Do Prophets Always Understand How Their Prophesies Will Be Fulfilled

[Stone holm]

Today I uttered an assertion that Prophets do not always understand the full meaning of their prophecies. Was I wrong?

[JLHPROF]

No.   Unless they saw an actual vision of the prophecy such as the SL Temple that BY saw, it would be highly unlikely that they would fully understand their prophecies fulfillment, only the end result.

[Stone holm]

No.   Unless they saw an actual vision of the prophecy such as the SL Temple that BY saw, it would be highly unlikely that they would fully understand their prophecies fulfillment, only the end result.

That was my thinking, at least in part, not even sure they are always clear as to the end result, as I am not sure that OT prophets clearly understood what would happen with Christ at the time of His mortal ministry.

[ksfisher]

That was my thinking, at least in part, not even sure they are always clear as to the end result, as I am not sure that OT prophets clearly understood what would happen with Christ at the time of His mortal ministry.

...just as today we may not fully understand what will happen at Christ's second coming or during the millenium.

[Stone holm]

...just as today we may not fully understand what will happen at Christ's second coming or during the millenium.

Correct and the likelihood of error seems to grow with the extent of our personal certainty.

[Glenn101]

It is evident from some of the scriptures themselves that the prophets do not always understand the full meaning of their own prophecies. Take Joseph Smith's rather infamous (in some circles) "56 year prophecy" about the second coming of the Savior. He was not sure what it meant.

 

Section 130:

14 I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following:
15 Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.
16 I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face.
17 I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.

 

I would imagine that the prophets that saw our times from a great distance in the futire did not understand all or maybe even much of what they were seeing as to the planes, transe, automobiles, etc.

 

Glenn

[Stone holm]

I have sometimes wondered if we are correct in our belief that the so called civil war prophecy has already been fulfilled.

[Glenn101]

I have sometimes wondered if we are correct in our belief that the so called civil war prophecy has already been fulfilled.

 

 

There's going to be another rebellion starting in South Carolina???

[Stone holm]

There's going to be another rebellion starting in South Carolina???

Have you been following the stuff that is going on down there? South Carolina was and remains the least patriotic State in the Union.