When Joseph Smith created the priesthood system for his church, he included the office of Patriarch, patterned after the Old Testament custom where the father, as head of the family, gave a blessing to his son(s). The Patriarch’s role in the RLDS/CoC Church is to confer a “special blessing” on church members who desire to receive one.

Receiving a Patriarchal Blessing is very important in the life of an RLDS/CoC member, as they sincerely believe it is God giving divine direction exclusively to them. Many times in the blessing, the recipient is given the promise they will live to see Zion established, or they may be told of a special work the Lord has for them to do, etc.

In actuality these blessings are a type of divination the Lord condemns in Deut. 18:10. Excerpts from Joseph Smith’s Patriarchal Blessing bear this out:

“Joseph my son, I lay my hands upon thy head in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to confirm upon thee a father’s blessing…Thou hast been called, even in thy youth to the great work of the Lord to do a work in this generation which no other man would do as thyself. A marvelous work and a wonder has the Lord wrought by thy hand….Thou shalt hold the Keys of the ministry, even the presidency of this church, both in time and in eternity. Thy heart shall be enlarged, and thou shalt be able to fill up the measure of thy days according to the will of the Lord. Thou shalt speak the word of the Lord and the earth shall tremble, the mountains shall move and the rivers shall turn out of their course. Thou shalt escape the edge of the sword, and put to flight the armies of the wicked. At thy word the lame shall walk, the deaf shall hear and the blind shall see.

“Thou shalt be gathered to Zion, [Independence, Missouri] and in the goodly land thou shalt enjoy thine inheritance; thy children and thy children’s children to the latest generation….And now, my son, what more shall I say? Thou art as a fruitful olive and a choice vine….Thou shalt stand upon the earth when it shall reel to and fro as a drunken man and be removed out of its place; thou shalt stand when the mighty judgments go forth to the destruction of the wicked; thou shalt stand on Mount Zion when the tribes of Jacob come shouting from the north, and with thy brethren the sons of Ephraim, crown them in the name of Jesus Christ. Thou shalt see thy redeemer come in the clouds of heaven, and with the just receive the hallowed throng with shouts of hallelujahs, praise the Lord. Amen”

Note the promises made to Joseph that never came to pass:

• He would be able to fill up the measure of his days (He was killed at age 38).
• He would speak the word of the Lord and the earth would tremble (There is no record of this occurring).
• He would speak the word of the Lord and rivers would turn out of their course (This did not happen).
• He would put to flight the armies of the wicked (Instead it was Joseph Smith and his followers that were put to flight from Kirtland, Independence, FarWest and Nauvoo).
• He would be gathered to Zion (Independence, Missouri) and enjoy his inheritance with his children and grandchildren (Joseph did not return to Independence to enjoy his inheritance).
• He would stand upon the earth when it reeled to and fro and removed out of its place (This did not occur).
• He would see Christ return in the clouds of heaven (He obviously didn’t live to see Christ return).

These examples of unfulfilled prophesies should be very sobering to RLDS who have received their own blessing or are thinking of asking for one. May we as Christians be burdened to help these misled people.

At the 1996 National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Pastor Adrian Rogers gave some important counsel for Christians who are attempting to witness to those who have been deceived by false prophets and teachers:

“It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills. It is not love and it is not friendship if we fail to declare the whole counsel of God. It is better to be hated for telling the truth, than to be loved for telling a lie. It is impossible to find anyone in the Bible who was a power for God who did not have enemies and was not hated.”

May we sincerely ponder the question that has become the motto of the Christian Research Institute:

“Are Christians willing to do for the truth, what the cults are willing to do for a lie?”