From: Francis Harper
wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net
Francis Harper Message for 8/23/2019
The Principle of Multiple Witnesses
Jesus said; “. . . in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Mathew 18:16).
Even from the beginning this principle was understood. “The Pharaoh of Egypt dreamed two dreams. And, behold, there came up out of the river [Nile] seven well-favored kine [cattle] and fat-fleshed . . . And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed . . . And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat upon the well-favored kine and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke” (Genesis 41:2-4).
“And he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke . . .” (Genesis 41:5-7).
“Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; . . . And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer . . .” (Genesis 41:14-16).
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, the dream of Pharaoh is one; God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years. And the seven thin and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine . . . Behold there come seven years of great plenty . . . and there shall arise after them seven years of famine” (Genesis 41:25-27, 29-30).
Joseph concluded his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream by explaining the principle of the double or multiple witnesses: “And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass” (Genesis 41:32).
Moses also taught the principle of multiple witnesses. “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death” (Deuteronomy 17:6). “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15).
Paul counseled Timothy: “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19). He also mentioned the principle of multiple witnesses in his letter to the Hebrews: “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses” (Hebrews 10:28).
We should not be surprised that Moroni was told that he would be privileged to show the plates upon which the record of his people were recorded to three witnesses: “And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God, and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost beareth record; and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day. And if it so be that they repent and come unto the Father in the name of Jesus, they shall be received into the kingdom of God” (Ether 2:3-4). God has given The Book of Mormon to the world as a second witness of his Son, who is Christ the Lord.
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Dear Ones,
I have shared Pharaoh’s dreams and other scriptures supporting the principle of multiple witnesses in the message preceding this letter because this principle can help us determine the credibility of the prophetic message given to Marty Vreden in 2015. Multiple witnesses support his testimony which I am sending to you for your prayerful consideration. It is titled:
“I Am Coming Soon”
For many years, Marty was a police officer in Harrisonburg, Virginia; Rockingham County, near West Virginia and the Appalachian Mountains. The stress of his occupation, added to his other health issues, culminated in an acute respiratory failure on July 17, 2015.
On that morning, his wife took him to the emergency room at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg. After a battery of tests in the ER, he was transferred to the critical care unit. While enroute to the CCU, he stopped breathing and went into code blue. This was fully documented by the medical personnel involved.
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The first encounter with the Lord – July 17, 2015
After going into code blue, Marty experienced the sensation of moving very rapidly through a tunnel. When he emerged from the tunnel, he immediately heard the voice of the Lord. The voice was undeniable and unmistakable. It was the voice of the Lord. He said, “My church does not really believe that I am coming back soon.” He repeated those same words a second time, and a third time. He said, “My church does not really believe that I am coming back soon.” The third time the words were spoken with more volume and more passion than before: “MY CHURCH DOES NOT REALLY BELIEVE I AM COMING BACK SOON!”
At this point Marty said, “Lord, Lord, we do believe you are coming back soon. We sing about it, preach about it, teach about it . . . .” But the Lord replied, “MY CHURCH DOES NOT BELIEVE I AM COMING BACK SOON, FOR IF THEY DID, THEY WOULD NOT BE LIVING LIKE THEY ARE!”
Then he said, very lovingly, “I AM COMING BACK SOON AND MY CHURCH IS NOT READY.” He continued, “Now you go back and tell the things you have heard, and know that your message will not be received.”
The first year Marty did not go public with the news of his experience. He felt he should go to the pastors first. He shared with about 50 pastors privately. Just as the Lord had said, the message was not received by the pastors, but there was one disabled pastor of a backwoods church who invited him to come preach. He preached to about twelve people. The Lord moved powerfully and touched the hearts and lives of the people who heard his message that morning.
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The second encounter with the Lord – August 14, 2015
On August 14, 2015, Marty was transferred from Rockingham Memorial Hospital to the University of Virginia Transitional Care Facility. During his first night there he had his second encounter with the Lord. He, like the Apostle Paul, could say, “Whether in the body or out of the body,” he could not say.
After falling asleep, he saw an oval shaft of light that grew in size and intensity. Suddenly Marty realized he was standing in a huge football stadium, but he was the only person there. He saw a football sitting on the two-yard line. When he looked at the scoreboard, he saw the numbers 2:13. Then he heard the same voice he had heard before, saying, “My church should be living as though this is a two-minute warning.”
The Lord knew Marty would understand the significance of a two-minute warning in an NFL (National Football League) game. He knew Marty was a huge football fan. Marty realized that in that last 120 seconds, with the ball on the two-yard line, victory or defeat would be determined. The referee was about to blow the whistle.
The next morning, Marty was back in his wheelchair again. He was thinking of his vision, and the two-minute warning, when he heard a knock on the door of his room. He responded, “Come in,” and two ladies entered. One was a physical therapist and the other an occupational therapist. After some discussion, related to their specialties, the physical therapist asked Marty, “Do you consider yourself a man of faith?” His response was, “I certainly have not lived it; I have made a lot of mistakes. I have had a lot of failures, but I am a follower of Jesus.”
The women smiled at each other, and one said, “We had no intentions of coming to see you this morning. As we were on our way to see other patients and as we came by your room, we saw super-imposed upon your door the number two. We wondered about the meaning of this strange thing. We were prompted by the Spirit to come in and ask you.” Marty responded with, “The lord is coming soon. The two-minute warning has sounded.” It had sounded only hours before.
After the first year, doors have started to open, giving Marty more opportunities to share his testimony. Later, while praying in his living room one day, he asked the Lord, “Why did I see 2:13 instead of just the number 2?” The Lord told him to turn to Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
My Love to All,
High Priest Francis Harper
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