God's Mouthpieces

Foundation of Revelation

Doctrine and Covenants 28:2 But, behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses.

Doctrine and Covenants 43:4 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead.

5 And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments;

6 And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me.

7 For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall receive through him whom I have appointed.

In, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, these two references are used to buttress the teaching that if any come before us claiming to have received a revelation from God regarding you -and who are not a priesthood authority over you- that they should be rejected as deceivers.

An Exception To The Rule?

In the Book of Genesis there is a account of Joseph the son of Jacob (whom God named:Israel.)  The author of Genesis informs us that Jacob loves Joseph more than his other children.  This then leads to animosity between Joseph and the other 11 brothers.  Of course, Joseph being a snitch doesn't help.  This love takes on a physical embodiment when Jacob gives Joseph a special coat.  So first a snitch, then a golden spoon boy.  

Next we learn that Joseph is having dreams.  This is where we find things that pertain to the topic of this post.  Joseph of Egypt.  The 11th out of 12 sons.  That Joseph, believes it to be prudent to tell his priesthood superiors that God has told him that they should or at least would bow to him.  So as not to confuse the audacity of Joseph's position, he not only tells his brother's of his dreams but also his father;  Jacob of Abraham, Isaac and JACOB.  Israel.  The remaining, mortal but living patriarch of God's proclaimed family on Earth (Israel.)  Joseph tells him that God has shown in dream how not only his brothers would bow to him but that even his father and mother would bow to him.  Jacob's feeling regarding the matter is pointed out by the author in that it is stated that Jacob "rebukes" Joseph. 

Yet the question stands to be answered: did God give these dreams to Joseph? 
-Are we to believe that God really reveals by dreams?

-Is it possible that Joseph lied about the dreams?
-Would there be evidence in Joseph's life of his lying nature?
-Did the prophecy contained in the dreams come to pass?

-Is it possible that Joseph was given truth by a deceiving spirit?  Perhaps to build up his self-righteousness so as to disillusion him later in the Egyptian prison when it appeared that God had abandoned him?

-If these dreams were from God, then why didn't God give them to Jacob?