2 Nephi 5:19-20

It is at this point in the record that Nephi proclaims his authority.  “,[T]he words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher.  Wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until the time they sought to take away my life“ (2 Nephi 5:19).

Though Laman and Lemuel constantly whined about Nephi wanting to rule over them, the fact is they had plenty of warnings about the potential consequences of their choices.

And it came to pass as [Laman and Lemuel]smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?  Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? 

1 Nephi 3:29

And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

1 Nephi 8:36 - 37

And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael: Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are his elder brethren.

Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that angels have ministered unto him.  But behold, we know that he lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes, thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange wilderness; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us according to his will and pleasure. And after this manner did my brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.

And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again with food, that we did not perish.

1 Nephi 16:37 - 39

And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.

And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.

And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea.  And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists…

And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me.

1 Nephi 18:9-12, 15, 20

And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you.  Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities.

And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him, even unto his commanding you that ye must obey.  But behold, it was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it.

2 Nephi 1:25 - 27

Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land?  And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been cut off from the presence of the Lord.  Now we see that the word of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their transgressions in the land.

Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life than for you, except ye repent.

Alma 9:13 - 15

So we see that, despite all the warnings they were given, Laman and Lemuel refused to repent and obey the Lord’s commandments.  Lehi’s words, “[I]f ye will hearken unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing.  But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him”  (2 Nephi 1:28 - 29), were finally fulfilled.

Nephi … declares that the initial promises of the Lord "had been fulfilled" (2 Nephi 5:19–20; compare 1 Nephi 2:20–24). The fulfillment of the prior promises occur in both covenantal senses: blessing Nephi and his followers for their obedience and cutting the wicked off from God's presence. As a result, the Lamanites become the antithesis of the Nephites, being characterized as rebellious, loathsome, idle, nomadic, mischievous, and aggressive.⁸   [1]

---

[1] Prospering in the Land of Promise, Steven L. Olsen, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed August 11, 2013.