As we look at Revelation, chapter 1, verse 7, notice how it talks about Jesus and His second coming. Where every eye shall see Him in the clouds. Even the people of Israel will know that He is there Messiah. How their ancestors of old had Him brutally killed, while raising Jesus on cross to suffer and die for our sins. This was all part of the plan, but just imagine how they feel when understand this for the first time. This is when fear will encompass the whole earth. Many people lived for themselves and did not prepare for this day of reckoning, therefore, people will begin to cry out for mercy, but it will be too late. This verse reads…
Revelation 1:7 (KJV)
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Now, when comparing this verse with the Joseph Smith translation we have a lengthy new addition to the verse that reads, “with ten thousands of his saints in the kingdom, clothed with the glory of his Father.” Joseph Smith thought it important to fill in the gaps so that people could better understand what this verse was meaning. Harmless right? We shall see. It reads…
Revelation 1:7 (Joseph Smith Translation)
7 For behold he cometh in the clouds with ten thousands of his saints in the kingdom, clothed with the glory of his Father. And every eye shall see him. And they who pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
So where did he get the first part, “with ten thousands of his saints” in his verse? From Jude, chapter 1, verse 14. It reads, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” (Jude 1:14) And what about, “clothed with the glory of his Father“? That comes from Matthew, chapter 16, verse 2. It reads, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” (Matthew 16:27) Harmless right? Let’s look at Revelation, chapter 22, verses 18 and19 to find out. It reads…
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18,19)
So what is the problem? It is that Joseph Smith added to the verse in Revelation, chapter 1, verse 7. The doctrines he added are biblical, but they should only be included in a Bible Study as a commentary and not inserted into scripture. This is where he failed and, therefore, God’s plagues fell upon him. According to Revelation, chapter 22, if someone does this, their name will be removed from the Book of Life. As a result, they won’t be able to enter New Jerusalem or be part of the new heaven and new earth. This means that he went to hell when he died, and will stay there until judgment. At this point, he will be cast into the lake of fire. This is the truth of God, of which we know all this based on the Bible. Amen.
There’s no harm in looking at different verses for better understanding of Scripture, but also consider that those verses were placed where they are for a reason. Joseph included those verses with a scripture where they were not.