It’s the end of 1832.

Joseph is reading newspaper reports every day about South Carolina’s new drama.

The federal government had established new tariffs (taxes), and South Carolina nullified them AKA refused to pay them.

United States President Andrew Jackson threatened South Carolina. They better pay the tariffs, or they would go to war.

It was in this mindset that Joseph prayed and received the revelation known as Section 87. 

This was a uniquely specific prophecy that actually mentioned specific locations and events:

It mentioned the rebellion of South Carolina, a war between the Southern and Northern states, the Southern states calling on Great Britain for help, and slaves rising up against their masters. 

So… I’m sure you know what happened next, right?!

… the federal government and South Carolina made a pretty quick and easy compromise where the government lowered the tariffs and the state agreed to pay them.

That was it.

All that political tension and turmoil, and then add on a very specific prophecy from a prophet about war.

And then, an anticlimactic resolution. 

Was the prophet wrong?

Well, if you are familiar with U.S. history, you know the power of hindsight. 

30 years later, South Carolina did lead a rebellion that brought unprecedented war between the north and the south, the south called on Great Britain for help, and slaves rose against their masters. 

Long after Joseph had died, and long after the saints had already moved west to Utah.

God’s timing is so dramatically different than our timing.

The early saints believed Christ’s return was imminent… and here we are 200 years later.

And this war prophecy did not come true even when current events seemed to point toward it happening right away.

Feeling a sense of “urgency” has always been something that the Lord has tried to evoke.

Change now. Keep the commandments immediately. Follow the prophet.

We don’t do these things because we know we’ve got a deadline approaching.

We do these things because He knows we will feel so much more peace in our lives as soon as we decide to turn to Him.

God’s timing is His own.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

Share:

Facebook
Pinterest
Email
Print

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy

Keep Studying

Related Posts

Asking for help 

Those silly Nephites. ⁣ They were struggling for their lives. They were being slaughtered. Their peace was being destroyed. ⁣ And yet they didn’t call

Church-y Christmas Gift Guide 2024

With the holiday season upon us, are you looking to gift something that is memorable and meaningful?! I have gotten the opportunity to connect with

Team Lead 

After my first year teaching, I felt like I was drowning. ⁣ Teaching middle school was tough. I prayed that there would be some kind

Mormon refused

Mormon refused to be the military leader anymore. Not out of hatred, or disgust, or annoyance. ⁣ But out of love. ⁣ “I… had loved

Remembered 14 years later

MORMON REMEMBERED what Ammaron said to him as a 10-year-old boy. Do you remember anything that someone told you when you were 10 years old?