Bible References About
Joseph Smith's Calling as a Prophet
Joseph Smith was the first prophet in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times. God used Joseph to end the apostasy by restoring the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood authority and keys to the Earth. Under the direction of Jesus Christ, Joseph translated the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham, received revelations which were canonized as a volume of modern scripture along with countless others that were unpublished, organized and led the church, built two temples, established the missionary program, led the church through 4 states, established and built several cities, one that rivaled Chicago, was general over a militia, ran for president of the United States, and was faithful to The Lord when he died a martyr at age 36, in 1844.
Here are some Bible verses that foretell of Joseph's ministry.
Isaiah 29:11-12
"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."
Joseph Smith only had the equivalent of a 6th grade education. He was exactly as the scripture says - an unlearned man. The bible passage refers to the gold plates being delivered to Joseph for translation by the power of God. The learned man in the verse refers to the language expert that Martin Harris brought copies of the writing on the gold plates. The expert examined the characters and authenticated them. When Martin told the expert that the writings came from gold plates and that part of them were sealed, the learned man tore up the authentication and said, "I cannot read a sealed book."
Malachi 3:1
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts."
This prophecy was fulfilled on April 3, 1836 in the Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph is the "messenger", who had prepared the way for the Lord through the restoration of all things. The Lord, Jesus Christ, did indeed come suddenly to His temple in Kirtland, Ohio, appearing to the prophet, Joseph, and to Sydney Rigdon. During that same experience Moses and Elijah appeared to them also and conferred the keys for missionary and temple work.
Ezekiel 37:16-20
"Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes."
This is a reference to the Book of Mormon and the Bible being companion books that compliment each other. I've included this under the Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon references because the two go hand in hand. The Book of Mormon is a true volume of scripture, prophesied in the Bible, and brought forth by God. Since the Book of Mormon is the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy then Joseph Smith is indeed a Prophet of God.