Post by Joseph –
Jacob told you about his blessing and the teachings he received from our father. Though my father did the same with me, rather than teach doctrines of great profoundness, he mostly prophesied about my posterity and taught me about my ancestor for whom I was named. As Jacob said, we two were born in the wilderness, and according to my father, it was in the days of his greatest sorrow. Since he and Nephi were studying the plates of brass during the time of our birth, we were named after two of the great prophets. He made it very clear that this land has been consecrated to us and our children as long as we keep the commandments.
Permit me to share this prophecy, originally received by Joseph, my ancestor, who was sold into Egypt.
“Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off.” Thats us, we are the branch that is broken off, being led out of Jerusalem.
There is a promise that in the future, my descendants will be brought out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. Joseph testified that “A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.” He said, “Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.”
The Lord compared this seer to Moses because he will deliver my descendants from darkness in the last days. The Lord said to Joseph that this seer will be given power to bring the word of the Lord to my people and have power to convince them of its truthfulness. He was told that our descendants will write a history and the descendants of Judah will also write. The writings of both of these people will be brought together to confound the false doctrines and bring down the contentions and eventually bring this knowledge of the Lord’s covenants to our seed.
Out of weakness this seer will be made strong when this work will commence among the Lord’s people. This was quite a promise to Joseph. Think of it. In the future there will be a great falling away and the Lord made a promise to Joseph that one of his descendants will be raised up to bring His people to salvation. Joseph even said that the Lord told him that this seer would have his same name and also the same name of his father. If you know much about Joseph, he delivered his family from the famine. He prophesied that Moses would be called to deliver his people from Egypt, and now he prophesied that yet in the future, one of his descendants will deliver my people.
Listening to Nephi and my father, it seems that we always need a deliverer, someone to speak, preach and restore God’s word. These deliverers will be prophets called to teach the word, they will be mighty men of God and will be instruments in His hands. They will do lots of good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that things which are great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy brethren.
My father concluded his words to me by telling me I am blessed of the Lord and that I should follow Nephi. It seemed a little dramatic but he told me to listen to the words of my dying father. Whether he is dying or not, I love my father and will listen to his words.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 3:1 – 25)
