Who Was the Seer of the Latter Days?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Genesis 42-50 in a lesson titled “God Meant It unto Good.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

It had been about 22 years since Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph had suffered many trials, including false accusations and imprisonment. When he finally saw his brothers again, Joseph was the governor of all Egypt, second only to the pharaoh. He could easily have taken revenge on his brothers, and considering what they had done to Joseph, that might seem understandable. And yet Joseph forgave them. Not only that, but he helped them see divine purpose in his suffering. “God meant it unto good” (Genesis 50:20), he told them, because it put him in a position to save “all his father’s household” (Genesis 47:12) from famine.

In many ways, Joseph was like Jesus Christ. Even though our sins caused Jesus great suffering, He offers forgiveness, delivering all of us from a fate far worse than famine. Whether we need to receive forgiveness or extend it—at some point we all need to do both—Joseph’s example points us to the Savior, the true source of healing and reconciliation.

This scripture block taught numerous principles, including (1) “God sent me before you to preserve you” (Genesis 45:5-7; 47:12); (2) Forgiveness brings healing (Genesis 45; 50:15-21); (3) Jacob gave his family prophetic blessings (Genesis 49); (4) God can help me find meaning in my trials (Genesis 50:19-21); (5) “A seer shall the Lord my God raise up” (Genesis 50:24-25).

All the principles are worthy of discussion and extremely interesting. However, this essay will discuss the last principle about a seer being raised up. The scripture verses are as follow, the first set from Genesis 50:24-25, and the second set from Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:24-38.

24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

 

24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die, and go unto my fathers; and I go down to my grave with joy. The God of my father Jacob be with you, to deliver you out of affliction in the days of your bondage; for the Lord hath visited me, and I have obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of my loins, the Lord God will raise up a righteous branch out of my loins; and unto thee, whom my father Jacob hath named Israel, a prophet; (not the Messiah who is called Shilo;) and this prophet shall deliver my people out of Egypt in the days of thy bondage.

25 And it shall come to pass that they shall be scattered again; and a branch shall be broken off, and shall be carried into a far country; nevertheless they shall be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, when the Messiah cometh; for he shall be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the Spirit of power; and shall bring them out of darkness into light; out of hidden darkness, and out of captivity unto freedom.

26 A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.

27 Thus saith the Lord God of my fathers unto me, A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren.

28 And he shall bring them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers; and he shall do whatsoever work I shall command him.

29 And I will make him great in mine eyes, for he shall do my work; and he shall be great like unto him whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel, out of the land of Egypt; for a seer will I raise up to deliver my people out of the land of Egypt; and he shall be called Moses. And by this name he shall know that he is of thy house; for he shall be nursed by the king’s daughter, and shall be called her son.

30 And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth of my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days;

31 Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to a knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

32 And out of weakness shall he be made strong, in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them, who are of the house of Israel, in the last days.

33 And that seer will I bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise I give unto you; for I will remember you from generation to generation; and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand shall bring my people unto salvation.

34 And the Lord sware unto Joseph that he would preserve his seed forever, saying, I will raise up Moses, and a rod shall be in his hand, and he shall gather together my people, and he shall lead them as a flock, and he shall smite the waters of the Red Sea with his rod.

35 And he shall have judgment, and shall write the word of the Lord. And he shall not speak many words, for I will write unto him my law by the finger of mine own hand. And I will make a spokesman for him, and his name shall be called Aaron.

36 And it shall be done unto thee in the last days also, even as I have sworn. Therefore, Joseph said unto his brethren, God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land, unto the land which he sware unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and to Jacob.

37 And Joseph confirmed many other things unto his brethren, and took an oath of the children of Israel, saying unto them, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

38 So Joseph died when he was an hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and they put him in a coffin in Egypt; and he was kept from burial by the children of Israel, that he might be carried up and laid in the sepulchre with his father. And thus they remembered the oath which they sware unto him. [Emphasis added.]

In his article “Two Josephs Across the Centuries: The Strong Prophetic Ties between Joseph of Israel and Joseph Smith,” published at Latter-Day Saint Magazine, Paul Bishop shared the symmetry in sacred history. 

Sacred history sometimes unfolds with a symmetry inviting to careful attention. One such pattern appears in the prophetic link between Joseph of Egypt and Joseph Smith. Latter day Saint scripture presents this relationship not as coincidence but as part of a divine design reaching across millennia. The idea emerges in the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 50 and receives powerful reinforcement in the Book of Mormon, particularly in 2 Nephi 3. When the passages are read together, they present a compelling vision of prophecy fulfilled through lineage, revelation, and the restoration of sacred records. 

Joseph of Egypt already stands as one of the great figures of the Old Testament. His story carries the drama of betrayal, endurance, and eventual deliverance. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, he rose through years of hardship to become a trusted leader in Egypt. Through revelation and wisdom he prepared the land for famine and preserved the family of Jacob during a time of desperate need.

However, Latter day Saint scripture adds another dimension to Joseph’s prophetic role. According to the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 50, Joseph did not look only to the immediate future of his people. He also saw far down the corridors of time. In this vision he spoke of a latter-day seer who would arise from among his own descendants. That seer would bear Joseph’s name. His mission would involve bringing forth the word of God and helping restore truth obscured over the centuries.

The prophecy becomes even more specific. The future seer’s father would also be named Joseph. The Lord would raise him up to perform a work of great value for the house of Israel. His words would bring people to the knowledge of the covenants made with their fathers. Those familiar with the life of Joseph Smith cannot miss the striking parallels.

The Book of Mormon strengthens this prophetic connection in a remarkable way. In 2 Nephi 3, the prophet Lehi gathers his sons and speaks directly to his youngest son, who is also named Joseph. In this intimate setting Lehi recalls the prophecy of Joseph of Egypt. The ancient patriarch, Lehi explains, foresaw a latter-day seer among his descendants. This seer would bring forth long hidden sacred records.

The passage then moves from prediction to purpose. The records brought forth by this latter-day Joseph would work together with the Bible to establish the truth of God’s word. They would restore plain and precious lost teachings. They would also help convince scattered Israel of the covenants made with their fathers. This is not a vague forecast. The prophecy identifies lineage, mission, and even name. It describes a seer whose work would center on scripture, revelation, and the gathering of Israel.

Joseph Smith’s life aligns closely with this description. Born in 1805 to Joseph Smith Sr., he emerged from a family line identified in Latter-day Saint patriarchal blessings with the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph of Egypt. Through divine guidance he translated the Book of Mormon from ancient plates and published it in 1830. Latter-day Saints view this moment as the opening chapter of the Restoration.

The connection between the two Josephs becomes even more meaningful when their roles are considered side by side. Joseph of Egypt preserved physical life during a season of famine. By preparing the storehouses of Egypt, he ensured his family and many others survived a devastating crisis.

Joseph Smith entered a different kind of famine. The spiritual landscape of the nineteenth century included deep religious yearning but also widespread confusion about doctrine, authority, and revelation. Through the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of priesthood authority, Joseph Smith helped reopen channels of revelation we see as essential to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Another shared element in their stories involves adversity. Joseph of Egypt endured betrayal by those closest to him. He faced slavery, false accusation, and imprisonment before his calling became widely known. Joseph Smith encountered relentless opposition during his ministry. Mobs drove him and his followers from their homes more than once. The hardships of his life formed part of the larger narrative surrounding the Restoration. These parallels do not suggest identical experiences. But they do reveal a pattern in which God prepares chosen servants through trial before placing them in positions of sacred responsibility.

The prophecy in 2 Nephi 3 also emphasizes the gathering of Israel. Joseph of Egypt preserved the house of Jacob in his generation. Joseph Smith taught extensively about the gathering of Israel in the latter days. Missionary work, temple covenants, and renewed attention to the promises made to Abraham have all become central elements of Latter- day Saint belief and practice.

Seen through this lens, the prophecy concerning the latter-day Joseph forms more than an interesting historical detail. It places the Restoration within a much longer sacred narrative. The covenant promises made to the ancient patriarchs continue to unfold in later generations.

For Latter day Saints, the connection between Joseph of Egypt and Joseph Smith illustrates how prophecy and fulfillment can span vast stretches of time. A patriarch in ancient Egypt looked forward to a future servant who would help restore God’s word. Centuries later, a young man in rural New York stepped into the role and began a work which continues to shape the faith of millions.

This prophetic thread invites a deeper appreciation for the unity of scripture. The Old Testament, the Book of Mormon, and modern revelation do not stand as isolated witnesses. They join together in telling a single unfolding story of covenant and redemption.

When those passages are read together, the voice of Joseph of Egypt reaches across the centuries with quiet certainty. The Lord would raise up a seer named Joseph. Through him sacred records would come forth and the knowledge of God’s covenants would expand again among His people.

History has now provided the name that prophecy anticipated.