Joseph Smith First Vision

First Vision

What was learned from the First Vision?

1. The existence of God our Father as a personal being, and proof that man was made in the image of God.

2. That Jesus is a personage, separate and distinct from the Father.

3. That Jesus Christ is declared by the Father to be his Son.

4. That Jesus was the conveyer of revelation as taught in the Bible.

5. The promise of James to ask of God for wisdom was fulfilled.

6. The reality of an actual being from an unseen world who tried to destroy Joseph Smith.

7. That there was a falling away from the Church established by Jesus Christ—Joseph was told not to join any of the sects, for they taught the doctrines of men.

8. Joseph Smith became a witness for God and his Son, Jesus Christ

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Joseph's Account Of First Vision:
(the full account of the first vision can be found at http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1

"At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to ask of God, concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture."

"So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally."

"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction."

"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me."

"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

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"So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation."

Joseph Smith

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[jayhawk88z]

Exodus 33:20  God declares, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.

[EscapeNewJersey]

@jayhawk88z So you agree that God has a face and body - well that is a start!

"I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Genesis 32:30

"And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle." Exodus 33:11

I suggest you read the Book of Mormon to resolve these contradictions in the Bible.

[DefendingMormonism]

Interesting music. Very solemn and and helps to portray the impact of that fateful day.

[EscapeNewJersey]

@DefendingMormonism Thanks, this is the way I have always pictured in my mind one of the most important and sacred events in human history.

[brian8793]

Man, Joseph was chosen for a reason. I would have probably of passed out or maybe just gone crazy.lol

I'm sure he struggled with his IMPOSSIBLE calling.

Christ's True Church could have never existed before 1790. It would never have been allowed to exist with all the corrupt leaders and Religious opression that exists throughout the world.

It was barely allowed to exist in a so called FREE SOCIETY!

Joseph was murdered, but the work was complete: )

[EscapeNewJersey]

@brian8793 Thanks for you comment!!

[whoisjohngaltqm]

At GarykColeman was Moses a man, or a prophet? Did not Adam walk with God? If you already knew God existed, would it matter to see him? Could someone see God in vision, and feel like face to face? if you have faith, does it really matter?

[GaryKColeman]

@jayhawk88z

Exodus 33:11 "And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend."

Exodus 33:20 "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live."

So which is it? Did Moses see the LORD face to face or not? Which verse is the truth?

[GaryKColeman]

@jayhawk88z

2- James F. Strange, a leading archaeologist & Baptist minister. He has kept his faith in spite of his scholarship.

William G. Dever, one of America's best-known & most widely quoted archaeologists. He was an ordained evangelical minister at age 17. He has 2 theological degrees. Because of his Bible studies, he lost his faith & became a Reform Jew, but now considers himself agnostic.

ALL 4 men agree that the Bible is NOT the accurate & "infallible word of God."

[GaryKColeman]

@jayhawk88z

In the Mar/Apr 2007 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Hershal Shanks interviewed 4 leading biblical scholars: Bart D. Ehrman, a leading expert on the apocryphal gospels. He was an evangelical until his scholarship led him to find contradictions & discrepancies in the Bible. He shifted to a fairly libral Protestant church. He later lost all faith because of theodicy.

Lawrence H. Schiffman, prominant Dead Sea Scroll scholar & Orthodox Jew.

cont....2

[jayhawk88z]

@brian8793 Joseph had

[jayhawk88z]

@EscapeNewJersey don't deamean the bible to try to advance your books I suggust you put down the mormon proprietary scriptures read the infallible word of God the bible.

[jayhawk88z]

@jayhawk88z including Joseph