In Doctrine and Covenants 115:4 the Lord Himself gives us, by revelation the name to His Church. 4 For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being this name given by God Himself it should be a prophetic name, it can't be otherwise. If you go to take a look at my article " Numbers, symbols and prophecy" you should be aware of the importance of numbers in the sacred scriptures. I am writing this talk just because a friend of mine, a former members of the church, even though he is still strong in the testimony of the Book of Mormon, he maintains that the Church of Jesus Christ went apostasy and he is trying to show this by the numbers and he is say that the name of the church contains the famous 666 like the Pope. Before to go ahead I'd like to point out that Daniel, the prophet, when he prophesied the restoration of the Gospel in the last days declared clearly:"daniel 2:44 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. We know for sure that this was not fulfilled in the time of Jesus, in fact there are dozen of scriptures prophesying a total apostasy. Christ Himself maintained that before of His second coming His Gospel would have to had preached again to all nations and Revelation 14:6 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Therefore according to Daniel after the restoration there never will be another apostasy. Turning back at this study I'd like to point out that the complete name of the church is like quoted in D&A.THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. My friend is a very good one with the numbers here it is is study 1 / 9
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints = 666 -- be sure to see " why " below -- (Hint: think wheat and tares) 36 letters in phrase. Add numbers incrementally = 666. C 1 o 7 s 13 t 19 t 25 S 31 h 2 f 8 C 14 o 20 e 26 a 32 u 3 J 9 h 15 f 21 r 27 I 33 r 4 e 10 r 16 L 22 d 28 n 34 c 5 s 11 I 17 a 23 a 29 t 35 2 / 9
h 6 u 12 s 18 t 24 y 30 s 36 = Total............ 666 Obviously at the time that this revelation was given no one was thinking about gematry or symbols in numbers. My friend took off the article "The" to make up his study in fact he had to admit his trick See Comment and Feedback regarding omission of "THE" Sir, I want to comment about your statement: " Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter day Saints = 666 " If you refer to D&C 115:4, the official name of the LDS Church is: "THE Church...", making the official name a 39-characters title, unfit to add-up to 666. 3 / 9
Either you have been deceived by your "discovery source unknown" or you purposely deceive your readers. In both cases, your statement is a lie. Correct me if I am wrong. Jean **** e-mail **** To which I replied: Thanks for the comment/question regarding http://www.greaterthings.com/word-number/666/lds666.htm When indexing a name alphabetically, "The" at the beginning is ignored. So my friend was just trying it, but at this point I have to thank him because it is enough to add the word "THE" to show that the numbers one more time are supporting the "True" church, in fact adding the three letters the sum is going to 39 letters and no more 36. Number three is the perfection, number 9 is a multiple of 3 3X3 and is reinforcing the idea of perfection. The sum of 3 9 is 12 that is the divine guide on earth. God always gave this pattern after He made covenants with ISRAEL, Jacob had 12 sons and Jesus called His 12 apostles. 4 / 9
Leaving aside this topic, I mean the numbers, I'd like to reinforce the idea explained from Daniel Daniel 2:44 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. and from the same book Daniel 2:34 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Daniel 2:35 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. According to this scripture the restored church would have become an expanding church until to fill the world. Now the church of Jesus Christ is really an expanding church, it is the church growing faster and everywhere than any other church. What we can say about the few people that deserted the "true" church? Are they preaching the gospel everywhere? Are they growing? Not at all, they are few people very few instead to expand they are shrinking, probably they fulfill some other prophecy. The reorganized church maintains that the son of Joseph Smith should receive the authority to be the new prophet, but the scriptures are teaching us that the prophets are called by seniority from the twelve, Peter was numbered number one in the scriptures and was called directly from Jesus after Him 5 / 9
Ephesians 4:11 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Ephesians 4:12 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Ephesians 4:13 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: Apostles come before of the prophets because the prophets come from this body Matthew 10:2 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter Now the problem for the reorganized church is this: How could be possibly for the son of Joseph to become prophet when he never was in the twelve? Not only, we have a rule in the church: The church has to support the new prophet without the consent of the church no one could be a prophet, even Joseph Smith had this need to be satisfied. Once Joseph asked to release one of his assistant and the church refused it and nothing happened. The problem with the reorganized church is that they never discuss the first 12 apostles, but only that the son of Joseph should become the prophet just because Joseph Smith told the people that his son should take his place. Joseph Smith told the same thing about other people, Sydney Rigdon, Brygham Young and so on. The church went on guided from Brigham Young for several years, some people left the church and built his own church, but in few years they were deserted. The reorganized church was organized several years later, in fact at the beginning the son of Joseph refused to be their prophet and should pass several years before he accepted the new proposal. The people who convinced him were all excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ lds and no one was an apostle in the primitive church. No one of them never proclaimed to have 6 / 9
received some special callings or priesthood from heaven from another restoration, and it couldn't be: the scripture were clear on that: Daniel 2:44 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. The Church of Jesus Christ arrived in Utah, like prophesied from Joseph Smith, guided from a new Moses, the new church "reorganized" not only was organized several years later but denied many of the revelations given from Joseph Smith, so in reality they supported Joseph like prophet just in the things they were happy but in reality they acted like he was a fallen prophet. 1 Corinthians 14:32 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 1 Corinthians 14:33 33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. We have to accept what a prophet preached. 2 Corinthians 10:12 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:13 13 But we will not boast of things without [our] measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 2 Corinthians 10:14 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond [our measure], as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in [preaching] the gospel of Christ: 2 Corinthians 10:15 7 / 9
15 Not boasting of things without [our] measure, [that is], of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 2 Corinthians 10:16 16 To preach the gospel in the [regions] beyond you, [and] not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. 2 Corinthians 10:17 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:18 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Galatians 2:7 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as [the gospel] of the circumcision [was] unto Peter; Galatians 2:8 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) Galatians 2:9 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Hebrews 5:4 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron. The 12 of the reorganized church and the son of Joseph never had any calling in the original 12 and above all they were all excomunicated even like members. Like for the doctrines, the callings are no in force until the church sustain them. It is true that Joseph Smith declared that his son, like Sydney Rigdon and others would have become prophets in the church. This means nothing because all the blessings are based on faithfulness and justice. I believe that if these people were faithful to the Lord, probably one day these blessings could have fulfilled. For example if Hyrum Smith didn't dye he would have been the new prophet according to &C 124:94 94 And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph; 8 / 9
D&C 124:95 95 That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery; If Sydney Rigdon had left all the problems in God's hands probably... and so even for the son of Joseph. Joseph Fielding Smith had this blessing to lead the church after his father, in the course of time. We don't have to forget that Joseph Smith prophesied once Diary of Charles L. Walker, Sept 1832, p. 134. Upon seeing Brigham Young for the first time and while yet some distance away the Prophet Joseph stopped his chopping on a beech log, straightened up, studied Brigham for a moment, then remarked: "There comes the greatest man who ever lived to teach the identity of God to the world, and he will yet lead this people." [Brigham Young first met Joseph Smith in September, 1832 in Kirtland, Ohio. He said: "Here my joy was full at the privilege of shaking the hand of the Prophet of God, and I received the sure testimony, by the spirit of prophecy, that he was all any man could believe him to be, a true prophet." (Mill Star July 11, 1863, p. 439.) During this visit a meeting was held in which Brigham spoke in tongues. After this manifestation Joseph prophesied: "The time will come when brother Brigham Young will preside over the Church." (See History of the Church 1:297; Mighty Men of Zion, p. 16; Mill Star 21:439; Journal of Discourses 3:51; 4:54; 5:332; 8:206; 9:89, 332; They Knew The Prophet, Hyrum L. Andrus, p. 34.)] See there are many interesting things related to this topic. 9 / 9