Where Prophecies Run Together, The Seven Fires Prophecy: Part 1
The Anishinabe people have a set of seven sacred prophecies they call the Seven Fires. They explain that seven prophets came to them and delivered them at a time they were living peacefully on the shore of north-eastern North America. Each of the prophecies given by the Anishinabe prophets is referred to as one of the seven "fires."
Below I will compare passages of the Anishinaabe Seven Fires Prophecies to other scriptural prophecies. The versions of the Seven Fires that are quoted below all came from The Mishomis Book, by Edward Benton-Banai. I'll link online sources for the Seven Fires at the bottom. All the red highlighting in the quoted material is added by me. Other than that, the quotes should be the same as the materials they were taken from.
*A description of who the Book of Mormon refers to as "gentiles" in the quoted material below: They were originally divided by "many waters" from the people in the American continent. They would cross the "many waters" and inherit the continent, and those who were already living here would be "scattered" and "smitten" by them. This land would be a land of freedom for these gentiles, where they would prosper for a time.
This description fits the European colonists, immigrants, and pioneers that were first called Americans. The continuation of their legacy remains in modern day Americans.*
Again, from the Book of Mormon:
Again, from the Book of Mormon:
Again, from the Seven Fires Prophecy:
Again, from the Seven Fires Prophecy:
From the Book of Mormon:
Again, from the Book of Mormon:
From the Book of Mormon:
From Teachings and Commandments:
Below I will compare passages of the Anishinaabe Seven Fires Prophecies to other scriptural prophecies. The versions of the Seven Fires that are quoted below all came from The Mishomis Book, by Edward Benton-Banai. I'll link online sources for the Seven Fires at the bottom. All the red highlighting in the quoted material is added by me. Other than that, the quotes should be the same as the materials they were taken from.
*A description of who the Book of Mormon refers to as "gentiles" in the quoted material below: They were originally divided by "many waters" from the people in the American continent. They would cross the "many waters" and inherit the continent, and those who were already living here would be "scattered" and "smitten" by them. This land would be a land of freedom for these gentiles, where they would prosper for a time.
This description fits the European colonists, immigrants, and pioneers that were first called Americans. The continuation of their legacy remains in modern day Americans.*
Karma Prophesied for Americans
From the Seven Fires Prophecy:"It is at this time that the Light-skinned Race will be given a choice between two roads. If they choose the right road, then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and Final Fire -- an eternal Fire of peace, love, brotherhood and sisterhood. If the Light Skinned Race makes the wrong choice of roads, then the destruction which they brought with them in coming to this country will come back to them and cause much suffering and death to all the Earth's people."From the Book of Mormon:
And after that ye were blessed, then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed, unto the pouring out of the holy ghost through me upon the gentiles, which blessing upon the gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel. And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fullness of my gospel, then, if they shall harden their hearts against me, I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father. 3 Nephi chapter 9, taken from paragraph 8.
Again, from the Book of Mormon:
O ye gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay, but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads, for I the Lord hath not forgotten my people. 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 9
Two Nations joined in One
From the Seven Fires Prophecy:
"You will know the future of our people by what face the Light-skinned Race wears. If they come wearing the face of nee-kon'-nis-i-win' (brotherhood), then there will come a time of wonderful change for generations to come. They will bring new knowledge and articles that can be joined with the knowledge of this country. In this way two nations will join to make a mighty nation. This new nation will be joined by two more so that the four will form the mightiest nation of all. You will know the face of brotherhood if the Light-skinned Race comes carrying no weapons, if they come bearing only their knowledge and a handshake."
From the Book of Mormon:
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea, and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath, and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together, the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure." Book of Mormon (Restoration Edition), 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 9
Again, from the Book of Mormon:
For I command all men, both in the east, and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them. For out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written. For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it, and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it. And I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel which I have led away and they shall write it, and I shall also speak unto all the nations of the earth and they shall write it. And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews, and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel, and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. And it shall come to pass that my people which are of the house of Israel shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions, and my word also shall be gathered in one. 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 10
A Return to Lost Knowledge
From the Seven Fires Prophecy:"You will know the future of our people by what face the Light-skinned Race wears. If they come wearing the face of nee-kon'-nis-i-win' (brotherhood), then there will come a time of wonderful change for generations to come. They will bring new knowledge and articles that can be joined with the knowledge of this country. In this way two nations will join to make a mighty nation. This new nation will be joined by two more so that the four will form the mightiest nation of all. You will know the face of brotherhood if the Light-skinned Race comes carrying no weapons, if they come bearing only their knowledge and a handshake."
Again, from the Seven Fires Prophecy:
"In the Confusing times of the Sixth Fire, it is said that a group of visionaries came among the Anishinabe. They gathered all the priests of the Midewiwin Lodge. They told the priests that the Midewiwin Way was in danger of being destroyed. They gathered all the sacred bundles. They gathered all the Wee'-gwas scrolls that recorded the ceremonies. All these things were placed in a hollowed-out log from Ma-none' (the ironwood tree). Men were lowered over a cliff by long ropes. They dug a hole in the cliff and buried the log where no one could find it. Thus the teachings of the elders were hidden out of sight but no out of memory. It was said that when the time came that Indian people could practice their religion without fear that a little boy would dream where the ironwood log full of sacred bundles and scrolls was buried. He would lead his people to the place."
Again, from the Seven Fires Prophecy:
"In the time of the Seventh Fire a Osh-ki-bi-ma-di-zeeg' (New People) will emerge. They will retrace their steps to find what was left by the trail. Their steps will take them to the elders who they will ask to guide them on their journey. But many of the elders will have fallen asleep. They will awaken to this new time with nothing to offer. Some of the elders will silent out of fear. Some of the elders will be silent because no one will ask anything of them. The New People will have to be careful in how they approach the elders. The task of the New People will not be easy.
"If the New People will remain strong in their quest, the Waterdrum of the Midewiwin Lodge will again sound its voice. There will be a rebirth of the Anishinabe nation and rekindling of old flames. The Sacred Fire will again be lit."
From the Book of Mormon:
And now I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written, and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed. And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews. And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ which was had among their fathers. And then shall they rejoice, for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God. 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 12
Again, from the Book of Mormon:
And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign: for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you — and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself and by the power of the holy ghost, which shall be given unto you of the Father — shall be made known unto the gentiles, that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them, verily, verily I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father and shall come forth of the Father from them unto you — for it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel — therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the gentiles unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity — for thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the gentiles, that he may shew forth his power unto the gentiles for this cause, that the gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel — and when these things come to pass, that thy seed shall begin to know these things, it shall be a sign unto them that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel. 3 Nephi 9, paragraph 11
Elders and Fathers
From the Seven Fires Prophecy:"In the time of the Seventh Fire a Osh-ki-bi-ma-di-zeeg' (New People) will emerge. They will retrace their steps to find what was left by the trail. Their steps will take them to the elders who they will ask to guide them on their journey. But many of the elders will have fallen asleep. They will awaken to this new time with nothing to offer. Some of the elders will silent out of fear. Some of the elders will be silent because no one will ask anything of them. The New People will have to be careful in how they approach the elders. The task of the New People will not be easy."
From the Book of Mormon:
And now I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written, and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed. And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews. And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ which was had among their fathers. And then shall they rejoice, for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God. 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 12
From Teachings and Commandments:
After telling me these things he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi [Mal. 1:6 –8], and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy [Mal. 1:9 –11], though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as reads in our books, he quoted it thus: For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall burn as stubble; for they that cometh shall burn them, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. And again he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold I will reveal unto you the Priesthood by the hand of Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. [Taken from Joseph Smith History, Part 3, in this part Joseph is quoting an angel that appeared to him.]
Comments
Post a Comment
If you have some wisdom to add, please do!