes a prediction, how much of it has to come true for us to trust they are speaking for God?
- When you read about the 'full end of all nations' in this prophecy, how do you reconcile that with the fact that the nations continued after the Civil War?
- Did you know that South Carolina had already threatened to rebel and start a war a month before Joseph Smith gave this prophecy in 1832?
- How does the biblical definition of a 'saint' in the New Testament compare to how the word is used in this revelation?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Standing in Holy Places
The text recognizes a deep human need for a safe refuge from the wrath of God and the chaos of the world. Evangelicals can agree that we need a 'holy place' to stand. However, the Gospel teaches that our holy place is not a physical temple or a specific church organization, but Jesus Christ Himself. When we are 'in Christ,' we are safe from God's wrath.
The Need for Justice
The text expresses a longing for justice against oppression and evil. The Gospel answers this longing not by destroying our earthly enemies, but by pouring out the wrath we all deserve upon Jesus Christ on the cross. True justice was satisfied at Calvary.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text cultivates a worldview of imminent, violent doom. Believers may live in constant anxiety about global events, viewing every war or natural disaster as the beginning of the end, fostering a fear-based faith rather than one resting in the peace of Christ.
The command to 'stand in holy places' places the burden of survival on the believer's ability to be in the right physical location, maintain the right institutional standing (temple recommends), and perform the right duties, rather than resting in the finished work of Christ.
By categorizing everyone outside the LDS church as 'Gentiles' or 'enemies' slated for destruction, the text fosters a deep psychological isolation from the broader Christian world and society at large.