Lovingly Warned

As I was listening to The Book of Mormon a few days ago, Helaman chapter 13 stuck out in my mind. Because I've been thinking about it for a few days, I decide that I should post it.  I thought about posting the whole chapter but it's kind of long.  So I'll post a few excerpts and add my commentary.

Since I'm not posting the whole chapter I will give you a little background.  This is Samuel the Lamanite speaking.  At this point in time, about 6 B.C., the (usually righteous) Nephites (church members) had turned wicked and the (usually wicked) Lamanites were the ones keeping the commandments of God. One of the Lamanites, Samuel, began preaching to the people who promptly threw him out of their city.  He was about to leave and go back to his own city and the Lord told him to stay and preach repentance unto the wicked Nephites.  He obeyed the Lord but they wouldn't let him in their city so he got on the wall surrounding the city and began preaching from the wall.

Here is part of what he said:

Helaman 13:5-8 

5 And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the sword of justice hangeth over this people...

6 Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall be slain for his people.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and he did bring glad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad tidings; but behold ye would not receive me.

8 Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my Spirit from them, and I will suffer them no longer, and I will turn the hearts of their brethren against them.

The parallels to today are unbelievably similar.  It's obvious that The Book of Mormon was written for us, in the last days. Here's Samuel, trying to lovingly warn people and call them to repentance, for their own good.  And he gets kicked out of the city. Kind of reminiscent of modern-day prophets and apostles and missionaries.  He was going to go home but the Lord told him to go back.  Well they would not let him back so he gets on the wall to warn them, at the Lord's request. And all Samuel gets for trying to help the people and lovingly warn them is persecution and arrows thrown at him.

The hardness of the hearts of the wicked Nephites is evident. Verse eight is significant in pointing out that not only does the Lord withdraw His Spirit from those who harden their hearts against Him -- which is not an insignificant thing.  But he also withdraws His word.  To me that means they can no longer receive revelation.  Not only personal revelation, but they themselves withdraw themselves from modern revelation through prophets and apostles and even the Lord's word through scriptures. All of this withdrawal being self-inflicted. It's very sad.

Continuing to quote the Lord, Samuel tells them:

Helaman 13:9-11 

9 And four hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten; yea, I will visit them with the sword and with famine and with pestilence.

10 Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction.

11 But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.

I think Samuel makes it very clear how the Lord feels about their iniquitous lifestyle choices. The interesting thing about these scriptures is that Samuel is speaking to apostates.  The Nephites are people who were taught the gospel, were members of the Lord's church, made covenants, kept the commandments, then hardened their hearts and turned away from the Lord. Just like modern-day apostates.

The Lord expects more from his covenant people.  That's why Samuel mentions the Lord's "fierce anger".  The Lord's covenant people should know better.  They have been taught.  They have made covenants.  The Lord does not take that lightly.

Yet, He still gives them every chance to repent.  He sends people to warn them -- much like our modern-day prophets and apostles, and missionaries.  Yet they still have their agency.  Unfortunately, many choose not to repent.

Samuel continues:

Helaman 13:29-30 

29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?

30 Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity.

The Lord is just.  Yes, he is loving and very patient.  A lot more patient than I am.  So, despite all the repeated warnings, those who choose not to repent will face the Lord's wrath and justice.  It will not be a pretty sight.

Helaman 13:32-33 

32 And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:

33 O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us.

One day those who turn from the Lord and choose iniquity over righteousness will deeply regret it.  Mark my word.  We are given a lifetime in this probationary state to exercise our agency in choosing good or evil.  Those who choose the iniquitous path, especially after following the Lord's path and making covenants, and choose not to repent while in this probationary state will be doomed.

According to Samuel, the Lamanite, this is what they will have to say:

Helaman 13:36-39

36 O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them.

37 Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days.

38 But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.

39 O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words! And I pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you, and that ye would repent and be saved.

Wickedness and happiness are like oil and water.  They don't mix.  You can try to fool yourself into believing that you are happy living an iniquitous lifestyle, but it's impossible.  It is contrary to God's laws.  If you seek for happiness in doing iniquity, you may find temporary worldly happiness.  But it is fleeting.  And it's not true happiness, it's counterfeit happiness.  True happiness can only be found in living God's commandments.

I will borrow from verse 29, "...how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides?  Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?"

I echo Samuel the Lamanite's sentiment in verse 39.  Especially for my loved ones who have strayed from the truth.  I pray that they will hear these words and repent and be saved. Before it is everlastingly too late.

That's my two cents