The Greek word apostasia indicates a “falling away” from the truth, especially true religion (see 2 Thes. 2:1-3). That having been said, it seems perhaps more accurate to say that true apostasy is more of a “turning away” or “turning against” than a mere passive departure through neglect. “Perhaps even more accurately, apostasy could be described as a particular group turning its back on God or rejecting the covenant relationship offered through His household (2 Chronicles 29:6; Jeremiah 2:27). Accordingly, apostasy is not necessarily a desertion from religion itself but rather a perversion of, or a rebellion against, true religion. Thus, apostasy does not require total departure from one’s faith but rather a rejection of God’s laws and His prophets or divinely appointed leadership” (Where Have All the Prophets Gone? p. 19).

“Biblical and historical evidence suggest that general apostasy is not necessary for God to introduce a new dispensation, although it sometimes happens that way. Just as apostasy can be seen as a deviation from the true course, so can a dispensation be seen as a course correction. Put another way, sometime divine reordering is necessary to correct both the orientation and the operation of the household of God” (Prophets, p. 19).

With the reordering of God’s affairs and the calling of a new founding prophet to head a new dispensation, four significant problems are overcome: (1) a living prophet is reestablished as the spokesman for God on earth, through whom our Father speaks to His children; (2) God’s divine authority that enables man to act in God’s name and lead His people is reestablished; (3) distorted doctrines are clarified and restored to their simple and pure state; and (4) the authority to perform sacraments, or rites and ordinances, is restored, along with the true nature of their purpose.

Sources:

Where Have All the Prophets Gone? Scott M. Petersen

God has never seemed to feel a restriction in time or geography to accomplish His purposes. Rather, He calls those whom He has prepared and who are willing to serve. Thus, His Old Testament prophets came from Egypt, Babylon, and points between, including Canaan, Israel, and Judah. New Testament Apostles were from Judea, Galilee, and nearby areas, but they traveled throughout the known world before their deaths, preaching the gospel of the Son of God.

The Reformers who paved the way for an eventual restoration were European. The political and religious climate in the New England area of the United States in the early nineteenth century was the perfect place for that restoration-religious fervor, a new country with room for a new church to grow, and a country that was on the verge of growing to become the dominant force in the world for the next two hundred years or more. Had the Lord called a prophet from Jerusalem, He would have kept very busy just keeping His chosen ones alive through all the political and military upheaval and activity of that region.

Joseph Smith Jr. founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the state of New York in April, 1830. He served as its first President and as prophet and seer of the Church. Joseph Smith was a remarkable man. Of that there seems to be little room for doubt. But a prophet? That is an important question-a very important question. Joseph was given to deep questions about the subject of religion as a young man. He sought truth among the organized religions of his day, but remained unsatisfied. In time, as an answer to his sincere pleadings with God on this subject, he received a visit from two heavenly beings: God the Father and the Son. From this foundation, he received education and preparation through future revelations, answers to prayers, heavenly ministrants, and the quiet whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

But why did God break His long silence of nearly two millennia to now call an obscure young man as prophet? The answer is more simple than you might think. It’s a matter of prophecy and preparation. But mostly it’s a simple matter of God’s will. He chose Joseph Smith to be the prophet through whom He would restore sacred truths and saving knowledge. Joseph Smith did not ask to be a prophet.

It is left to each of us, however, to ask God whether Joseph was called to become a prophet. Learning the answer to that question may is key to knowing more about the doctrines Christ revealed through him.

See also: josephsmith.com

Let’s look at the list of questions outlined in How can I know if a man is a true prophet?

• Q. Did he claim that the call came from Deity, even though the calling itself may have come through another person in a position of authority?

• A. “I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually see? For I had seen a vision: I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it” (Joseph Smith-History 1:25).

• Q. Did he receive priesthood authority to act in God’s name?

• A. “In 1829, [Joseph Smith Jr.] received priesthood authority from John the Baptist and from Peter, James, and John” (Guide to the Scriptures, s.v. “Smith, Joseph Jr.”).

• Q. Does he offer revelations and pronouncements from God that he considers binding on the people he leads?

• A. All but 3 of the 138 revelations that make up the book Doctrine and Covenants were received by Joseph Smith and are considered canon and therefore binding on the Latter-day Saints.

• Q. Does he teach universal truths that cross cultures and political boundaries?

• A. As one example of the breadth of Joseph’s intended message, the title page of the Book of Mormon states that it is “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (emphasis added).

• Q. Does he address social issues in clarifying and sometimes radical ways?

• A. Joseph Smith’s revelation on a health code (see Doctrine and Covenants 89) is a good example of his radical approach to health that has been proven to be very much in accord with good health practices today.

• Q. Does he both maintain and reform status quo religion?

• A. See, for example, his teachings on the Godhead.

The answers to these additional questions are similarly positive and clarifying. However, you should do the research and answer them yourselves, and then turn to God to ask Him yourself for a spiritual confirmation regarding whether Joseph Smith was truly called as a prophet. Then you owe it to yourself to examine his fellow prophets in line as prophets and apostles over Jesus Christ’s restored Church:

• Did he go through some sort of spiritual preparation for the calling?
• Does he now or did he have a major weakness or trial to overcome?
• Does he have opponents who do not believe his calling as prophet?
• Does he have both a reliance on and a willingness to expand sacred texts (scripture)?
• In what ways does he testify of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of mankind?

Sources

Where Have All the Prophets Gone? by Scott R. Petersen

Encyclopedia of Religion, s.v. “Prophecy”

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, s.v. “Smith, Joseph: The Prophet”

Although writing systems have long been around, and religious texts seem to have often formed the core of a culture’s written records, the establishment of an agreed-upon scriptural canon has often been somewhat in dispute. Add to that the fact that it is only within the past three or four centuries that literacy has become a fairly common practice for “the masses,” and we quickly understand why a prophet was so critical in maintaining doctrinal purity and consistency prior to that time. Because a set scriptural canon was not often established, and because the average person did not have access to it anyway, the non-cleric needed to have access to the heavens for seeking answers beyond his own personal prayers. The prophet served that role.

The prophet petitioned God on behalf of His children, and God spoke to His children through the prophet. This uniform system was very effective, especially for small populations conducive to communication via oral means. The challenge grew, as prophets of every age learned, as the population of the children of God grew. Close contact with the prophet of God-both for discipline as well as inspiration-became less regular, and with that distance, the communities of followers became more fragmented. Note the growth of the Christian church in the New Testament record, for example. While Jesus was alive, he taught all those who wanted to become disciples of His way. After His death, as the apostles spread the Good News throughout the surrounding countries, differences of opinion, administration, and belief began to show up everywhere. Letters to the various branches of the Church were sent to shore up the weak spots until apostles and seventies could get there and restore lost or corrupted truths and practices.

Though this example comes from the New Testament era, it follows a general pattern of the prophet seeking God’s direction, teaching that direction to his community, and writing it down for future reference. Subsequent prophets both relied on that scriptural record and understood the need for expanding the canon as new social situations were encountered and as God’s direction for his children of each time and place brought logical extensions and enhancements. In fact, revelation is a hallmark of a prophetic call as much as is the ability to interpret and apply the revelations contained in existing prophetic writings.

The proper relationship between current revelation and recorded revelation of former days is perhaps best explained by Papias, one of the earliest Christian bishops: “If ever someone who had accompanied the presbyters should come, I examined carefully the words of the presbyters, [to learn] what Andrew, Peter, Philip, Thomas, John, Matthew, or any other of the disciples of the Lord said and what things Aristion and the presbyter John, disciples of the Lord, are saying. For I did not suppose the contents of books would profit me so much as the words and the living voice” (as quoted in Where Have All the Prophets Gone? Scott M. Petersen, p. 65).

Sources:

Where Did All the Prophets Go? Scott M. Petersen

Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade, s.v. “Prophecy”

1. They were called by Deity, though sometimes that calling came through another human who was in a position of authority. The calling included granting priesthood authority to act in God’s name.
2. Their official revelations and pronouncements are regarded as coming from God and binding on the people they lead.
3. They taught universal truths that crossed cultures and political boundaries.
4. They often addressed social issues in clarifying and sometimes radical ways.
5. They helped to both maintain and reform status quo religion.

Additional characteristics often also included the following:

• A period of preparation for the calling.
• A major weakness or trial to overcome while serving.
• Opponents who did not believe their calling as prophet.
• Both a reliance on and a willingness to expand sacred texts (scripture).

Sources:

Where Have All the Prophets Gone? Scott R. Petersen

The Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade, s.v. “Prophecy”

The Holy Bible

And just as there were false prophets contemporaneous with your holy prophets, so are there now many false teachers amongst us, of whom our Lord forewarned us to beware; so that in no respect are we deficient, since we know that He foreknew all that would happen to us after His resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven. For He said we would be put to death, and hated for His name’s sake; and that many false prophets and false Christs would appear in His name, and deceive many: and so has it come about. For many have taught godless, blasphemous, and unholy doctrines, forging them in His name (in AnteNicene Fathers, 1:240).

The Old Testament alludes to an apostasy from truth prior to Christ’s second coming. The New Testament furnishes significant evidence both predicting an apostasy and confirming that it had already begun while the Apostles were still alive, teaching the gospel that they had been taught by the Master Himself.

Many in the Church were rejecting Jesus’ teachings for portions of the old Jewish law, selected pagan practices, and various Greek philosophies. This apostasy was brought about by fading priesthood authority followed by false doctrinal innovations. Thus, the authority to perform the rites and sacraments disappeared.

Clearly the prophecies recorded in scripture were reliable: a general apostasy from Jesus’ gospel had left behind only a dead form of a church without the living Spirit of truth.

Sources

Where Have All the Prophets Gone? Scott R. Petersen

Having said that, it is worth noting that God is God in part because of His consistency. Although all powerful, He is not arbitrary in His dealings with His children. Therefore, we can look at how He has called prophets in the past and identify certain patterns that should help us to identify at least whether a man fits the prophetic patterns. If not, we will have less confidence in his claim to his holy calling.

Here are some questions that you should ask regarding a man’s being called of God:

• Did he claim that the call came from Deity, even though the calling itself may have come through another person in a position of authority?
• Did he receive priesthood authority to act in God’s name?
• Does he offer revelations and pronouncements from God that he considers binding on the people he leads?
• Does he teach universal truths that cross cultures and political boundaries?
• Does he address social issues in clarifying and sometimes radical ways?
• Does he both maintain and reform status quo religion?

Other questions might include these:

• Did he go through some sort of spiritual preparation for the calling?
• Does he now or did he have a major weakness or trial to overcome?
• Does he have opponents who do not believe his calling as prophet?
• Does he have both a reliance on and a willingness to expand sacred texts (scripture)?
• In what ways does he testify of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of mankind?

But here we repeat: ultimately, the best way to find out if a man is truly called of God as His prophet is to ask God Himself for a spiritual witness.

Sources

Where Have All the Prophets Gone? Scott R. Petersen

The Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade, s.v. “Prophecy”

The Holy Bible

Prophets come from all walks of life: shepherds, priestly lineages, simple pastoral upbringings, sophisticated city and court traditions, even carpenter shops. Some are but lads when they are anointed to become prophets, while some do not receive the call until late in their lives. Some may be alone, without family; for others, marriage and family life hold a close parallel symbolically to the peoples and cultures they are called to serve or call to repentance. Some are deeply involved in politics, even leading military action or holding simultaneous political-religious posts; others distance themselves from anything to do with political powers.

Prophets are rarely perfect people; in fact, almost all have some type of significant weakness or terrible trial to endure. Consider, for example, Peter’s impetuousness, Moses‘ slowness of speech, David’s passion and fondness for beautiful women, Paul’s physical trials, and Abraham’s consistent pattern of God never quite allowing him to receive his promised blessings.

In addition to overcoming weaknesses and trials, true prophets also have other commonalities. They often are called to address specific social issues or spiritual downfalls. Indeed, it is more common for a prophet to be a “forthteller” than a “foreteller,” that is, to speak boldly to the needs of the day and warn against trends and habits than to prophesy about events many years to come.

Sources:

Where Have All the Prophets Gone? Scott R. Petersen

Oxford Companion to the Bible, Bruce M. Metzger, Michael D. Coogan

Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade

We can view prophets in both a general sense through the spirit of prophecy and as a prophet assigned to fulfill a specific assignment. The majority of this site will deal with the latter, that is, a prophet called to represent God to His children in a specific calling. We’ll look at what a prophet is and what a prophet isn’t. We will look at patterns and prophecies. We’ll answer some of your questions and perhaps cause you to ask more. But in the end, we hope you will feel more assured than ever that God is in control of the universe, that He is indeed your Father in Heaven, and that He loves you. One way of manifesting that love is through His servants, the prophets.