Final Week of Jesus and Final Week of Joseph Smith

02 April

The Final Week of Jesus and the Final Week of Joseph Smith

(Originally published in 2005) – updated

Luke 22:54-23:33 is the focus of this article and for the sake of space we ask that you open your own Bibles to read along as we point out the significant events that took place in Jesus’ last few days of life here on earth.

At the time of this writing it is December 2005.  During this great season of looking to God who gave us His Son, we are also striving to keep the LDS Church’s focus placed in the right direction.

This year just so happens to be the 200th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith.

Smith was born on December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont; you can read his testimony in length in the Pearl of Great Price.  The Church has placed much emphasis on the birth of Joseph with pageants throughout the U.S. and various other celebration gatherings while praising the name of Joseph Smith.  Keep in mind they are not praising God that Smith was born; they are praising the created man Joseph Smith.  We decided it’d behoove our readers to have a side by side comparison of the arrest of Jesus and Joseph.  Let’s see if the reasons for both of these arrests were warranted, the outcome of each and their ramifications.

                  Jesus Christ                          Joseph Smith
Arrested in Garden on Thursday of Holy Week. Remember He’s already come into town on a donkey where people joyfully greeted Him while waving palm branches. Three main criticisms of Smith published in Nauvoo Expositor on June 7, 1844.  Polygamy, exaltation & false prophecy.  He was mayor of Nauvoo, Lt. Gen. of the Legion of Nauvoo, Pres. of city council & Prophet of the Church
Taken to Annas, father in law of Caiaphas, questioned and beaten. Nauvoo City Council declared the destruction of newspaper for June 10, 1844.
Taken to Caiaphas the high priest to answer for false charge of blasphemy, beaten. Charged with riot by Illinois Governor Ford and issued warrant with guarantee of safety.
Questioned by Sanhedrin, beaten & spat upon. June 25, 1844 Joseph & Hyrum Smith arrested and incarcerated in Nauvoo.
Still on Thursday He was taken to Annas, Caiaphas & Sanhedrin again, beaten and spat upon. Additional charges of treason are levied against Smith for declaring martial law.  This is a capital offense.
Friday-taken to Sanhedrin. Guns smuggled into jail & given to Smith brothers.
Taken to Pilate-found not guilty. Jailor at Carthage takes a sudden leave of absence with family.
Taken to Herod-found not guilty. Mob approaches Carthage jail, gets into gunfight with Joseph & Hyrum.
Taken to Pilate again to be condemned. Joseph manages to shoot & kill two people.
Crucified. Joseph & Hyrum are shot & killed.

With the advent of the Jesus’ crucifixion, people were set free from the Law, our sins forgiven and God’s good news was spread throughout all the earth.  There was no deceit found in His mouth, no weapons smuggled into the courtyard for His defense and no witnesses who would stand to give a good account of our Lord.  He had committed no crime, broken no law, told no lie and came to set the captives free!

Joseph, on the other hand, was charged with numerous violations he had committed, jailed and didn’t wait for his day in court.  Now you can say the mob didn’t wait either which was wrong on their part, but aren’t we supposed to wait upon the Lord and not our own understanding?  It is illegal for the prisoner to have possession of a gun while incarcerated.  What prisoners did Joseph set free?  You can’t be a martyr if you fight back when attacked.

After seeing a side-by-side account of these two men I’d like for the Mormon to tell me why it is they worship Joseph over Jesus…

Praise to the Man, Hymn #27

Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!

Jesus annointed that Prophet and Seer.

Blessed to open the last dispensation,

Kings shall extol him and nations revere.

Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!

Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.

Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;

Death cannot conquer the hero again.

Praise to his mem’ry he died as a martyr;

Honored and blest be his ever great name!

Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins,

Plead unto heav’n while the earth lauds his fame.

Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.

Ever and ever the keys he will hold.

Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom,

Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old.

Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven;

Earth must atone for the blood of that man.

Wake up the world for the conflict of justice.

Millions shall know “Brother Joseph” again.

While reading over the words of that Mormon hymn there are many places one would think it was Jesus they are singing about, sadly enough we all know the truth.  Let us remember the sacrifices that Jesus made for us and have those be the things we keep our minds upon!

The Scottish missionary Amy Carmichael, once said;

“If I covet any place but the dust at the foot of the cross, then I know nothing of Calvary Love”.

It looks as if the Mormons who have protested about this article are feeling as if they’ve been persecuted.  They want the attention placed upon them and Joseph Smith instead of the sacrifice our Lord Jesus so willingly gave for us.

Since the original posting of this article just two months ago, we have received several e-mails from angry Mormons condemning us for our work.  Most didn’t even know they could read about the shoot out at Carthage from their own documents in History of the Church 6:612-630.  Some had never heard that Joseph Smith had shot and killed two people before getting shot himself.  Again, if we would keep our focus where it should be then perhaps we wouldn’t be so quick to throw out the truth!

Jude 1:24-5 says; “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor. 1:18  …

Tags: , , , , , ,

8 Responses to “Final Week of Jesus and Final Week of Joseph Smith”

  1. thegardensofboxwoodmanor April 2, 2012 at 7:46 pm #

    “Praise to the MAN” ???? How ungodly!

  2. YourKingdomInheritance April 2, 2012 at 10:35 pm #

    All honor, praise and glory be given to Jesus Christ alone who atoned for our sins! He alone is worthy! Thank you for your great work. Also I would love to get the handouts if you could mail me a link. Thank you! Lavonneearl@mac.com

  3. fred April 3, 2012 at 4:15 pm #

    (Joseph manages to shoot & kill two people.)

    You make it sound like the Mormons were the first to shoot instead of responding to the attack of the mob made up of PROTESTants and nonbelievers.

    fred

  4. camdenc April 4, 2012 at 6:47 pm #

    Fred – Michelle’s statement doesn’t insinuate that the Mormons were the first to shoot… “Joseph MANAGES to shoot & kill two people”. People know the story… and anyone that really wants to fact check can find the story on the LDS website. Had she stated something like, “Joseph set out to shoot members of the mob and managed to shoot & kill two people”, then you could say it sounded like they were the first to shoot. What happened is the mob broke into the jail and during the melee, Joseph fired off his revolver, killing 2 mobsters before being shot himself, falling out of the window (or while he was jumping out of the window, not sure) and if my memory serves right, yelling out some Freemasonry term before he fell. (I may be wrong about that… Michelle, a little help, please?)

    You typed “Protestants” with an emphasis on PROTEST… The word “Protestant” came out of the reformation when Luther “protested” the tyranny of the “state religion”. The world has put labels on the followers of Christ. The “ones called out” are in the “Body of Christ”. I, for one, do not get hung-up on whether someone is “Catholic” or “Protestant”… we are Christians.

    We believe in 7 essential doctrines…

    1.) The Deity of Jesus – God from all eternity, no beginning and no end.
    2.) Born to a Virgin
    3.) Paid for our sins on the cross (“It is finished).
    4.) Resurected 3 days later
    5.) Believe in Him for Salvation (saved by Grace)
    6.) He is coming back!
    7.) Everlasting Life in the presence of God for the ones whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life.

  5. thegardensofboxwoodmanor April 4, 2012 at 9:57 pm #

    Amen, Camden!

  6. David June 8, 2016 at 2:28 pm #

    The Mormons always think it incredulous to find out Joseph Smith WAS NOT like a second coming of Jesus nor did he emulate Jesus in ANY WAY. It’s so sad that they believe in learning 1 thing (Joseph Smith is the greatest prophet there ever was or will be) and then completely stop thinking for themselves or investigating the whole history. When pushed about the facts, they merely stick their head in the said and say something about faith. A dangerous place to be.

  7. David June 8, 2016 at 2:29 pm #

    Er, that’s “sand” above, not “said”.

Leave a Reply to camdenc Click here to cancel reply.