#9 "...when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world"

On May 12^th 1844 Joseph Smith gave a sermon teaching that at the time that the tribulations of the last generation mentioned in Matthew 24 take place; the gospel would be committed to God’s last witness. He infers very strongly that he is the last witness:

The following is the journal entry without spelling corrections:

“I shall read the 24th. ch of Matthew and give it a litteral rendering and reading, and when it is rightly understood it will be edifying (he then read & translated it from the German) I thought the very oddity of its rendering would be edifying any how--"And it will preached be; the Gospel of the Kingdom in the whole world, to a witness over all people, and then will the end come." I will now read it in German--(which he did, and many Germans who were present said he translated it correct)

the Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world, the keys of knowledge, power, and revelations, should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world;

it has always been my province to dig up hidden mysteries, new things, for my hearers-- just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the keys of the Priesthood just at that time, I have the greatest right--the Germans are an exalted people.

the old German translators are the most correct; most honest of any of the translators, and therefore I get testimony to bear me out in the revelations that I have preached for the last 14 years--the old German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew translations all say it is true, they cannot be impeached, and therefore I am in good company—

all the testimony is, that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys of the Priesthood to a witness over all people--has the Gospel of the Kingdom commenced in the last days? and will God take it from the man, until he takes him, himself?

I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ--John the Revelator saw an angel flying thro' the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, &c. the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth--John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood who should preach the everlasting gospel to all nations,--God had an angel, a special messenger, ordained, & prepared for that purpose in the last days—"

This is one more witness that the Marvelous Work is a future event.... from the words of Joseph Smith we learn that when the signs and judgments of the last generation spoken of in Matthew 24 are about to take place, the gospel is committed to his servant whose is to be the last witness over all nations.

The above quotes from the sermon Joseph Smith gave provides another evidence that there will be a future work and it will involve Joseph Smith. In a future post, I will provide another similar quote from Joseph Smith, wherein he states that he will be the last prophet of the last dispensation..