34 And thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle
in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the Lamanites began
to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin
to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness
before him. 35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw
from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts. 36
And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because
of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words.
Helaman 6:34 – 36 (Emphasis mine)
Mormon steps in, making sure we understand the situation. The Nephites are no longer believers. They have become a wicked people. The Lamanites, on the other hand, are a
righteous people. They “keep his
statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him” (v.
34).
The consequence for the Nephites is that “the Lord began to withdraw
from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts”
(v. 35).
King Benjamin warned of this consequence of wickedness. He taught the people, “after ye have known
and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary
to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit
of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths
that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved— I say unto you, that the man
that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore
he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness;
therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples”
(Mosiah 2:36 - 37).
Hugh Nibley describes what it takes to be a “Good People.”
“[T]heir own transgression can spoil everything at any time;
they
are quite as capable of sinning and incurring destruction as their enemies;
they can bring down upon themselves the same calamities as the dissenters; their
garments can be rent along with the most wicked; and they can be as completely
destroyed as the Jaredites of old, for there is no guarantee that they are the
Good People. This is an extremely important lesson driven home repeatedly in the
Book of Mormon, that righteousness does not consist in being
identified with this or that nation, party, church, or group. When you
find a particularly wicked society in the story (as in Helaman 5:2), look back
a few pages and you will probably find that not many years before, those same
people were counted righteous. Or, when you find a particularly godless and
ferocious lot of Lamanites, if you look a few pages ahead you may find them
among the most blessed and favored of God's people (Helaman 6:36; Alma
26:23–33).”[1]
(Emphasis mine)
37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band
of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more
wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed
from among the Lamanites. 38
And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up
and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had
overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part
of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake
of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and
combinations. 39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the
government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend
and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of
God.
40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening
for an everlasting destruction.
41 And it came to pass that thus ended the sixty and
eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Helaman 6:37 – 41 (Emphasis mine)
The Lamanites dealt with the Robbers in a unique way. Hugh Nibley explains:
“It is important to understand that Gadianton's phenomenal success
was due to the fact that the majority of
the whole Nephite nation submitted to his plan of operation and his philosophy
‘and did build up unto themselves idols of their gold and their silver. And it
came to pass that all these iniquities did come unto them in the space of not
many years’ (Helaman 6:31—32). But while the Nephites sank lower and lower in
their cycle of producing and acquiring goods as the measure and purpose of
man's existence, the Lamanites set about to exterminate the Gadianton society among
their own nations, and succeeded in a most noteworthy fashion. What
were their weapons? No strong-arm methods were employed; no knives and poison,
tear-gas and sawed-off shot-guns, or the usual arsenal of crime-bursting
futility: they simply ‘did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of
them" (Helaman 6:37) and that ended the crime-wave!’[2]
(Emphasis mine)
The Nephites “did build them up and support them, beginning
at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the
Nephites” (v. 36). Eventually, the
Robbers were able to take over the government.
We have seen that one of the symptoms of a wicked society is
ignoring the poor. The Nephites were no
different. They “turn[ed] their backs
upon the poor and meek” (v. 39). We are constantly warned that this is a very
serious offense before God.
Let them be before the
LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth. Because that he remembered not to shew mercy,
but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in
heart. (Psalms 109:15 - 16)
Yea, will ye persist
in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the
persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy
order of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having been sanctified
by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for
repentance—Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and
the needy, and in withholding your substance from them? And finally, all ye
that will persist in your wickedness, I say unto you that these are they who
shall be hewn down and cast into the fire except they speedily repent. (Alma 5:54
- 56)
Wo unto you rich men,
that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your
souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation, and of
judgment, and of indignation: The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my
soul is not saved! (D&C 56:16)
Mormon makes clear “they were in an awful state, and ripening
for an everlasting destruction” (v. 40).
This could not continue much longer.
[1] Freemen
and King-men in the Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed July 13, 2012.
[2] The
Way of the Wicked, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
Institute, accessed July 13, 2012.
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