Alma changes the tone of his words to Helaman. He is about to share a prophesy with him, but
there are conditions. What he tells him
must be kept secret. Only after the
prophecy is fulfilled may it be made known to all. He then commanded Helaman to record the words
he says.
Four hundred years after Christ appears to the Nephites,
they will cease to believe. Nephi saw
this in revelation before Lehi’s party arrived in the New World.
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. And it
came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth gathered together. And the
angel said unto me: Behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And it
came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my seed gathered together
in multitudes against the seed of my brethren; and they were gathered together
to battle. (1 Nephi 12:11-15).
We can infer the keepers of the plates were not aware of
Nephi’s dual records (the large and small plates).[1]
We can further infer Nephi’s knowledge
about the ultimate fate of his people was not known by the prophets that
followed after Amaleki’s contribution to the small plates. If the record
keepers were not aware of Nephi’s vision, than the people would not have known
their ultimate fate. It appears all they had was the constant warning of the
consequences of turning away from God and failing to keep His
commandments.
Samuel, the Lamanite warned the Nephites, “And four hundred
years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten; yea,
I will visit them with the sword and with famine and with pestilence” (Helaman 13:9). After Mormon’s death, Moroni wrote, “Behold, four
hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior” (Mormon
8:6).
Alma continues, there will be wars, famines, and bloodshed until
the Nephites are destroyed. Jarom
recorded, “And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten the
people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the
commandments, but should fall into transgression, they should be destroyed from
off the face of the land” (Jarom 1:10).
And Samuel, the Lamanite warned, “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 13:6).
The people will fall into works of darkness and all manner
of sin. They will commit sin after
having received the light and knowledge of God.
“But the Son of righteousness shall
appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him,
until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth
generation shall have passed away in righteousness. And when these things have
passed away a speedy destruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding
the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to
pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride
and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for because they yield unto
the devil and choose works of darkness rather than light, therefore they must
go down to hell” (2 Nephi 26:9-10).
The Savior warned the Nephites, “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 27:32).
“Nephi’s prophecy of the four generations of righteousness
is repeated only twice (briefly) in Nephi’s account and only twice (indirectly)
in Mormon’s entire abridgment (compare 1 Nephi 12:11–12; 2 Nephi 26:9 and Alma
45:12; 3 Nephi 27:31–32).”[2]
When that day comes, those who were Nephites will no longer
be numbered among the Nephites. They
will affiliate with the Lamanites. “And they have been handed down from one
generation to another by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into
transgression and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth,
and slain, and scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the
Lamanites until they are no more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and
wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming Lamanites” (Helaman 3:16).
[1] “And
now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had
made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king
Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been
delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small
account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin,
and also many of the words of Nephi” (Words of Mormon 1:3).
[2] Prophecy
and History: Structuring the Abridgment of the Nephite Records, Steven L.
Olsen, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15/1 (2006): 26.
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