Prophets among us

We read from ancient scriptures that God has always sent prophets to warn the people, as they become wicked – living in a way that will bring destruction upon them. We think, perhaps, that people in these ancient times needed lots of prophets, becoming very wicked easily and quickly – especially when prosperous. We think, perhaps also, that there don’t seem to be many prophets these days – we live in modern times, life is less religious or spiritual, and we know more about reality due to scientific inquiry and achievements. After all, if you’re a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there’s only one prophet, or perhaps 15, if you take all the members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles and First Presidency.

So, things are very different today, aren’t they? Maybe we just no longer need so many prophets. And no one prophesies of death and destruction these days…

The record of the Jaredites in America gives many examples of such ancient prophets sent to warn the people that they need to cease their wicked ways:

And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them – that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent.

Ether 9:28

Standard stuff – we read it over and over in scriptural accounts. Perhaps we also become a little immune to it, because it’s all so similar. ‘Ah, prophets again. Wickedness. I guess they’ll get destroyed by war next, or maybe a famine, or secret societies. Hm – so they did. So sad.’ And then another cycle, and another.

But surely the Lord and ancient recorders made particular note of these things and caused them to come forth for good reason. Not just to note what happened to them for a moralistic tale, so we can shake our heads and go on with our lives. We know that The Book of Mormon, especially, was written and brought forth for a very important purpose in these days – because our world needs its messages. Not only that Jesus is the Christ, although that is the central one; but that we, too, are in the same danger as these peoples. We have just the same problems – problems that societies the world over, all through history, have had (and The Book of Mormon‘s compilers, Mormon and Moroni, stated it repeatedly – ‘don’t do what we’ve done. See what our people’s mistakes brought them to. Be wiser than us’). Our time is no different – we’re not immune from destruction due to wickedness because there’s been scientific progress or a greater spread of democracy. Or because so many no longer believe in God or any supernatural power.

I think you are as aware of this as me; but what conclusion does it lead to? It leads me to this one: that the prophets God sends in our day are not restricted to those we might recognise as such – men called ‘prophets’, with an obviously spiritual message from God. Our prophets are also men and women who warn our societies based on their knowledge, research, and insight.

These ‘prophets’ warn the world about the dangers of ignoring the effects of industrial development on the global climate and not doing enough to reverse/halt them; of not caring enough about the state of the environment, or the desperately poor; of what will happen if de-forestation continues at current rates, or agriculture continues to be practised unsustainably, with monocultures and large amounts of toxic chemicals, and reliance on just a few types of food. They warn of the dangers facing societies which change their marriage laws, allowing and encouraging same-sex marriage, embracing and championing other radical sexual-identity measures, encouraging gender dysphoria in children, with its attendant surgeries and lifelong drug dependance. They illuminate the problems of widening gaps in prosperity, of diminishing freedoms as minority interests are imposed as a ruling focus, of the destruction of civilisations from self-recrimination and a misreading of history. Of the consequences of unlimited abortion laws and assisted suicide.

We have, in fact, many, many prophets today – and many false ones. It is essential that we know how to discern between them. It’s also imperative that we listen to them and not scorn and reject them because their messages don’t fit with what we like to imagine is real. Most often in the scriptures, prophets are rejected. The Jaredites warned above followed the pattern:

But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out and some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish.

Ether 9:29

What about our prophets? Mostly, their warnings are met with scoffs and scorn, or worse – ruining of careers and reputations, suing for compensation because they spoke against a prevailing attitude; criminal proceedings for imagined slights and efforts counteracting current popular ideas; bullying and bombardment with awful messages, images, graffiti, murderous threats, and more. They, and any who believe them, are ridiculed, ignored, or discredited. Braying crowds scream at and lambast public figures, people who’ve come to speak about a topic that concerns them, and anyone saying anything that contradicts their cause. Heated arguments lacking in respect towards the other party rage on; meanwhile, the problems get worse and those already suffering continue to suffer.

The destruction the prophets warn of always comes, unless there’s repentance – although often, it comes generations later. For the Jaredites, it was more immediate this time:

And it came to pass that there began to be a great dearth in the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth.

And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people.

Ether 9:30+31

Their flocks flee south before the serpents, and the people follow them, because they need to eat. Many of the people or animals die (I can never tell which is meant), and eventually the poisonous serpents stop pursuing them (again, not sure if that’s the people or animals), but form a barrier so they can’t go any further, to find land not affected by drought or more animals to hunt. So they eat the rest of the flocks killed by the serpents (I wouldn’t, but I guess they were desperate), until there’s no more food. At that point, they finally realise their situation, and start to remember the prophesies, and God, and to repent and humble themselves.

And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine.

Ether 9:35

The people prosper again – but it took 8 generations (long ones) before the serpents preventing passage into the fruitful lands south were destroyed. The consequences of not heeding prophets are likewise deep and long-lasting for our societies. Most often, they will be largely ignored until the destruction they prophesy of has arrived in such a way that it cannot be ignored any longer. By then, it’s too late to prevent most of the damage; but the future can be slowly gained back again.

What are we doing now? How is our world heeding its prophets? I think, for the most part, very poorly – just as ancient peoples did. I am quite sure we’re heading towards the same sort of destruction that came to them – natural consequences of trends/actions, which God warns people about, so they have the chance to turn around and take better paths. Sometimes I see these trends myself, and feel powerless to change what’s happening; things occur as I foresaw they would, and the danger is realised too late; sometimes, the consequences are blamed on the wrong causes or people. I’m not really sure what to do about this problem; it’s very difficult to see how things will likely go, and have to watch it happen, with all the attendant damage. God and His prophets say to trust Him, follow Christ, and serve others by sharing the Gospel. He has foreseen all the destructions of all the societies of this earth. I hope our prophets – all of them – will be better heeded, and allowed to lead our world to the blessings promised for those who listen. Even if it’s only some. In another king’s time, much later, prophets again came to warn the Jaredites of their destruction if they wouldn’t forsake their ‘murders and wickedness’. Again, most didn’t like the message; but Com, the king, welcomed them and was blessed for it:

And it came to pass that the prophets were rejected by the people, and they fled unto Com for protection, for the people sought to destroy them.

And they prophesied unto Com many things; and he was blessed in all the remainder of his days.

Ether 10:2-3

Perhaps we can learn from him.

To finish, here are some of the warnings given by anointed prophets in recent times.

“We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children….

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose….

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

September 1995