Man cannot Tell of Things to Come

Bryan Richards

The arguments of Satan rarely hold up to scrutiny. Accordingly, Sherem's argument has holes in it. He declares that man cannot know the future and yet he is sure that there will never be a Christ (v. 9). If man can't know the future, Sherem can't know whether there will be a Christ or not.

The natural man has no means to know the future. He does not believe in prophets, and he has no access to the spirit of prophecy. Therefore, the natural man will agree that man cannot tell of things to come.

Neal A. Maxwell

"In sum, many maintain that we simply cannot know the future; that angels do not minister to man; and furthermore that we cannot accept the word of those who testify otherwise! For some this amounts to an article of faith: 'We find insufficient evidence for belief in the existence of a supernatural; it is either meaningless or irrelevant to the question of the survival and fulfillment of the human race. As non-theists, we begin with humans not God, nature not deity.... No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.' (Humanist Manifesto II, Encyclopedia of American Religions: Religions Creeds, J. Gordon Melton, ed. [Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1988], p. 641.)
"Fortunately, as Latter-day Saints we know better, having been blessed with the witness of the Spirit." (A Wonderful Flood of Light, p. 75)

Neal A. Maxwell

"Many in the world hold back from making the 'leap of faith' because they have already jumped to the Korihor conclusions, such as 'God never was nor ever will be; there is no redeeming Christ; man cannot know the future; man cannot know of that which he cannot see; whatsoever a man does is no crime; and death is the end.'
"One basic limitation of worldly wisdom is its lack of longitudinality and of precious perspective. Worldly wisdom cannot 'see afar off,' and without a spiritual memory and spiritual will, past mistakes are repeated and folly is resumed!" (Church News, Aug 22, 1992, "Vital Truths are Expressed in Life")

LeGrand Richards

"I have great faith in the words of the prophets. I believe, as Isaiah said, that known unto God are all of his works from the beginning, and he has permitted his prophets to speak of those things, and when you stop to analyze what prophecy really is, no mortal man of himself could…know the future events of the world and portray them to the world except by the power of the Holy Ghost.
"That is what Peter meant when he said,

'We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' (2 Peter 1:19-21.)" (Conference Report, Apr. 1955, p. 121)

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