Chapter 14
An angel tells Nephi
of the blessings and cursings to fall upon the Gentiles—There are only two
churches: the Church of the Lamb of God and the church of the devil—The saints
of God in all nations are persecuted by the great and abominable church—The
apostle John shall write concerning the end of the world. About 600–592 B.C.
Nephi continues discussing the gentiles at the beginning of
chapter 14. The gentiles that listen to
Christ when He reveals himself in word and power will have the stumbling blocks
take away. “For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake” (1
Thessalonians 1:5).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell comments on the removal of stumbling
blocks.
Nephi wrote of how the Lord would,
"in word, and also in power," remove stumbling blocks in order to
help some people believe (1 Nephi 14:1). In our time, the prevailing
intellectual pattern is secular, and an "exceedingly great many do
stumble" over and experience difficulty in accrediting and taking
seriously revelations and sacred records (1 Nephi 13:29). Nephi also
advised that the Lord will stir, even "shake," the kingdom of the
devil in order to help bring some therein to repentance (2 Nephi 28:19).[1]
If they do not harden their hearts and ignore Christ’s
words, they will be numbered among the house of Israel.
A pit will be dug by the great and abominable church,
founded by the devil and his children, where they would lead the souls of men
to hell. Eventually, the pit will be
filled by those who dug it, leading to their destruction. They will become a captive of the devil,
according to the justice of God.
If the gentiles repent, “it
shall be well with them” (1 Nephi
14:5). But, those who do not repent will
perish. “[W]o be unto the gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts
against the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 14:6).
Nephi would later write, “Wo be
unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts!
For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to
day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the
Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out
all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts” (2 Nephi 28:32).
The day will come when the Lord will do a marvelous work and
a wonder among the people. “Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous
work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of
their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall
be hid” (Isaiah 29:14).
Nephi would write:
BUT
behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous
work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the
children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my
people, which are of the house of Israel;
And
also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and
also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of
your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words
shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people,
which are of the house of Israel;
2 Nephi 29:1 - 2
This work will be everlasting. It will either lead the gentiles to peace and
eternal life. If they harden their
hearts and ignore these things, they will be led into captivity and suffer the
captivity of the devil, both spiritually and temporally.
Lehi would prophesy:
And
the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of
men from the fall. And because that they
are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from
evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the
punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments
which God hath given.
Wherefore,
men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are
expedient unto man. And they are free to
choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to
choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil;
for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
And
now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto
his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal
life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;
And
not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which
is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring
you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
2 Nephi 2:26 - 29
After Zeezrom began to inquire sincerely of Alma2,
he was taught:
It
is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid
under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion
of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed
and diligence which they give unto him.
10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart,
the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden
his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given
unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
11 And they that will harden their hearts, to
them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning
his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his
will down to destruction. Now this is
what is meant by the chains of hell.
Alma 12:9 - 11
[1] King
Benjamin's Sermon: A Manual for Discipleship, Neal A. Maxwell, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed March 5, 2013.
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