1 THE PROPHET LIKE UNTO MOSES There are many scriptures which have been brought to us that speak of this prophet in the last days who will be "like unto" Moses. The following scriptures are given to show that the Lord has given us many witnesses explaining who the prophet "like unto" Moses will be. The word of the Lord is established or is proven by two or three witnesses. Jesus stated: "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true." John 8:17 "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” Matthew 18:16 Paul stated: "This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." 2 Corinthians 13:1 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." I Thessalonians 5:21 Nephi stated: "Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses; and he proveth all his words. Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ: For, for this end hath the law of Moses been given: And all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.” 2 Nephi 8:5-9 As stated above "all things...are the typifying of him." Joseph Smith Jr. was a type and shadow of the future "choice seer." In the following scriptures, enough evidence is given from the prophets to inform us who the one "like unto" Moses will be in the last days. On September 21, 1823, a heavenly messenger quoted several scriptures from the Bible while appearing to Joseph Smith Jr. These scriptures were quoted four times to him. One of these scriptures is a quote from Peter: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom ye have crucified; Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, Like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” Acts 3:19-24 From the above scripture we find that: 1. There will come a period of time called: "times of refreshing" and "times of restitution of all things" Refreshing means, "to revive or renew." Restitution means, "to restore to the rightful owner something taken away, lost, or surrendered." 2 2. During this time of refreshing and restitution the Lord: "shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom ye have crucified;" We find that Peter is telling us of a future coming of the Lord. "The heavens must receive (the Lord) until the times of restitution of all things." We also find that the "times of restitution of all things" is that "which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.'' 3. Peter then quotes Moses and speaks of this future prophet: "A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." In this scripture we have been told that if we do riot "hear" or listen to this prophet when he comes, we will "be destroyed." 4. Finally Peter stated: "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." We find that all the prophets from Samuel spoke of the "times of the restitution of all things.” Why does the Lord specifically refer to Samuel? The name "Samuel" in Hebrew means "Heard of God." Samuel heard the Lord speak and answered: "Speak; for thy servant heareth.” 1 Samuel 3:1-10 This implies that we too must hear the Lord when he speaks. After the heavenly messenger quoted the above scripture, he then told Joseph: “...that prophet was Christ, but the day had not yet come when they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people, but soon would come." The History of ,the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Volume 1, page 13. From the above statement we learn that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled and that this prophet "like unto" Moses, will be the Lord. The original quote from Moses as quoted by Peter is as follows: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;... I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto Lny words which he shall speak in my name, I will reggire it of him.” Deut. 18:15, 18-19 Nephi also quoted the prophecy of Moses and declared, "This prophet of whom Moses spoke, was the Holy One of Israel:" "And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet, shall be cut off from among the people. And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom Moses spake, was the Holy One of Israel; Wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness; And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall not be confounded. But it is the kingdom of the devil which shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is established among 3 them which are in the flesh: For the time speedily shall come, that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; Yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil, are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; They are those who must be brought low in the dust; They are those who must be consumed as stubble: And this is according to the words of the prophet. And the time cometh speedily, that the righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory." 1 Nephi 7:43-55 (See also 3 Ne. 11:22-24 & Mal.4:1-3) Frcm the scripture above we learn that "the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people.” Who is the "way"? Jesus stated: "I am the way, the truth, and the life" John 14:6 The "way" is the Lord himself. Also from the above words of Nephi we learn that when the Lord comes as the prophet "like unto" Moses that "he shall execute judgment in righteousness." This second coming will be a time of "judgment" to those who will not receive him or listen to his words. Joseph Smith Jr. prophesied of a future time when those who will not hear this prophet will "be cut off from among the people:" "and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;" Doc. & Cov. 1:3c "And upon them that hearken not to the voice of the Lord, shall be fulfilled that which was written by the prophet Moses, that they should be cut off from among the people." Doc. & Cov. 108:lle While speaking of the four different types of priesthood in the last days, the Lord ends by telling the final outcome of the "evil servant." Please notice that the prophecy of Moses is mentioned. This one group of priesthood will "be cut off from among the people.” The reason is because that they will not accept or listen to the Lord when he comes as the one "like unto" Moses. "But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of the servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.