3 Nephi 11:1-8

Jesus Christ did show himself unto the people of Nephi, as the multitude were gathered together in the land Bountiful, and did minister unto them; and on this wise did he show himself unto them.

Comprising chapters 11 to 26 inclusive.

Chapter 11

The Father testifies of his Beloved Son—Christ appears and proclaims his atonement—The people feel the wound marks in his hands and feet and side—They cry Hosanna—He sets forth the mode and manner of baptism—The spirit of contention is of the devil—Christ's doctrine is that men should believe and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. About A.D. 34

The length of time between Christ’s death and resurrection and his appearance to the Nephites is not clear.  We do know, however, that His appearance happened no later than the end of the thirty-forth year.

There was a multitude at the temple.  They had come from throughout the land.  It was, most likely, a time of regular meeting.  It may have been a feast day, a day or mourning, or a day of celebration.  Nevertheless, it probably was a time you would have expected a gathering at the temple.

The people were conversing about the “great and marvelous” change that had occurred.  They were also talking about Christ and the signs that had been given them that He had died and been resurrected.  Clifford Jones observes:

All the words in 3 Nephi 11:1 could be construed to mean the Atonement or the destruction. However, some of these words, particularly the word marvelous, the singular word change, and the words marveling and wondering appear to be better suited to a multitude focused on the Atonement than to a multitude focused on the destruction. The topic of the Atonement also fits hand in glove with the other topic being discussed at the time: "And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death" (3 Nephi 11:2).[1]

While conversing, they head a voice from Heaven.  It was described as “was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn” (3 Nephi 11:3).  They did not understand the voice. 

The voice came a second time and they still could not understand it.  The third time they heard the voice, they “did open their ears to hear it … and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came” (3 Nephi 11:5).  Richard Rust likens the three times the voice spoke to the fact there are “three that bear record in heaven” (1 John 5:7-8), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  He also reminds us by the words of three, God would establish His word (see 2 Nephi 11:3).[2]

The voice proclaimed, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:7).  The Father also testified of His Son at His baptism, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17) as well as at the Mount of Transfiguration, “behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5).

When the Father and Son appeared to Joseph Smith, he recorded, “I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.  One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son.  Hear Him!” (JS-History 1:17).

The Book of Mormon reinforces the Father’s role in dealing with us.  John Welch explains:

What we have here is the presentation of a pattern, showing that God the Father does not personally minister to human beings. He does things by sending representatives. He sends his Son down to carry out assignments. Jesus very clearly understands and expresses his representative role in all that he does with the Nephites; at the end (3 Nephi 18:35) he says, "And now I go unto the Father, because it is expedient that I should go unto the Father for your sakes."[3]

Richard Dilworth Rust writes:

Here at the meeting point between the mortal and divine we feel the intense power both of the word and of divine communication beyond speech. The people do hear Jesus, and later in responding to his prayers, they have an experience that transcends mortal language: "And their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed. Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man" (3 Nephi 19:33–34).[4]

Understanding the voice, the people turn their eyes towards heaven.  They saw a Man descending out of heaven, dressed in a white robe.  He stood among the people and all eyes were upon Him.  There was total silence.  They believed that an angel had appeared to them.

Nephi₁ had foretold this event.  “And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them” (1 Nephi 12:6); AND after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do” (2 Nephi 26:1).  Alma₂ and Amulek taught, “And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he would appear unto them after his resurrection; and this the people did hear with great joy and gladness” (Alma 16:20).

The prophesies have been fulfilled.  Christ has appeared to the Nephites.

---

[1] The Great and Marvelous Change: An Alternate Interpretation, Clifford P. Jones, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 29, 2012.

[2] Recurrence in Book of Mormon Narratives, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 29, 2012.

[3] Lecture 98: 3 Nephi 11, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 29, 2012.

[4][4] "To Come Forth in Due Time" – Introduction, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 29, 2012.

3 Nephi 10:8-19

The darkness lasted three days.  The morning of the fourth day, the Sun rose and the darkness was gone.  The shaking of the earth and chaotic nose ceased.  This had been prophesied by Samuel the Lamanite.  “Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the  ghost there shall be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble; and the rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up” (Helaman 14:21).”

The weeping and wailing of the survivors ended and they began to praise and give thanks to Christ.  Nephi₁ had written about prophesies concerning this event.

And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.

For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.

And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers.

1 Nephi 19:10 - 12

In Acts, Luke wrote, “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled” (Acts 3:18).

Those that survived were the more righteous part of society.  They accepted the prophets and did not shed the blood of the saints.  Nephi₁ wrote about these people, “But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution—behold, they are they which shall not perish” (2 Nephi 26:8).

Richard Rust described the Nephite cycle.

Frequently, the people move through what has been called a cycle of humility-prosperity-pride-collapse but which might be more vividly seen as a wave that intensifies as the book progresses. The preservation at Christ's coming of the "more righteous part of the people" (3 Nephi 10:12) and at the same time the calamitous destruction of many cities confirms the oft-repeated Book of Mormon motto. Through every major prophet the Lord declares: "Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence" (2 Nephi 1:20). The reality of the second half of the promise is confirmed vividly by Mormon and Moroni, who recount the descent of the Nephites into total destruction.[1]

They were spared major suffering during the destruction that occurred throughout their land.  Mormon challenged his reader, “now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions … are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets” (3 Nephi 10:14). 

The Nephites are a remnant of Joseph,  Moroni₁ reminded them, “Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed.  And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment” (Alma 46:24).

Mormon also wrote:  “Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God. And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth” (3 Nephi 5:23 - 24).

Mormon writes that, at the end of the thirty-fourth year, Christ did manifest Himself unto them, after his ascension into heaven.

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Acts 1:9 - 11

He showed them His body, and ministered to them. 

Mormon closes this part of his record with somber words, “Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings” (3 Nephi 10:19).

---

[1] "To Show unto the Remnant of the House of Israel" - Narrators and Narratives, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 27, 2012.

3 Nephi 10:1-7

Chapter 10

There is silence in the land for many hours—The voice of Christ promises to gather his people as a hen gathereth her chickens—The more righteous part of the people had been preserved. About A.D. 34–35

After giving His message, there was silence for many hours.  Nephi₁ had warned his people of Zenos’ prophesy about Christ’s visit.   “For thus spake the prophet [Zenos]: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up” (1 Nephi 19:11).

Hugh Nibley sums up Christ’s message to the Nephites.

Now this is the point; I talked about a standing invitation, a standing offer. It's there. Israel has refused it, and the world has refused it. The question rises, then why bother with these people who will never listen? So that they will be without excuse, as the Lord says. In other words, to resist this invitation, to resist doing what you know is perfectly right, you have to use all sorts of cleverness and sophistry and arguments and call all the lawyers in, etc. in order to reject it. You have to be very clever to do that, and they've worked at it. And he offered it to them, and they worked at a good excuse for not coming to the party.[1]

The people were astonished by the voice and what they heard.  They had been mourning for their dead.  Their mourning ended and there was silence for many hours.

Clifford Jones explains:

While "the more righteous part of the people" were saved (3 Nephi 10:12), those who survived were not untouched by the destruction. They knew, even in the darkness, that many of their kindred had died (3 Nephi 10:2). The destruction was pervasive across the land. It included both "a great and terrible destruction in the land southward" (3 Nephi 8:11) and "a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward" (3 Nephi 8:12). "And thus the face of the whole earth became deformed, because of the tempests, and the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the quaking of the earth" (3 Nephi 8:17). While there was greater destruction in the land northward, the destruction in the land southward is described as "great and terrible."[2]

After many hours, Christ’s voice came again.  He pronounced that they were of the house of Israel.  That they were a part of the house of Israel is an important part of Christ’s message.  In this chapter, he would remind them of this four times (vs. 4, 5, 6, & 7).  He would use the term, “house of Israel,” thirty-eight times during his time with the Nephites.[3]

He then said that He had often tried to gather them, as a hen gathers he chicks, and nourished them.  Nephi₃ had warned them that, if they refused to repent, “instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts” (Helaman 7:19).  Nephi₁ told us that, if we obey the commandments of God, “he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness” (1 Nephi 17:3).

In the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees, the master explains, “this [tree] have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others” (Jacob 5:25).  Even with proper nourishment from the Lord, we can still bear “wild” fruits. 

Christ had used the example of a hen gathering and protect her chicks frequently.  Lamenting about Jerusalem, He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered [GR have I desired to gather] thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37).

To the Church, the Lord said:

O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!

How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!

D&C 43:24 - 25

Christ makes it clear His desire to gather his people.   In turn, we gather to Him and his doctrine.  We gather to a person, not a place.[4] 

Christ’s metaphor also represents His (hen) covenant relationship with the house of Israel (chicks). Israel (chicks) could run to Christ for protection or run away from Him, rejecting His offer.  They had their agency to choose.[5]

Christ tells them if they choose to return to repent and return to Him with “full purpose of heart,” they will be spared and fall under His protection.  Samuel, speaking to the house of Israel, told them, “If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth [IE the images of the fertility goddess] from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 7:3).

---

[1] Lecture 83: 3 Nephi 8-11, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 25, 2012.

[2] The Great and Marvelous Change: An Alternate Interpretation, Clifford P. Jones, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 25, 2012.

[3] Pattern and Purpose of the Isaiah Commentaries in the Book of Mormon. Garold N. Davis, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 25, 2012.

[4] The Doctrine of the Risen Christ, Part 3, Robert L. Millet, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 25, 2012.

[5] Scholars Focus Conference on Third Nephi, Insights  Volume - 28, Issue - 6, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 25, 2012.

3 Nephi 9:15-22

After listing and describing the destruction in the land, the voice announces, “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (3 Nephi 9:15).  He created the heavens, the earth, and all things in them.  John made this pronouncement at the beginning of his gospel.

IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [JST John 1:1 - IN the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.]

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:1 - 3

Paul testified, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

Samuel, the Lamanite taught the Nephites, “And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name” (Helaman 14:12).

Moroni explained that he had sealed part of the Jaredite record when commanded by the Lord.  The Lord told him, “in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are” (Ether 4:7).

Christ tells the Nephite He was with the Father in the beginning.  He is in the Father and the Father in Him.  Through Him, the Father had glorified His name.

Christ went to His own, but they would not receive Him.  Christ revealed to Joseph Smith, “, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not.  I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not” (D&C 6:21).

All scriptures concerning the coming of the Messiah had been fulfilled.  Any who receive Him will become the sons of God (“But as many as received him, to them gave he power [GR authority, right, privilege] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” [John 1:12]).  All who believe on His name will receive redemption.  The Psalmist wrote, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Psalms 107:2).

He then makes a powerful pronouncement – in Him, the law of Moses had been fulfilled.  At this time, He gives them no further instructions.  John Welch explains:

If the Nephites were assembled on one of these traditional holy days sometime after the signs of Jesus' death had been given, they probably would have wondered what they should do next. We know that they observed the law of Moses until Jesus proclaimed its fulfillment (see 3 Nephi 1:24—25; 15:2—8), but while Jesus' voice, which was heard out of the darkness, had announced the end of the Mosaic law at the time of his death (see 3 Nephi 9:17), no new instructions had yet been given to the Nephites about the new law that was to take its place. [1]

As the law had been fulfilled in Him, Christ commanded that there be no more offerings that involved the shedding of blood.  He will no longer accept sacrifices and burn offerings.  Abinadi taught, “it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses” (Mosiah 13:27).  Amulek also taught, “it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the ^claw of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away” (Alma 34:13).

In place of the burnt offerings, we are to offer a sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit.  David wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalms 51:17). To those that come to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit, He will baptize them with fire and the Holy Ghost. 

The concept of a broken heart and contrite spirit was not a new concept. 

Dana M. Pike, professor of ancient scripture, BYU, explained that the requirement in 3 Nephi 9:19—20 for Jesus's disciples to offer a broken heart and contrite spirit—given in conjunction with the instruction to cease animal sacrifices—is often misinterpreted as something new at that time. Pike's address, entitled "Third Nephi 9:19—20: The Offering of a Broken Heart," discussed Psalm 51:16—17 and 2 Nephi 4:32—passages that chronologically precede 3 Nephi 9 by hundreds of years—indicating that the need for disciples to offer a broken heart existed from the beginning. He emphasized that 3 Nephi 9:19—20 refers not to a new sacrifice of a broken heart, but to a renewed emphasis on the need for disciples to break or smash their sin-hardened hearts. This allows the Lord to replace our now broken, irretrievable heart with a new, soft heart so the Holy Ghost can transform and sanctify us.[2]

Robert Millet taught:

[W]ith the redemption of Christ, we are bringing to an end that which had begun a long time before. How long before? In whose days? In the days of Adam. Adam learned about the offering of sacrifices, and now we are bringing, four thousand years later, an end to an important ritual and religious ordinance. We're not going to lose the principle, though: "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit" (3 Nephi 9:20).

Let's talk about that for a second. The call to a higher righteousness is a call to put away the ordinance of sacrifice for now, but at the same time to put on the principle of sacrifice. It is to gain a broken heart.[3] 

He came unto the world to bring redemption and to save us from sin.  If we repent, and come to Him as a little child, He will receive us.  In Jerusalem, Christ taught, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein” (Mark 10:15).  King Benjamin explained why we needed to become as a child.  “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19).

Christ laid down His life and took it up again.  “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again” (John 10:15, 17).  We are to repent and come to Him to be saved. 

---

[1] The Temple Context and Unity of the Sermon at the Temple. John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 23, 2012.

[2] Scholars Focus Conference on Third Nephi, Insights  Volume - 28, Issue – 6, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 23, 2012.

[3] The Doctrine of the Risen Christ, Part 1, Robert L. Millet. Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 23, 2012.

3 Nephi 9:10-14

The cities of Laman, Josh, Gad, and Kishkumen were destroyed by fire because of their wickedness in casting out and stoning the prophets.  There were no righteous in those cities when they were destroyed.  Samuel the Lamanite had warned the Nephites of the consequences of killing or casting out all the righteous.  “But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare.  But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven and destroy it” (Helaman 13:13).

There is a common explanation why these cities were destroyed.  Christ told them the cities were destroyed so “that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them” (3 Nephi 9:11).  Virtually every city listed by the Lord was destroyed because they murdered His servants.  This was the price they paid for their sins.

Christ then told them that they had been spared “because ye were more righteous than they” who had perished (3 Nephi 9:13).  Richard Rust writes:

The principle involved here is essentially this: those who were bound to their material goods and ignored or disobeyed God's commandments remained in Jerusalem, Jacobugath, or Zarahemla and were burned. Those who understood tithing and considered themselves simply stewards over what God had given them were ready to leave their homes and material goods and follow their prophets to safety. The primary gathering place for such people was the temple.[1]

Even though the survivors were the more righteous part, Christ called on them to “return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you” (3 Nephi 9:13).  Robert Millet clarifies this part of Christ’s message to the survivors.

When I teach this sermon, I often tell students to consider that this sermon represents a call to a higher righteousness. For example, let's notice in the Book of Mormon the things that the Lord wants us to know. Look back in 3 Nephi 9:13. Part of the call to a higher righteousness, even before we come to the sermon, is this one. Notice what the Savior says, beginning in verse 13: "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" Isn't that interesting? In other words, these people are not all glowingly righteous; they are just better than some of the bad guys. Verse 14: "Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."[2]

If they come unto Him, Christ tells them they will have eternal life.  Lehi₁ had seen this in his vision at the beginning of the Book of Mormon.

And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty!  Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

1 Nephi 1:14

Nephi₁ wrote:

He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw ^call men unto him.  Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation?  Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness?  Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.

2 Nephi 26:24 - 28

And Christ proclaimed: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

His arm of mercy is extended toward them.  All who come will be received and blessed by Him. “And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name” (Alma 19:36).

---

[1] "That Jesus Is the Christ" – Typology, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 21, 2012.

[2] The Doctrine of the Risen Christ, Part 1, Robert L. Millet, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 21, 2012.

3 Nephi 9:1-9

Chapter 9

In the darkness the voice of Christ proclaims the destruction of many people and cities for their wickedness—He also proclaims his divinity, announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled, and invites men to come unto him and be saved. About A.D. 34

It’s still dark in the land.  The cries and mourning of the people filled the land.  Then, the voice of Christ was heard throughout the land.  Nephi had seen this event.  “For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up” (1 Nephi 19:11). 

“Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice” (3 Nephi 9:2).  Enoch saw how, when people are destroyed by the devil, he would respond.  “And he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced” (Moses 7:26).

Christ began to list the destruction.  Zarahemla and its inhabitants had been burned with fire.  Samuel the Lamanite warned that Zarahemla would be destroyed.  “Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord” (Helaman 13:12). 

The city of Moroni had been sunk and the inhabitants drowned.  The city of Moronihah and the inhabitants had been covered by the earth to hide their iniquities and abominations from before His face.  The blood of the prophets and saints would cry unto Him against them no more. 

The cities of Gilgal, Onihah, Mocum,, and Jerusalem [“NOW when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites, Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon” (Alma 21:1)] were sunk and the inhabitants buried.  Where there were cities, water now hid the wickedness and abominations of the people.  “For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee” (Ezekiel 26:19).

The cities of Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, and Gimgimno had been sunk and hills and valleys were made in their place.  The cities and residents had been buried to hide their wickedness and abominations from the face of the Lord. 

Hugh Nibley writes:

The Book of Mormon also mentions the rising and sinking of the land, forming new "hills and valleys" (3 Nephi 9:5–8)—with no mention of major mountain ranges! In the New Madrid earthquake of 1811, "over an area of 30,000 square miles the land surface was lowered by amounts of 6 to 15 feet and over a much smaller area was raised by similar amounts." Hydrographic surveys after the Japanese quake of 1923 showed that over an area of 500 square miles some "areas were . . . lowered as much as 689 feet and other . . . areas raised 820 feet"—a difference of over 1,500 feet.[1]

The city of Jacobugath, inhabited by the people of king Jacob was burned with fire.  This was because “their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land” (3 Nephi 9:9).   

Recall the actions of king Jacob and his followers:

Now this secret combination, which had brought so great iniquity upon the people, did gather themselves together, and did place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob;

And they did call him their king; therefore he became a king over this wicked band; and he was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

And it came to pass that they were not so strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.

Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so.

And so speedy was their march that it could not be impeded until they had gone forth out of the reach of the people.  And thus ended the thirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi.

3 Nephi 7:9 - 13

Abinadi had warned king Noah and his priests the consequences of not repenting.  “And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations.  And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people” (Mosiah 12:8).

---

[1] Some Fairly Foolproof Tests, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 19, 2012.

3 Nephi 8:12-25

The destruction was greatest in the land northward.  Mormon records, “the whole face of the land was changed, because of the tempest and the whirlwinds, and the thunderings and the lightnings, and the exceedingly great quaking of the whole earth” (3 Nephi 8:12).  He continues listing the destruction that occurred.

Highways were broken up; cities would become desolate.  This was fulfillment of Samuel the Lamanite’s warning, “And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate” (Helaman 14:24).

Many cities were sunk and burned.  Nephi₁ warned, “ Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for they shall be as stubble” (2 Nephi 26:4).  Earthquakes destroyed buildings, killing people in them.  Even in the cities that remained, there was great destruction and death.

Many were carried away in whirlwinds.  The face of the land was deformed by the destruction that occurred.  We again turn to the warnings of Nephi₁:

And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof.

1 Nephi 12:4

And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and grind them to powder.

And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the ^afire of the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them, saith the Lord of Hosts.

2 Nephi 26:5-6

Samuel the Lamanite had warned the people what would occur if they failed to repent. 

Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the ghost there shall be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble; and the rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up;

Yea, they shall be rent in twain, and shall ever after be found in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea, both above the earth and beneath.

Helaman 14:21 - 22

The destruction continued for about three hours.  Some said it was greater, but this is not unusual for some people overestimate the length of a horrific event like this.  During this time, there was darkness throughout the land.  The same thing occurred in Jerusalem at the time of Christ’s death.  “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth [GR earth, region, land, or country] until the ninth hour.  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst [GR middle]” (Luke 23:44 - 45).

Nephi₁ had prophesied:

And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.

1 Nephi 19:10

The darkness on the face of the land was so thick, it could be felt.  This darkness was similar to one the Lord commanded Moses to place on Egypt.  “And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt” (Exodus 10:21).  Nephi₁ foretold:

And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and behold, I saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great and terrible judgments of the Lord.

1 Nephi 12:5

For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.

1 Nephi 19:11

The people were unable to light candles, torches, or build fires.  No light was seen.  They could not see the Sun, Moon, or stars.  Hugh Nibley describes a similar event in world history.

In some areas, the Book of Mormon reports, people were "overpowered by the vapor of smoke and darkness,"—and so lost their lives. There it is, this vapor of smoke and darkness that comes down. It shuts everything out. Even without volcanic accompaniments, however, major earthquakes kick up a terrible dust, according to Sieberg. They're accompanied by phenomenal vapors and astonishingly thick air. According to 3 Nephi 8:20–21, the vapor of darkness was not only tangible to the survivors but defeated every attempt to light candles or torches for illumination. And here's an example of the same thing from [the Greek island of Thera in 1400 B.C.], eight times as violent as Krakatoa. The overpowering thickness of the air extinguished all lamps and made it impossible to light them.[1]

Reading this list of destruction, we see that the warnings and prophesies of Samuel the Lamanite occurred.

As the time neared for Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecies to be fulfilled, Nephi₃ witnessed the growing skepticism of the people … Nephi₃ paid careful attention to documenting their exact fulfillment.  Nephi₃ also tracked Samuel’s prophecies concerning Christ’s death and their fulfillment.[2]

Concerning Christ’s Death	Reference	Fulfillment
No light for 3 days	Helaman 14:20, 27	3 Nephi 8:19-23
Thunderings and lightnings	Helaman 14:21	3 Nephi 8:6-7
Earth will shake, tremble, and be broken up	Helaman 14:21-22	3 Nephi 8:12, 17-18
Mountain will be laid low and valleys raised	Helaman 14:23	3 Nephi 8:10, 13; 9:8
Resurrected people will appear to many	Helaman 14:25	3 Nephi 23:9-14

The darkness remained for three days.  During this time, no light was seen.  Through the darkness, great mourning, weeping, and groanings of the people were heard.  They cried, “O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla” (3 Nephi 8:24). 

In another place, the people cried, “O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and our children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that great city Moronihah” (3 Nephi 8:25).

---

[1] Lecture 83: 3 Nephi 8-11, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 17, 2012.

[2] Chart 48, Charting the Book of Mormon, John W. Welch and J. Gregory Welch

3 Nephi 8:1-11

Chapter 8

Tempests, earthquakes, fires, whirlwinds, and physical upheavals attest the crucifixion of Christ—Many people are destroyed—Darkness covers the land for three days—Those who remain bemoan their fate. About A.D. 33–34

The Nephites were a wicked people.  They had killed the prophets and turned away from God.  The Gadianton Robbers were spread throughout the land.  There are some righteous people, but they are a distinct minority.

Mormon’s tone suddenly changes.  There is a sudden, unexpected change in his writings.  He testifies as to the truthfulness of the record and the character of the author of the record.  “[W]e know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record—for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus” (3 Nephi 8:1).

The miracles he did are recorded in the record.

And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

3 Nephi 7:19 - 20

The only way he could have done these miracles in Christ’s name was because “he [was] cleansed every whit from his iniquity” (3 Nephi 8:1).

If there were no mistaken dates in the record, we have arrived at the 34^th year after the signs of Christ’s birth were given.  The people looked for the signs that he been prophesied that there would be three days of darkness throughout the land.

And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.

1 Nephi 19:10

But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead.

And he said unto me that while the thunder and the lightning lasted, and the tempest, that these things should be, and that darkness should cover the face of the whole earth for the space of three days.

Helaman 14:20, 27

The Nephites, being the Nephites, found a way to turn this event into disputes among the people.  Many signs had been given, but they still argued among themselves. And, when the Nephites argue, bad things follow. 

In the first month of the thirty-fourth year, there was a great storm, unlike any storm they had ever seen.  There was so much thunder, “that it did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder” (3 Nephi 8:6).  Russell Ball writes, “This apparently is the first time the Nephites had experienced earthquakes approaching this intensity, and they seem to have assumed incorrectly that thunder was the cause of the earthquakes …  The thunder and the shaking of the ground were actually independent, both caused by severe seismic events.”[1]

Nephi₁ quoted the prophet Zenos.  “For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up” (1 Nephi 19:11).

Matthew recorded occurrences in Jerusalem.  “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour … Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice [JST Matt. 27:54 ... a loud voice, saying, Father, it is finished, thy will is done, yielded up...] yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain [GR torn into two pieces] from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;” (Matthew 27:45, 50 - 51).

In addition to the thunder and earthquakes, “there were exceedingly sharp lightnings, such as never had been known in all the land” (3 Nephi 8:7).  John Tvedtnes writes about the destruction.

The great destructions which took place among the Nephites and Lamanites at the time of Christ's crucifixion can be likened to the effects of hurricanes and tornadoes as well as tectonic activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The cataclysm began with a "great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land," followed by "a great and terrible tempest" and "terrible thunder" that "did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder. And there were exceedingly sharp lightnings, such as never had been known in all the land" (3 Nephi 8:5–7).[2] 

Mormon details the destruction.

·         The city of Zarahemla caught fire.

o   Hugh Nibley writes:

§  "And the city of Zarahemla did take fire" (3 Nephi 8:8). It would appear from the account of the Nephite disaster that the main cause of the destruction was fire in the cities (3 Nephi 9:8–11), which agrees with all the major statistics through the centuries; for "earthquakes are largely a city problem," mainly because the first heavy shock invariably sets fires all over town: in the Japanese experience "wind-driven flames were shown to be more dangerous than the greatest earthquake."[3]

• The city of Moroni sank into the depths of the sea and all were drowned.
• The city of Moronihah was covered by earth and, where the city was, there was a mountain.

o   Mormon, writing about the Lord, wrote, “Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done” (Helaman 12:17).

o   Hugh Nibley describes similar situations.

§  In September 1538 during a tremendous storm and tidal wave a volcanic mountain suddenly appeared and covered a town near Puzzuoli on the Bay of Naples; ever since, the mountain has been known as Monte Nuove, or New Mountain. The carrying up of the earth upon the city suggests the overwhelming of Pompeii by vast heaps of volcanic ash or the deep burial of Herculaneum under lava in 79 A.D.[4]

• There was great destruction in the land southward.

---

[1] An Hypothesis concerning the Three Days of Darkness among the Nephites, Russell H. Ball, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 15, 2012.

[2] Historical Parallels to the Destruction at the Time of the Crucifixion, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 15, 2012.

[3] Some Fairly Foolproof Tests, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 15, 2012.

[4] Some Fairly Foolproof Tests, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 15, 2012.