Nephi’s Prophecy Fulfilled in First Vision

In 2 Nephi 27, Nephi delivered several prophecies about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, as well as Joseph Smith’s role in that miraculous process. In one passage, Nephi declared the following: 

And again it shall come to pass that the Lord shall say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him: Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men. (2 Ne. 27:24–25)

When read in context, this prophecy is about what the Lord would, in some future day, tell Joseph Smith. Textual analysis suggests that Nephi’s prophecy may have been fulfilled during Joseph Smith’s First Vision, which occurred in the spring of 1820. As one can see from the 1832 and 1838 accounts of that event, the wording of Nephi’s prophecy aligns closely with what the Lord told the young Joseph during that momentous theophany:¹

Interpreting the Fulfillment of Nephi’s Prophecy

Despite these strong textual parallels, one may question whether the First Vision actually provides a fitting context for this prophecy’s fulfillment. After all, only two verses earlier, Nephi was commenting on the completion of the Book of Mormon’s translation, as well as it being sealed up again unto the Lord (2 Nephi 27:22). With that backdrop in mind, one might expect Nephi’s prediction to reference an event that would follow, rather than precede, the Book of Mormon’s translation.

While that assumption may seem valid at first glance, it should be understood that oracular language doesn’t always follow a perfectly linear progression. Prophetic discourse can sometimes skip forward, jump backward, or otherwise present events out of immediate sequence.² It is also noteworthy that Nephi introduced this prophecy by stating, “And again it shall come to pass” (2 Nephi 27:24). Since the phrase “and it came to pass” is often used in the Book of Mormon to signal a shift in topic or timeframe, the wording here could easily be intended to introduce a new temporal context.³

Another thing to consider is that the specific language of this prophecy is fairly unique. The wording originally comes from statements made in Isaiah 29:13–14, which were later quoted in the New Testament (Matthew 15:8; Mark 7:6) as well as in the prophecy given by Nephi (2 Nephi 27:23–25).⁴ Aside from these passages, close renditions of Isaiah’s words show up in only two other places in the Standard Works: Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:27–29) and in D&C 45:28–29.⁵ Here are the relevant passages listed below:⁶

Naturally, this may lead one to wonder if the revelation given to Joseph Smith in D&C 45—which came after the Book of Mormon’s translation—might not be the better candidate for the fulfillment of Nephi’s prophecy. Several factors indicate that it isn’t.

First of all, the language Joseph Smith used to describe his First Vision (especially in the 1838 account) involves a lengthy paraphrase with several close phrasal or conceptual matches. In contrast, the passage in D&C 45 is a shorter allusion. So, on textual grounds, the latter would be an inferior fulfillment.

One might also note a meaningful difference in context. In the First Vision accounts, the Lord directly spoke to Joseph Smith and to him alone. This agrees with the wording in Nephi’s prophecy: “the Lord shall say unto him that shall read the words” (2 Nephi 27:24). In contrast, the revelation in D&C 45, although it was communicated through Joseph Smith, was not directed specifically to him. Instead, it addresses the Church membership at large: “Hearken, O ye people of my church” (D&C 45:1; cf. v. 6).

Perhaps most telling of all is a significant context clue found in the verse that immediately follows Nephi’s prophecy: “Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder” (2 Nephi 27:26). When these words, originally from Isaiah, are placed in the context of Nephi’s prophecy, the phrase “marvelous work” is best understood as a reference to the Book of Mormon’s miraculous coming forth and translation.⁷ Therefore, the phrase “I will proceed to do a marvelous work” (given in the future tense) indicates that the Book of Mormon wouldn’t have been translated yet at the time the Lord would say these words to Joseph. Assuming this reading is correct, the First Vision context appropriately fits the timeframe suggested by the prophecy.⁸

When the evidence is considered in its entirety, the most appealing candidate for the fulfillment of Nephi’s prophecy is found in Joseph Smith’s First Vision. The Lord’s reported statements to him on that occasion provide the best context as far as timeframe and intended audience, as well as the best known phrasal matching.⁹

Conclusion

Could Joseph Smith have simply made up this prophecy in 2 Nephi 27 and then remembered to record its fulfillment when giving his accounts of his First Vision? While that possibility can’t be ruled out, neither is it the obvious conclusion.

The Book of Mormon is a very complex text. In addition to its prophecies, like this one, that appear to have been fulfilled in modern times,¹⁰ it also contains scores of internal prophetic fulfillments,¹¹ as well as hosts of other complex data.¹² When viewed collectively, the notion that Joseph Smith had the mental capacity to keep track of these numerous internal and external prophecies and to accurately record their fulfillments (or ensure that they all transpired as predicted) seems doubtful.¹³

If Joseph indeed made this prophecy up, as would be assumed by his critics, there is a decent chance he might have forgotten to record its fulfillment. After all, how many readers of the Book of Mormon have ever noticed this particular prediction or recognized its fulfillment in the First Vision accounts?¹⁴ When viewed in comparison, the likelihood of this event being remembered and accurately reported years later seems much higher if it actually happened to Joseph in one of the most memorable visions of his life, rather than being just an obscure, fabricated prophecy interwoven into a very lengthy and complex text alongside thousands of other made-up details.

One might also consider the slight variation in wording found in the 1832 and 1838 accounts, when compared to the text of the Book of Mormon. Rather than precisely following the phrasing of the original prophecy in 2 Nephi 27, Joseph instead seems to have reported the Lord’s statements using his own wording and recollection, perhaps somewhat influenced by the New Testament quotations of Isaiah’s prophecy. In other words, the phrasing is consistent enough to show a clear and strong relationship, but varied enough to suggest he wasn’t simply copying it verbatim from the text of the Book of Mormon itself.¹⁵

Ultimately, the fulfillment of this obscure Book of Mormon prophecy in the accounts of the First Vision can be viewed as one of many subtle consistencies that attend Joseph Smith’s miraculous claims. On its own, it doesn’t prove that God visited Joseph as a youth and spoke to him from heaven. But it does add another good reason to place faith in that miraculous event, as well as in the Book of Mormon’s divine origins and miraculous translation.

“Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision,” online at www.josephsmithpapers.org.  

James B. Allen and John W. Welch, “Analysis of Joseph Smith’s Accounts of His First Vision,” in Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestation, 1820–1844, 2nd edition, ed. John W. Welch, (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2017), 37–77.

BibleIsaiah 29:13–14Matthew 15:8Mark 7:6Book of Mormon2 Ne. 27:24–25Doctrine and CovenantsD&C 45:28–29Pearl of Great PriceJoseph Smith—History 1:27–29

Bible

Isaiah 29:13–14

Matthew 15:8

Mark 7:6

Book of Mormon

2 Ne. 27:24–25

Doctrine and Covenants

D&C 45:28–29

Pearl of Great Price

Joseph Smith—History 1:27–29