Must a Prophet’s Prophecies All Be Fulfilled?
A common belief is that for someone to be considered a true prophet, every prophecy they deliver must come to pass without exception. However, this perspective is overly simplistic and doesn’t account for the complexities and conditions often embedded in biblical prophecy.
Conditional Prophecies: The Case of Jonah
Consider the story of Jonah. He declared unequivocally that Nineveh would be destroyed: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). There were no stated exceptions or calls for repentance; Jonah’s message was one of total, impending doom. Yet, when the people of Nineveh repented, God spared the city. Does this mean Jonah was a false prophet? Of course not. This instance illustrates how prophecies can be conditional, even when the conditions aren’t explicitly stated. God’s mercy can alter outcomes, reflecting the relational and responsive nature of divine prophecy.
Prophecies That Have Yet to Be Fulfilled
Isaiah 17:1–2 prophesies the fall of Damascus, predicting that it would become a ruinous heap, never to be inhabited again. Yet today, Damascus remains one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Similarly, Jeremiah’s prophecy about the Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 25:11) specified 70 years. However, historically, the Babylonian exile lasted about 48 years, from the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. to Cyrus’s decree in 538 B.C.E., allowing the Jews to return.
Unfulfilled Old Testament Prophecies
- Genesis 15:18: The promise that Israel would occupy the land from the Nile to the Euphrates has never been realized in its entirety.
- II Samuel 7:10: The assurance that the Israelites would never again be disturbed has clearly not held true through centuries of exile and conflict.
- II Samuel 7:16: The prophecy that King David’s throne would be established forever remains debated, particularly as it relates to messianic fulfillment.
- Isaiah 52:1: Uncircumcised individuals are indeed present in Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 19:5–7: The drying up of the waters of Egypt is another prediction that has not materialized.
Divine Prerogative: Command and Revoke
Doctrine and Covenants 56:3–4 offers insight into the nature of prophecy: “I, the Lord, command; and he that will not obey shall be cut off in mine own due time, after I have commanded and the commandment is broken. Wherefore, I, the Lord, command and revoke, as it seemeth me good.” This scripture highlights God’s prerogative to modify or revoke commands based on human action. Prophecies may therefore be adapted according to divine will, especially when people change their behavior, as seen in Nineveh’s case.
The Misapplication of Deuteronomy 13:1–3
Some argue that Deuteronomy 13:1–3 establishes a strict test for determining true prophets. This passage warns against prophets or dreamers who lead the Israelites to worship other gods. However, this directive was specifically about maintaining religious purity in Israel and guarding against idolatry. The broader context in Deuteronomy 12:29–32 and Deuteronomy 13:6–9 emphasizes God’s command for the Israelites to reject and punish any attempt to lead them astray. The emphasis is not on the absolute fulfillment of every prophecy but rather on the spiritual loyalty of the people.
Conclusion: Understanding Prophecy
Interpreting biblical prophecy requires a nuanced understanding of context, divine prerogative, and the conditional nature of many predictions. Rather than viewing prophecy as a rigid guarantee of future events, it is often a call to action, a warning, or a promise that may shift based on human choices and God’s will. The stories of Jonah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others illustrate that divine messages are often more complex than they first appear, and applying rigid standards of interpretation can overlook the deeper relational dynamics between God and humanity.
Questions and Answers
Did Job or any of the biblical prophets teach as Joseph Smith did that some prophecy is from God, some prophecy is from man, and some prophecy is from the devil?
Yes, the Bible — like Joseph Smith — acknowledges that not all prophecy is purely from God. Prophets can speak by true revelation, by their own spirit, or even under satanic influence. This idea, though not always phrased exactly as Joseph Smith did, is clearly taught in scripture.
Prophets Can Prophesy Falsely, Even While Believing They Are Right
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.”
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!”
False Prophets Can Prophesy by a Lying Spirit (Devilish Influence)
The Lord allows a lying spirit to deceive Ahab’s prophets: “And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead?… And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him… Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets.” This is a stunning passage: prophets gave real prophetic utterances under the influence of a lying spirit — not God.
Some Inspired Figures Can Misinterpret God’s Will
2 Samuel 7:2–5 (Nathan and David)
David wants to build the temple; Nathan says: “Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.” But that very night, God corrects Nathan: “Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?” Nathan initially spoke without waiting for a full revelation — showing even righteous prophets could mistake their own desires for God’s voice.
Prophets and the Requirement of Testing Prophecies
“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” God anticipates failed prophecies and teaches Israel how to discern between true and false messages. Note that he doesn’t say that the individual who said that which didn’t come to pass wasn’t a prophet. But rather that you do not need to be afraid of him, for evidently he has much left to learn.
Joseph Smith’s Teaching in Harmony with Biblical Precedent
Joseph Smith’s acknowledgment that revelation can come from God, man, or the devil directly echoes the principles found in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 1 Kings, and Deuteronomy. His admission isn’t unique or a “major flaw”; it aligns him with biblical prophets who also sometimes confused their own will with divine will — and who lived in a world where revelation had to be discerned carefully.
Even Paul the Apostle taught in 1 Corinthians 13:9: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” Revelation, even in the New Testament Church, was partial, incomplete, and sometimes subject to human limitation.
Joseph Smith’s teaching that revelation must be discerned — distinguishing between God, man, and the devil — is fully in harmony with biblical precedent. Prophets anciently made mistakes, spoke prematurely, or were deceived. God provided scriptural tests because He knew mortal men, even prophets, could misunderstand or be misled.
Joseph Smith’s transparency about the fallibility of human interpretation of divine messages actually strengthens his credibility when judged by biblical standards.