View source for Question: Is the prophecy contained in Doctrine and Covenants 84:114 an example of a false prophecy?

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==Question: Is the prophecy contained in Doctrine and Covenants 84:114 an example of a false prophecy?==
[[File:Newel_K._Whitney.png|200px|thumb|right|'''Figure 1.''' Portrait of Newel K. Whitney.]]
===Introduction to Criticism===
On 22 and 23 September 1832, [https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Smith,_Joseph Joseph Smith] received a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelation revelation] after several of his followers had returned from proselyting missions in the eastern [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States United States]. Part of this revelation contains a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy prophecy] that assigns [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newel_K._Whitney Newel K. Whitney], the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presiding_Bishop_(LDS_Church) presiding bishop] of the Church,
to a mission in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City New York City], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albany,_New_York Albany], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston Boston]. This revelation is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_works canonized] as [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 Doctrine and Covenants 84]. The [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84.114?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 114th verse] of this revelation reads as follows:

::114 Nevertheless, let the bishop go unto the city of New York, also to the city of Albany, and also to the city of Boston, and warn the people of those cities with the sound of the gospel, with a loud voice, of the desolation and utter abolishment which await them if they do reject these things.

Critics of the Church claim that this is a false prophecy since the cities of Albany, Boston, and New York still remain without "desolation and utter absolishment" close to 200 years after this revelation was given and recorded.<ref>John A. Tvedtnes, "A Reply to Dick Baer," <http://www.shields-research.org/Critics/Tvedtnes.htm> (29 June 2020).</ref>

===Response to Criticism===
The text itself refers to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Coming Second Coming of Jesus Christ]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_and_Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants] tells us that "[w]hen the Lord comes, every corruptible thing will be consumed, the elements will 'melt with fervent heat,'
and the works of the world will be burned up ([https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/2-pet/3.10-12?lang=eng 2 Pet. 3:10-12]; [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/101.24-25?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 D&C 101:24-25])."<ref>Donald W. Parry and Jay A. Parry, ''Understanding the Signs of the Times'' (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1999), 465.</ref> The Doctrine and Covenants also tells us that "all the wicked will be destroyed by burning ([https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/mal/4.1?lang=eng&clang=eng#p1 Mal. 4:1]; [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/29.9?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 D&C 29:9]; [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/64:23-24?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 64:23-24]; [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/133.63-64?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 133:63-64])."<ref>Ibid.</ref>

The "wicked", according to this very revelation, are those that "come not unto" and/or "receiveth not [the] voice" of the Savior nor the people that he sends to bear testimony of his Gospel.<ref>[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84.50-53,94?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 Doctrine and Covenants 84:50-53, 94].</ref> 

Concerning the Second Coming, the Doctrine and Covenants tells us that "the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, '''nor shall they know until he comes'''."<ref>[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/49.6-7?lang=eng&clang=eng#p15 Doctrine and Covenants 49:6-7].</ref>

{{Seealso|Question: Did Joseph Smith prophesy that Jesus Christ would return in 1890?}}

It should be noted that the prophecy is contingent upon repentance (i.e. "'''if''' they do reject these things.") and that this revelation should not be taken to  mean that ''all'' of Boston, New York, and Albany will be destroyed. It means that ''those that reject the Gospel'' will be and that can include ''individual people'' from those cities.

[[File:Second_Coming_of_Christ.png|375px|thumb|center|'''Figure 2.''' Greek depiction of Second Coming of Jesus Christ circa 1700 A.D. Public domain.]]

===Conclusion===
This argument should remind all that prophecy may take time to interpret correctly and that the timeframe that we assign to the fulfillment of a prophecy may not be the timeframe the Lord
has in mind for it.<ref>See John A. Tvedtnes, "The Nature of Prophets and Prophecy," <https://www.fairmormon.org/archive/publications/the-nature-of-prophets-and-prophecy-2> (29 June 2020).</ref> We should remember to read the scriptures [[Question: How can one best read and understand the scriptures?|contextually as well as holistically]]; that is, read the scriptures in their historical context as well as read everything that Scripture has to say on any given topic. That way, we'll be much better equipped 
to interpret Scripture correctly. Learning these skills will help Latter-day Saints and others interested in [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] to strengthen their testimonies of the Savior and prepare
for his Second Coming--the very event for which this revelation was given to help make more imminent and urgent to early Latter-day Saints and those that they were preaching to as missionaries.
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