Anthony E. Larson's

Prophecy,

History, and

Mormonism.

Things as they are,

as they were, and

as they are to come.

If you have an interest in the prophecies detailing the events to erupt in the last days, then we invite you to become engrossed in the gripping theories set forth in this page.

Have you ever noticed the similarities between the biblical accounts of the Exodus and the events of the last days described in Revelation? Both accounts speak of :

hail and fire
water turned to blood
earthquakes
darkness

Could it be that both accounts record similar phenomena?--Exodus, from the past; Revelation, in the future? This similarity between the two books is no coincidence. Let's make a comparison between the two.

Thanks to Joseph Smith, we know that these signs or phenomena will be caused in the last days by a planet which looks like a comet.

It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder.... There will be wars and rumors of wars; signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, &c. (Documentary History of the Church 5:337, italics added).

Ironically, a scholar named Immanuel Velikovsky, declared in his 1950 best selling book, Worlds In Collision, that evidence from ancient sources suggests that the Exodus signs or phenomenon were caused by a near-collision of earth by an errant planet which looked liked a great comet.

Clearly, both men--one, a prophet of God, the other a scholar--indicate that these signs and phenomena have identical causes: planets which look and move like comets! Thus, we surmise that the last days will see a repeat--a rerun, if you will--of the signs, wonders and destructions of the Exodus. This little bit of knowledge is the key to unlocking some of the most cryptic and enigmatic passages in all scripture: Revelation, Ezekiel, Daniel, Doctrine & Covenants, Section 188, etc.

Indeed, many ancient events which seem extravagant to our way of thinking were, in fact, celestial catastrophes. Take the long day of Joshua, for instance. The account of his battle with the Amorites relates that at Joshua's bidding the Sun and the Moon "stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day." (Joshua 10:13), implying that the Earth had stopped turning--an impossibility to the modern mind. Today's scientists, like the noted astronomer Carl Sagan, utterly reject as fantasy the notion that the earth could ever stop turning. Yet the Mormons should know, since Helaman, a prophet of God writing in the Book of Mormon, plainly declared that it does happen!

Yea, and if he say unto the earth -- Move -- it is moved. Yea, if he say unto the earth -- Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours -- it is done; and thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun. (Helaman 12:8-15)

This is the plainest, clearest astrophysical dissertation in all scripture. From this book, which Joseph Smith declared to be the most correct ever written, we learn that the Earth does, indeed, stop turning -- modern science to the contrary notwithstanding! No believing Mormon can reject the testimony of the Prophet.

How does the world stop turning? According to Velikovsky, the interaction between our Earth and another planet passing dangerously close by would serve to alter or interrupt its rotation. He notes that it has happened more than once in Earth's history.

Thus, celestial catastrophes have played a significant part in Earth's history. The ancient records of mankind are filled with accounts of the destructions and the changes. Besides the Exodus and Joshua's Long Day, a partial list of past catastrophes would include: the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the disappearance of Atlantis, Elijah's confrontation of the priests of Baal, Zeus' defeat by Apollo, the Tower of Babel, the death of Atum and his resurrection as Osiris, Noah's flood, the Trojan War, Sennacherib's defeat at Jerusalem, the demise of Kronos at the end of the Golden Age, the dividing of the world in the days of Peleg, the disappearance of Quetzalcoatl, the world-wide destruction at the Savior's crucifixion, and so on. These accounts, which include many from our Scriptures, tell us of a vastly different world and dramatically different heavens than those we see above us today. Of course, events predicted by the prophets for the Last Days share all the same phenomena as those ancient catastrophes listed above. Therefore we can see that by understanding the true nature of past events we also learn what will befall us in the Last Days. Hence the prophets wrote that we should know and teach of things as they were, as they are and as they are to come. That is the central thesis of a series of books, The Prophecy Trilogy, by Anthony E. Larson.

The Prophecy Trilogy

Volume I

And The Moon Shall Turn To Blood

If you have an interest in the prophecies detailing the events to erupt in the very last days, then you are invited to become engrossed in the gripping theories set forth in these pages. You will read of catastrophic changes that will not only blaze across the sky, but disrupt every facet of life on this planet. In this work, a stunning new understanding of cosmological changes in the heavens and on the earth joins with the truths of the restored gospel to give an incredible insight into prophecy. Now, a new scientific finding about the past not only clarifies some of the more enigmatic passages of the Old Testament, but it also illuminates our understanding of prophecy -- both ancient and modern. If you have struggled to understand the prophecies of events that may effect your life and have found only mystery and confusion, you will be fascinated with this book. After examining the events of the Exodus from a fresh perspective, the author, Anthony Larson, applies his knowledge to portions of Revelation, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Book of Mormon, along with statements of Joseph Smith from The Documentary History of the Church and other sources. It is not surprising that the combination of the revealed truth and a new scientific theory should result in a quantum leap forward in our comprehension of the scriptures and prophecy.

Volume II

And The Earth Shall Reel To And Fro

In this book, the second of the Prophecy Trilogy, you will discover the language of catastrophe as written by Old Testament prophets. You will see through their eyes, the effect of great cosmic upheavals, and learn the implications of such past events for those who await the Second Coming. Understand -- perhaps for the first time -- why most modern men and women cannot fathom the meaning of ancient records that describe past catastrophes of the planets. You will learn why modern science teaches us to disbelieve eye- witness accounts from the past, and why we misunderstand the message that our ancestors struggled to pass on to us through their records. The theories examined in this book lend added support to the Scriptures as the revealed word of God. Instead of attempting to explain away such biblical accounts as the Creation, the Flood, the Long Day of Joshua, the Exodus, or other fantastic Biblical events, the theories in this book wholeheartedly endorse those accounts as bedrock fact. If your efforts to understand the scriptural prophecies of the future have yielded only confusion and mystery in your mind, you will be fascinated with this book!

Volume III

And There Shall Be A New Heaven And A New Earth

The Scriptures speak of a coming Millenium, of "a new heaven and a new earth." This book, the final volume of The Prophecy Trilogy, offers startling insights into the nature of those coming changes spoken of in holy writ. Drawing on theories of modern catastrophists and the statements of latter-day Prophets, Larson pieces together a startling picture of the heavens and the earth as they existed anciently -- and will again exist in the Millenium. Finalizing the theme of his previous works, Larson explores the correlation between the myths, legends and symbols of mankind, and the world- shaking cataclysmic events of which the scriptures testify. One cannot help but be persuaded by the weight of evidence from myth, legend, tradition, Scripture and the words of the Prophets, that major events of earth's past and future have been and will be shaped by "the powers of heaven," i.e., the power of God operating through cataclysmic, interplanetary forces. To the LDS community, the view Larson advocates may sound radically new, yet it rings true when experienced through the words of the Prophet, Joseph Smith. It gives meaning to the most cryptic, enigmatic passages in Scripture. Your perception of the past, the present and the future, the Prophets and the Scriptures will never be the same.

Other titles from Anthony E. Larson, written for Latter-day Saints include:

The Plainest Book: Revelation

Anthony E. Larson was the first author to explain the relationship between scriptural accounts of catastrophic plagues and the irregular motion of planets in our solar system;
the first to connect errant heavenly bodies with the signs of the last days; the first to discern the truth about the earth's ancient history and its effect upon the language of the Prophets. And as if that wasn't enough, he has done it again.
In this book, Anthony Larson has made this mystery plain. He touches upon all the most enigmatic passages of the Book of Revelation: the baffling dragon with seven heads and ten horns, the mystic woman with the crown of stars,

the ominous star Wormwood, the four strange looking beasts, and the mysterious mark of the beast!
Even more significant is the fact that he plainly and understandingly explains what John the Revelator wished to say to his readers about Jesus Christ, the Last Days, the Second Coming and the Millenium. If the Book of Revelation has seemed indecipherable, you will want to read this book. Anyone who has struggled to grasp John's meanings will find this book enlightening and inspirational. Thanks to the author, the future has become a little less mysterious.

Parallel Histories: The Nephites and The Americans

Latter-day Saints have not typically thought of the Book of Mormon as prophetic. Yet, that may have been one of its primary, but unstated, purposes. You see, when Mormon set out to write the Book of Mormon, he knew what was to befall the Gentiles who would one day inhabit this continent.

After seeing them in vision and comparing their doings to those of his people, the Nephites, he noticed remarkable similarities, and carefully edited and composed his book to illuminate the parallels between the Nephite and Gentile nations. Yet, it seems, that we who read the book today almost completely miss that point. We read the Book of Mormon, but we fail to understand its message.

As it turns out, American history is foreshadowed in Nephite history -- beginning to end. But even more informative, recent American history and futurity are paralleled by events in Helaman. That is, we can know what will happen in both our immediate and distant future by reading the Book of Mormon!

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW SITE. MUCH MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE THERE.

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Last Updated: February 02, 2000