BOBK CHAPTER 1

THE burden of the word of the LORD which came unto John the son of Kathryn, the daughter of Jacob and Messiah’s Light, the son of Karl Hirsch, the son of Abraham, the son of Hillel, when the LORD first drew him out from the nations and inclined his spirit to seek after the LORD. It first came when he was about 30 years of age,1 saying expressly: “Thou shalt surely be my witness2 to Israel.”

  2 But the prophet wrestled at the word of the LORD, and the LORD would not have it inscribed, For it is not yet time that I cry out, that I rend and that I devour; that I heal3 and that I say Restore.4 So it was laid to heart.

  3 It came again in his 37th year.5 See, I have molded thee. I have given thee pain, and I have given thee fear. I have given thee loss and death,6 and a burning heart. None can quench what the LORD causeth to burn. Lay it to heart.

  4 And in his 38th year, which was 5,764,7 it came as a flood. Inscribe it now, what I have laid in thine heart, and what I shall put from henceforth into thy heart, for it is time that I cry out. And publish thou it abroad at the time of thy turning 40,8 for thou shalt serve me in thine old age.9 For it is time that I plow up and that I plant,10 that I cause to wax young that which hath waxed old; that which is buried I reveal unto light, and that which is I pull up and bury.

  5 Cry out, cry out in the name of the LORD: Destruction and upheaval! Plowing and planting, turning over and deep furrows, the banks thereof without footing. Heavy rains and mud, and the furrows shall be filled, and the line shall grow. I shall fence it in, and I shall reset the hinges of my gate.

  6 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Behold now in the dusk vision, a great caldron set upon broken desert ground. What doeth it? And I said, “It pitcheth round, as on a whirligig, and doth not steady, but the water slosheth at every point of the brim.”

  7 So bring I upon the Earth at every quarter, convulsion and upheaval, dismay, a setting on edge, fumes and smoke and a steamy vapour. As the water feedeth the desert from tumult, so shall old seed sprout from upheaval.11 Publish it abroad. Fear not, for I shall put the fear of thee on mine enemies,12 and at the time appointed I shall give thee the heart not of a rabbit13 but of a lion. At my word they shall have confusion of face, for lo, I have not spoken by prophet since days of old.14

  8 (But the prophet wrestled again) And I said: Why should they, O my Lord, hearken unto me, seeing I was not raised after the manner of my fathers, nor in the ways of my mothers?15 —Seeing also that thou hast not raised up a prophet unto this thy people for so long. Why should it be me?16  

  9 And the LORD said: Away, get thee to thy task, for I shall be with thee; and who can prevail against thee? seeing I am a hawk upon thy shoulder and a falcon unhooded against its prey. Whom I call, I shall call, and whose feet I shall place upon the path before me,17 I shall send before me. Away, son of Isaac,18 get thee to thy people and declare thou mine heart, what I have placed in thine heart.19

 

  1. Likely around 1995 or 1996. Compare with Luke 3:21-23–“21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,”… So, when Jesus was “about 30,” God told Him He was His Son; when Jachanan was “about 30,” the Lord told him he was His witness. ↩︎
  2. Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. ↩︎
  3. 3 Nephi 21:9 For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them. 10 But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. ↩︎
  4. JST Matthew 17:14 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist, and also of another, who should come and restore all things, as it is written by the prophets…. D&C 77:9 Q. What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse? A. We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And, if you will receive it, this is Elias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things. ↩︎
  5. When he was 36 years old, likely around 2001-2002. ↩︎
  6. Someone close to him had died by this time. BOBK 9:8 might hold some clues: “Thus saith the LORD unto thee, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Thy mother Kathryn is with me, and thy mother Messiah’s Light. They dance and rejoice with their mother Sarah.” ↩︎
  7. 2004 ↩︎
  8. 2005-2006 ↩︎
  9. Possibly at age 70 or 80, which would be around 2036 or 2046, respectively. ↩︎
  10. JS-H 1:38 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. 39 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. ↩︎
  11. Is this “old seed” the house of Israel? ↩︎
  12. Moses 6:39 And it came to pass when they heard him, no man laid hands on him; for fear came on all them that heard him; for he walked with God… Moses 7:13 And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him. ↩︎
  13. The Chinese year of the rabbit begins 3 Feb 2035, around when he turns ~69 years old. ↩︎
  14. What about Joseph Smith? He was foremost a Seer, and did receive the words of the Lord in the D&C; but unlike the BOBK, his works were not like Isaiah, or Jeremiah, etc. ↩︎
  15. Is he saying he wasn’t raised as a Jew? ↩︎
  16. Moses 6:31 And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant? ↩︎
  17. Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. ↩︎
  18. Note the Lord said son of Isaac rather than son of Jacob. This may indicate that Jachanan is a descendant of Esau, as well as Jacob—both sons of Isaac. ↩︎
  19. Helaman 13:3 But behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, that he should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart. ↩︎