THE BOOK OF HELAMAN
THE PROPHECY OF NEPHI, THE soN OF HELAMAN—God threatens the people of Nephi that he will visit them in his anger, to their utter destruction except they repent of their wickedness. God smiteth the people of Nephi with pestilence; they repent and turn unto him. Samuel, a Lamanite, prophesies unto the Nephites. Comprising chapters 7 to 16 inclusive.
[ Nephi has been teaching the gospel in the north for the past 5 years and returns home to find that his people have become wicked and have begun to embrace the secret combinations of Gadianton. ]
CHAPTER 7
Nephi is rejected in the north and returns to Zarahemla—He prays upon his garden tower and then calls upon the people to repent or perish. [ Between 23 and 20 B.C. About 60 Years before Christ will appear to the Nephites.
1 BEHOLD, now it came to pass in the *sixty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi, the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward. [ Having been gone for about 5 years. ]
2 For he had been forth among the people who were in the land northward, and did preach the word of God unto them, and did prophesy many things unto them;
3 And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among them, [ There comes a time when you just have to move on, you cannot save everyone - even the Savior moved on to teach those who had more interest - no since preaching to a brick wall. ] but returned again unto the land of his nativity.
4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers [ Those who made and were employed as a result of secret combinations. The Deep State in our day. ] filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; [ They have obtained positions of power throughout the government. From the lowest to the highest levels. IN doing so they have a network of protection for themselves. ] laying aside the commandments of God, [ And or as a warning for America - the constitution that God has set up for America. Putting there want for power above moral law. ] and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men; [ Or in other words just making sure that they were taking care of themselves. There is no justice. In addition this is literal in that they have and do injustice to children to involve them in their acts (Jeffery Epstein...). ]
5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; [ Decrying to the world that there is no God and that those who believe in a God are foolish, and those who are so foolish as to believe in God are stupid and must be silenced. Their children removed from their homes... ] letting the guilty [ Those who actually committed the crimes. Because they are guilty not just suspects. Do we see this today in our cities where the attorney generals refuse to prosecute those who we know are guilty? ] and the wicked [ So we get another sense of who they are, whose side their allegiance follows. ] go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, [ The guilty are promoted to heads of the government. This is because they either have money or something on someone such that they can wield power over them to get a position of power. Do we allow this today? There are a good many who have broken the law but that because of their influence they have been let off so that they can continue in their leadership roles because of their connections, power and money. ] to rule and do according to their wills [ Not the will of God or the will of the constitution to which they were elected to uphold. They set themselves in power to accomplish what they want. What usually happens to those who do this? Well they have someone that challenges them and they begin to fight against each other? Why? Because they both want what is best for themselves, sometimes that is the same thing and sometimes they are not - when they are not they use the same principles to destroy the other person. Nothing new. ] , [ What is the significance of this statement? It is not according to the will of God, or the will of the people. It is according to their will, they get to decide what they want. How are they able to do it? Because they are protected by their power influence and corruption to the point that they know that they can do what ever they want and get away with it. So why not they have become above the law. ] that they might get gain and glory of the world, [ Power and money. Selling their tokens for money. ] and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, [ How is it more easy to commit adultery? Well if you have power and influence then there are great number who want to travel in your circle, your fans your groupies... all who will throw themselves at you. ] and steal, [ The purpose of the first secret combination was the knowledge that you could take something that was not yours. Cain learned that, and killed Able to accomplish it. ] and kill, and do according to their own wills—
[ Again me, me, me. No place for God, only what I want. What becomes of society when it is only about me? Contrast that to the gospel which is about helping and saving, caring for and loving others. This is an interesting characteristic of this group, that once you get in you only really want to do what you need to do to advance yourself. As such there is a time when all of these end up turning on themselves. For example all of the gangs do not get together and help each other, divide the territories up between themselves. No they fight each other and take over each others territory, and the same things happen within each gang. The guy who is once the leader can really quickly find himself dead at the hand of another in the gang who wants to be the leader. There really os no honor among thieves. ]
6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; [ It did not take very long. A warning for us in the latter days - it does not take long. ] and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul:
[ Why? Because he knew what the end result of it would be. That it would not stop until it had destroyed everyone that tried to be righteous. ]
7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, [ Well I think that we have a grand summary looking only at the good side of things here. If we recall we see that in 1 Nephi that Nephi's brother's were dificult to be entreated, quick to do iniquity, and did not really want to try to keep the commandments or to ask of the Lord. Do we ever do that? - When things become difficult - we want to return to a simpler time. Why because we can selectively focus of the good things of that period of time, those things that we want to return to. But was everything well and easy, and simple in the days of Lehi? Are we at that point now were we are wishing for the old America? Times when we were a God loving and God fearing society? ] that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; [ They were apt at least in part to listen to the spirit, the light of Christ, verses being so consumed that they would not hear it at all. ] and they were quick to hearken [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". ] unto the words of the Lord— [ Is he suggesting that in that period people knew and choose right or wrong, good or bad and then split off - there was not so much divisiveness within the neighborhood. What thoughts do you have when you know that your neighbors belong to a secret society? What happens to your trust? Where is their heart? Even if you are a member of the society do you trust every member or are there secret societies and plots and plans within the secret society?]
8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.
9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, [ To bring that home - as are we consigned to this period of time. ] and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.
10 And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephi, [ Nephi has a small tower in his garden and has climbed to the top of it. ] which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway.
11 And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people. [ He must have been praying out loud in order for the people to know what he was praying about. ]
13 And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of your iniquities?
14 Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because of your iniquities!
15 And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts.
16 Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo? [ Good question for us to consider. Is he speaking to us as a warning in our day as well? ]
17 O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?
18 It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". ] unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.
19 And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts. [ Classic covenant cursing see Lev 26:22. ]
20 O, how could you have forgotten your God in the very day [ the adults were around some six to twelve years ago when the Nephites were spared utter annihilation at the hands of the Lamanites, and the miraculous conversion of the Lamanites and subsequent ceding of the land back to the Nephites. Nephi's point is all of the events of the preceding few chapters were witnessed firsthand by the present audience, these things weren't in the historical past, in a day before theirs. ] that he has delivered you?
21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, [ What do you and I sell out on for money? or integrity, our morals? What do we sell out on to gain power and influence? ] yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.
22 And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.
23 For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, [ You have become just as wicked as your enemies therefore I will no longer protect you, as you are no different from them. ] save it be unto those who repent of their sins, and hearken [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". ] unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent.
24 For behold, they [ The Lamanites. ] are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; [ So they are going to be condemned for not living up to what they have been taught. What was the knowledge that they were given that placed them in this position? They had a foundational law given to them by Mosiah which was based on the law of Moses; and they had a knowledge of the creation which teaches them that the plan of salvation, the covenant process of following God and who the serpent(the beast) was and what they needed to do to stay out of his grasp. Or they have set aside their temple covenants and have embodied the priestcrafts in their communities. ] therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent.
25 Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, [ You have allowed the doctrines of those of the secret society to enter your hearts, you have been persuaded by them, you have entertained them for yourselves until they have become yours as well. It might be good to try to understand how did this happen as a warning for us? Do you think it all happened in an instant? How did they persuade so many away from what they believed? Or did they really not have a testimony of what they did believe? Satan is subtle; he can take a principle like equality and twist it from a God like characteristic like charity to something that resembles socialism very quickly. He can promote righteous looking action into controlled behavior. He can suggest that it is good for everyone to be equal. Which I think that most people would agree that it is a good idea to help those who are in need of help. However when you do that at the expense of making one man work to support himself and those who do not work we need to be careful. What looks like it is good may not always be so. ] yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!
[ Which he links back here to the secret combinations, and we know who is the master designer of those combinations in the first place. Remember that the secret combinations were the same plans and designs implemented in the war in heaven, they are against the will and plan of our Father in Heaven. Satan was cleaver there with his plan, and so is he here again. Be not deceived. ]
26 Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches!
28 And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
29 Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God [ µyhla hwhy Yehovah Elohim, which we translate the LORD GOD. Hebrew - Yahweh ( or Jehovah which means "to become" or "to exist") translated as Lord; Elohim translated as God ("the Gods") which together the words mean "He will cause Gods to be". ] has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be.
* Verse 1 [23 B.C.].