Nephi continues to write about Christ’s ministry to the
Nephites. After the destruction of the
wicked, the Savior will appear to them and heal them of their injuries. This will be a time of peace.
Many inquired of Alma2 about the appearance of
Christ. “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).
Three generations will live in peace and most of the fourth
generation as well. Nephi was writing
what he had earlier seen in vision.
And
the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass
away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of
God. And the angel said unto me: These
are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.
And
I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who passed away in
righteousness.
1 Nephi 12:11-12
The Savior informed the Nephites of their future.
And
now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this
generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels,
because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost.
Behold,
I would that ye should understand; for I mean them who are now alive of this
generation; and none of them are lost; and in them I have fulness of joy.
But
behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation,
for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition; for they
will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and
which thieves can break through and steal.
And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon
their own heads.
3 Nephi 27:30-32
sAfter the fourth generation, Nephites people will fact
destructions because of their wickedness.
Abinadi, as well as Samuel the Lamanite would also prophesy concerning
the destruction of the Nephites.
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
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; and
four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this
people.
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.
Helaman 13:5-6
The Nephites will choose darkness and follow the devil. The Savior would condemn those who chose
darkness.
He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God [JST John 3:18 ... which before was
preached by the mouth of the holy prophets; for they testified of me.]
And
this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:18-19
Richard Draper discusses the curse that will face the
Nephites.
A "curse" denotes
something delivered up to divine wrath and dedicated to destruction.16 As
we will see below, God's curse does not consist of divine action but rather of
divine inaction. When a people sin to the point that judgment must come,
destruction results; but it comes because of the removal of God's Spirit,
prophets, and restraining hand. Thus it is by the wicked, unrestrained in their
wickedness, that the wicked are destroyed (Mormon 4:5).
The Book of Mormon testifies
clearly of this point. Nephi affirmed that he has seen the destruction of his
people and, therefore, knew why they would be destroyed: "for the reward
of their pride [hubris] and their foolishness [atē] they shall
reap destruction … For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man.
And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy
destruction" (2 Nephi 26:10—11). Such destruction is ultimately spiritual,
though it often expresses itself first in the physical reality of temporal ruin.[1]
[1] Hubris and Atē: A Latter-day Warning from the Book of Mormon, Richard D. Draper, Maxwell Institute,
accessed November 7, 2013.
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