Conclusion

Through Ezekiel, God summarized his relationship with the Israelites to that point. He said:

In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord. Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day. Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 20:6-44.)

This passage serves as a fitting analog to the behavior of modern Israel in how they have treated the revelations of Joseph, and God’s response to them because of it.

The task of Joseph’s successors was to teach what Joseph gave them. How well they have or continue to do so is an open question. Joseph said “...if any man preach any other gospel than that which I have preached, he shall be cursed...” (Joseph Smith, Historical Record 7:548.)

A brief survey of milestones in the administrations of Joseph Smith’s successors punctuates some of the very many differences in the gospel of modern Mormonism and the gospel restored by Joseph Smith. Brigham Young made plural marriage a general practice, created first presidency succession from the twelve, subjugated the authority of stake presidents, the seventy, and patriarchs to the twelve, banned blacks from having the priesthood, began the practice of ordaining children as teachers, deacons, and priests, created Adam-God doctrine and blood atonement. I am not aware of changes John Taylor made. Wilford Woodruff revoked the law of adoption, invented white temple clothing, and had the interesting experiences of receiving a revelation saying polygamy would never end, then a revelation that said it had ended, all without actually ending it. Lorenzo Snow changed the law of tithing, removing the initial consecration. In his defense, he saw that this was necessary to spur dwindling tithing receipts due to the continual abuse of asking for additional consecrations exercised by Brigham Young and others over the years when funds were low. Joseph F. Smith mandated the use of the word of wisdom as a commandment with some exceptions for the elderly and new converts, changed the sacrament ordinance from using wine to water, and ended plural marriage by fiat. Heber J. Grant modified the garment, significantly changed the endowment and changed the way men were ordained. George A. Smith issued a letter saying Brigham Young’s priesthood ban was a direct commandment from God without any evidence that it was. David O. McKay revoked the commandment to gather and began the building of many temples, mostly to keep members in their home countries. Joseph Fielding Smith created many volumes of writings containing the philosophies of men mingled with scripture, many of which the church has subsequently disavowed. Harold B. Lee created correlation, a program whose consequences are beyond what can be discussed here.¹ Spencer W. Kimball modified the garment, reversed Brigham Young’s priesthood ban, refuted Adam-God doctrine, taught missionaries sales tactics, ended practice of the true order of prayer outside of temples, and removed the office of presiding patriarch. Ezra Taft Benson and Howard W. Hunter were incapacitated for most of their presidencies. Gordon B. Hinckley significantly modified the endowment ceremony as a result of surveys showing dissatisfaction with the contents and modified the structure and function of the seventies quorums. So far, Thomas S. Monson has modified the endowment ceremony and changed the classification of homosexual desires from a sin to acceptable.

The successors of Joseph Smith have ignored his oracles, and claimed his authority in spite of not receiving more revelation. Modern leaders not only fail to claim new revelation, but they claim that new revelation is not important.

I have learned that strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not come to us very frequently. (President Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” January 1983.)

Let me say first that we have a great body of revelation, the vast majority of which came from the prophet Joseph Smith. We don't need much revelation. We need to pay more attention to the revelation we've already received. (SF Gate, “SUNDAY INTERVIEW -- Musings of the Main Mormon / Gordon B. Hinckley” April 13, 1997.)

Revelation is not constant. The Lord’s way puts limits on how often He will speak to us by His Spirit. Not understanding this, some have been misled by expecting revelations too frequently. (Elder Dahlin H. Oaks, “In his own time, in his own way,” Ensign August 2013.)

Joseph once directed the following to the Apostles and members:

O ye Twelve! and all Saints! profit by this important Key—that in all your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments and death, see to it, that you do not betray heaven; that you do not betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren; that you do not betray the revelations of God, whether in Bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is to come. Yea, in all your kicking and flounderings, see to it that you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, and you go down to hell. (Joseph Smith, TPJS, p. 156.)

Would Joseph consider that those claiming to be his successors have remained true and faithful to what God revealed through him? Would he judge them faithful to the revelations of God? To the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants?² Or, would he find that they have betrayed him and God by replacing, adding to, and removing the revelations for the commandments of men, as Jeremiah prophesied:

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13.)

The figurative cisterns that hold the commandments of men are broken because their contents are not sound: they always change.

God is testing us to see how completely we will live his commandments as given through Joseph Smith.³ Individuals will only be taught the revelations in the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon as we hearken unto what we have already received, which is currently hid up because of our unbelief in what God has revealed to us already:

For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord. And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh. Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. (Ether 4:6-8, 13.)

God punished the Israelites with the removal of the higher blessings of the covenant when they rejected the covenant offered through Moses:

When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned. The Israelites prayed that God would speak to Moses and not to them; in consequence of which he cursed them with a carnal law. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 22.)

If, as a church, we have rejected the covenant offered by God through Joseph, what is our condition?